Sportul Studențesc, commonly referred to as Sportul, is the name associated with a historic Romanian football club and, since 2026, a supporters-led senior football project based in Bucharest. The original club was founded on 11 February 1916 by a group of university professors and students led by mathematician Traian Lalescu. After the senior team withdrew from competition in 2017, a new project organised by the Asociația Clubul Sportiv al Suporterilor Sportul Studențesc București announced the return of a senior side in 2026, entering the Bucharest division of Liga V.

The club's best European performance came in the 1979–80 Balkans Cup, when it won the trophy by defeating Yugoslav side Rijeka in the final. Sportul also reached the 1976 Balkans Cup final, where it lost to Dinamo Zagreb. In the UEFA Cup, its best performance came in the 1987–88 season, when the club reached the third round.

Domestically, Sportul Studențesc's best league performance was a second-place finish in the 1985–86 season, behind Steaua București. In the Cupa României, Sportul reached the final on three occasions, in 1938–39, 1942–43 and 1978–79, losing to Rapid București, CFR Turnu Severin and Steaua București, respectively.

The traditional home of Sportul Studențesc is Regie Stadium in Bucharest. The senior team launched in 2026, however, plays its home matches at Complexul Sportiv Tei.

Chronology of names

PeriodName1916–1919Sporting Club Universitar București1919–1946Sportul Studențesc București1946–1948Sparta București1948–1954Clubul Sportiv Universitar București1954–1966Știința București1966–1969Politehnica București1969–2017Sportul Studențesc București2017–2026No senior team in league competition2026–ACS al Suporterilor Sportul Studențesc (supporters-led senior project)

History

On 11 February 1916, Sporting Club Universitar Studențesc was founded on the initiative of a group of professors and students. Football, athletics and tennis were initially the club's three sporting sections. Its first president was professor Traian Lalescu, the mathematician who played an important role in the development of Romanian higher education.

The club initially had no stadium of its own and played its matches at several grounds in Bucharest. It was later allowed to use the Belvedere ground in the Regie district, which became closely associated with the club.

The history of Sportul Studențesc can be divided into several distinct periods. Before the Second World War, the club established itself in the Romanian national competitions. Following several reorganisations during the early communist period, it eventually returned to its traditional Sportul Studențesc name in 1969.

The mid-to-late 1970s and the 1980s represented the club's most successful period. Led by president Barbu Emil "Mac" Popescu, Sportul reached two Balkans Cup finals, winning the competition once, qualified for the UEFA Cup on six occasions and reached a Cupa României final. The club recorded its highest league finish in the 1985–86 season, when it finished second. Players associated with Sportul during this period included Marcel Coraș, Mircea Sandu, Gino Iorgulescu and Gheorghe Hagi.

After the fall of communism in 1989, the club encountered increasing financial difficulties and regularly lost some of its most talented players. At the end of the 1997–98 season, Sportul was relegated to the second division after more than 25 consecutive years in the top flight.

One year later, Sportul came close to being relegated to the third tier. With financial support from young investor Vasile Șiman and a major rejuvenation of the squad, the team recovered and remained in the second division.

At the end of the 2000–01 season, Sportul earned promotion to the top flight. After a close battle with Farul Constanța, the club finished first with 81 points and a goal difference of 71–17. The stay in the first division lasted only one season, as Sportul was relegated again at the end of the 2001–02 season.

Sportul returned to the first division after winning its second-tier series in 2003–04. In the following season, the club finished seventh, while Gigel Bucur became the league's top scorer with 21 goals.

During the 2005–06 season, coached by Dan Petrescu during the first part of the campaign and Gheorghe Mulțescu during the second, Sportul finished fourth, its best league placing since the late 1980s. Despite its sporting performance, the club was subsequently relegated to the second tier after failing to obtain a top-flight licence.

After four seasons in Liga II, Sportul earned promotion again at the end of the 2009–10 season. The club finished last in the 2010–11 season, but remained in the top division because of licensing problems involving other clubs. At the end of the 2011–12 season, Sportul finished 17th and was relegated.

