Azeri teams and athletes are represented in major world sports events and the Azeri flag already flew in the olympic games in Nagano and Atlanta, where Azerbaijan won its first medal (a silver medal in freestyle wrestling). However due to lack of adequate funding results on international competitions have been rather disappointing, with some honourable exceptions, like Karate and wrestling.

Several clubs and organizations are very active in promoting sports activities. Some international events are starting to be held in Baku, such as the European Cadet Boxing championships held 1999 (boxing has a long tradition in Azerbaijan and is a very popular sport) or the or the 2007 Wrestling Senior World Championship.
 

Sports Facilities

In Baku you'll find both covered and open air venues for the major sports. Some specialized stadia also exist, such as the velodrome (cycle track) as well as a few swimming pools.

The national / republic stadium, named after Tofig Bakhramov, is the home to the Azeri football team. The stadium, built in 1951 was designed by architects Consiarsi, Isayev and Sergeyev on a hill side overlooking the sea. It is also used to host concerts and other cultural events.

The Azeri army has numerous and good sports installations, both in Baku and across the country, (some in the western part of the country they kindly allow the Armenians to use).

A marina and yacht club was built but is currently mostly empty. In the best Suharto style, it is owned by the presidential family. Certainly once new-Azeris are bored of showing their purple Hummers around the city they will discover the joys of yachting. The facilities are rented by the noveau-riche for their parties.
 

Republic Stadium - T. Bakhramov Saint-Petersburg av. Tel. 641507 Trudoviye Reservy Stadium 58 Moscow av. Tel. 676194 Glavbakstroy Sports Palace Block 3097, Darnagyul, 370108 Tel. 626544 Hippodrome 109 Narimanov av.

Army Sport Club Stadium 1 H. Javid Tel. 392057 Cycle Track Block 3007, Tbilisi av. Tel. 317862 Technical University Sports Palace 25 Azizbayov av., 370073 Tel. 389456 Swimming pools (covered) 6A Narimanov av.

Football / Soccer (Futbol)

Football (soccer) is Azerbaijan's most popular sport. Football clubs attract a large following. The perspective of a career in football is very appealing to many youths. Some of the best players have been 'exported'.

'AFFA', the national association takes part in all competitions organized by FIFA and UEFA at senior and youth level, though results have been slow to appear, even if several naturalized foreign players were recruited.

International football matches with either the Armenian national team or Armenian clubs have proved problematic, e.g. for the EURO 2008 qualifying competition "as no suitable compromise could be found between the two associations it was decided to cancel the two matches", further UEFA decided to "award both associations zero points for the games".

The local first division championship is called the the 'AFFA Supreme League' or 'Yuksak Liqa'. It was started in 1992, after the dissolution of USSR. It is organized by the 'Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan'.

In Baku the 'Neftchy Football Club' (PFC Neftchi) has been the most successful in recent years, winning the national championship a few times (1991/2, 1995/6 and 1996/7, 2003/4, 2003/5) and also the Azeri Cup in 1994/95, 1995/96, 1998/99, 2001/02, 2003/04. Neftchi also managed to win the Commonwealth Cup (CIS Cup) in 2006. It is based at the Tofig Bakhramov Republican Stadium. They are nicknamed the "Ak-qaralar", i.e. Black-Whites.

Neftchi's main rivals in Baku are FK Baku (BakiI Futbol Klubu), they took the 2004/5 Azerbaijan Cup and the 2006/7 championship. FK Baku also plays at the Tofig Bakhramov Stadium. Baku's two underdogs are FC Inter Baku (their home stadium is Zabrat Stadium) and Standard Baku.

Outside Baku other soccer teams with good results are: Turan from Tovuz (1993/4 champion), Kapaz from Ganja (the 1994/5, 1997/8 and 1998/9 champion), Inshaatchi from Sabirabad, Khazar from Lenkoran (2005/2006 champion), Kur-Nur from Mingachevir and Shamkir from the city of the same name.
 
 

Sports Clubs

Baku has a great tradition in associations and clubs, particularly as far as sports are concerned. Soviet education encouraged excellence in all sports and that is still reflected today. You'll a find a very wide range of clubs and associations to suit all tastes, ages and purses.
 

Below, some of the clubs in Baku:
 

Aeroclub 38 Darnagyul rd. Tel. 628106 Army Sports Club 1 H. Javid Tel. 392 057 Chess Club 42 H. Hajiyev Tel. 945979 Dinamo Society 32 Azerbaijan av. Tel. 937060

Neftchy Football Club Saint-Petersburg av. Tel. 401461 Siver Gym 21 Khagani Tel. 985337 Sports Club Block 1902 Moscow av. Tel. 666104 Sports-Technical Club 38 Darnagyul rd. Tel. 626255

see also: Organizations of expat Azeris and International friendship societies
 

Sports Federations

Acrobatics Federation Tel: 714330 Aikido Federation Tel. 675895 Artistic Gymnastics Federation Tel. 915692 Azerbaijan Football Federations Association 42 H. Hajiyev Tel. 944916 Fax 989393 e-mail: office@affa.baku.az Bicycle Federation 98 St. Petersburg av. Tel. 941205 Chess Federation Tel. 926747 Draughts Federation Tel. 940573

Field Sports Federation Tel. 660387 Grass Hockey Federation Tel. 641070 Handball Federation Tel. 393578 Karate-Do Tel. 664361 Modern Pentathlon Federation Tel. 625868 Tennis Federation Tel. 380010 USHU Federation Tel. 944940 Wrestling Federation 179 Azadlig av. Tel. 619806

Sports Centres

Baku Entertainment Center (w/