Following relegation, Sportul competed in the 2012–13 Liga II season before financial problems pushed the senior side into the Bucharest regional leagues. In the 2016–17 season, Sportul finished fifth in Liga IV Bucharest. The senior team then withdrew before the start of the following campaign and ceased participating in league competition in 2017.

2026 relaunch In 2026, the Asociația Clubul Sportiv al Suporterilor Sportul Studențesc București launched the project Iubește Sportul! with the aim of returning a senior team bearing the Sportul Studențesc name to competition. The supporters' organisation, originally founded in 2006, had changed its structure in 2026 in preparation for operating a football team.

The new senior side was entered in the Bucharest division of Liga V. A formal presentation of the project took place on 3 September 2026. Former Sportul player Tiberiu Bălan was appointed head coach, with Răzvan Patriche as assistant coach. Former goalkeeper Vladimir Niculescu was announced as general manager, Alin Rațiu as sporting manager and Paul Cazan as honorary president.

The team's first Liga V match was scheduled for 6 September 2026 against FC Viitorul Fair Play, with home matches to be played at Complexul Sportiv Tei rather than the traditional Regie Stadium. The project stated that it would be financed through membership fees, donations and sponsorships rather than by a single owner.

The legal and historical continuity between the supporters' project and the former senior club has been publicly disputed. On 4 September 2026, former Sportul owner Vasile Șiman stated that the new Liga V project had no connection with what he regarded as the historic Sportul Studențesc organisation. Șiman claimed that the "real" team remained under his control, announced plans for a separate football project and said that he could take legal action against the supporters' initiative if he considered it necessary.

The Bucharest Municipal Football Association lists the supporters' side in its competitions under the name ACS al Suporterilor Sportul Studențesc.

Colours and badge The team's traditional colours are black and white, colours historically associated with the university side.

The traditional badge consists of a stylised letter "S" on a black-and-white background, alongside the club's name and year of foundation.

European record

CompetitionUEFA Cup62064102031−11Total62064102031−11

Notable wins

SeasonMatchScoreUEFA Cup1976–77Sportul – Olympiacos3–01984–85Sportul – Inter Milan1–01987–88Sportul – Brøndby3–0Balkans Cup1976Sportul – Dinamo Zagreb3–21979–80Sportul – Rijeka2–0

Shirt sponsors and manufacturers PeriodKit manufacturerPeriodShirt partner1993–19941993–1994 Saniplast1995–19961995–1996 Fofo2002–20032002–2003 Omniasig2004–2010 Lotto2010–2017 2026- Puma2010–2011 Omniasig2011–2014 City Insurance

Honours

Domestic

Leagues Divizia A / Liga I Runners-up (1): 1985–86

Divizia B / Liga II Winners (4): 1936–37, 1971–72, 2000–01, 2003–04 Runners-up (3): 1965–66, 1970–71, 2009–10

Divizia C / Liga III Winners (1): 1958–59

Liga IV – Bucharest Runners-up (1): 2014–15

Cups Cupa României Runners-up (3): 1938–39, 1942–43, 1978–79

European Balkans Cup Winners (1): 1979–80 Runners-up (1): 1976

Notable former players

Former managers

Ioan Andone Gabi Balint Constantin Cernăianu Ion "Jackie" Ionescu Traian Ionescu Marian Mihail Ion Motroc Gheorghe Mulțescu Angelo Niculescu Gheorghe Ola Dan Petrescu Mircea Rădulescu

Romanian League goalscorer of the year

1983–84 Marcel Coraș 1984–85 Gheorghe Hagi 1985–86 Gheorghe Hagi 2004–05 Gheorghe Bucur 2005–06 Ionuț Mazilu

League history

Season Tier Division Place Notes 2026–27 5 Liga V TBD Supporters-led senior project 2017–26 No senior team in league competition 2016–17 4 Liga IV 5th Senior team withdrew after season 2015–16 4 Liga IV 4th 2014–15 4 Liga IV 2nd 2013–14 2 Liga II (Seria I) Excluded Excluded before playing 2012–13 2 Liga II (Seria I) 8th 2011–12 1 Liga I 17th (R) Relegated 2010–11 1 Liga I 18th Spared from relegation 2009–10 2 Liga II (Seria I) 2nd (P) Promoted 2008–09 2 Liga II (Seria I) 10th 2007–08 2 Liga II (Seria I) 12th 2006–07 2 Liga II (Seria I) 8th 2005–06 1 Divizia A 4th (R) Relegated administratively 2004–05 1 Divizia A 7th 2003–04 2 Divizia B (Seria II) 1st (C, P) Promoted 2002–03 1 Divizia A 15th (R) Relegated 2001–02 1 Divizia A 13th Won relegation play-off 2000–01 2 Divizia B (Seria I) 1st (C, P) Promoted 1999–00 2 Divizia B (Seria I) 3rd 1998–99 2 Divizia B (Seria I) 13th 1997–98 1 Divizia A 17th (R) Relegated 1996–97 1 Divizia A 12th 1995–96 1 Divizia A 14th 1994–95 1 Divizia A 16th Won relegation play-off 1993–94 1 Divizia A 16th 1992–93 1 Divizia A 7th 1991–92 1 Divizia A 15th 1990–91 1 Divizia A 12th 1989–90 1 Divizia A 11th 1988–89 1 Divizia A 6th 1987–88 1 Divizia A 14th 1986–87 1 Divizia A 4th 1985–86 1 Divizia A 2nd National runners-up 1984–85 1 Divizia A 3rd 1983–84 1 Divizia A 4th 1982–83 1 Divizia A 3rd 1981–82 1 Divizia A 5th 1980–81 1 Divizia A 5th 1979–80 1 Divizia A 6th

Season Tier Division Place Notes 1978–79 1 Divizia A 6th 1977–78 1 Divizia A 4th 1976–77 1 Divizia A 7th 1975–76 1 Divizia A 4th 1974–75 1 Divizia A 4th 1973–74 1 Divizia A 11th 1972–73 1 Divizia A 15th 1971–72 2 Divizia B (Seria I) 1st (C, P) Promoted 1970–71 2 Divizia B (Seria I) 2nd 1969–70 2 Divizia B (Seria I) 6th 1968–69 2 Divizia B (Seria I) 11th 1967–68 2 Divizia B (Seria I) 7th 1966–67 2 Divizia B (Seria I) 5th 1965–66 2 Divizia B (Seria I) 2nd 1964–65 2 Divizia B (Seria I) 12th 1963–64 2 Divizia B (Seria I) 8th 1962–63 2 Divizia B (Seria II) 8th 1961–62 2 Divizia B (Seria II) 12th 1960–61 2 Divizia B (Seria II) 3rd 1959–60 2 Divizia B (Seria I) 5th 1958–59 3 Divizia C (Seria III) 1st (C, P) Promoted 1957–58 2 Divizia B (Seria II) 14th (R) Relegated 1956 2 Divizia B (Seria II) 8th 1955 2 Divizia B (Seria I) 6th 1954 — Regional Championship 2nd (P) Promoted to Divizia B 1948–53 — Regional and lower-tier competitions — Positions unverified; seasons grouped 1947–48 — No national league participation — Club re-founded in 1948 1946–47 2 Divizia B (Seria II) 12th (R) Relegated; club dissolved 1944–46 No regular national league competition 1943–44 — War Championship 10th Season abandoned 1942–43 — War Championship 9th Unofficial wartime competition 1941–42 — Cupa Basarabiei — Wartime competition 1940–41 1 Divizia A 6th 1939–40 1 Divizia A 3rd 1938–39 1 Divizia A 9th 1937–38 1 Divizia A 5th (Group 2) 1936–37 2 Divizia B (Seria Est) 1st (C, P) Promoted 1935–36 2 Divizia B (Seria I) 4th 1934–35 2 Divizia B (Seria I) 5th 1916–34 — Regional and local competitions — Positions unverified; seasons grouped

References

External links Former Sportul Studențesc official website (archived 28 March 2007) Sportul Studențesc supporters' website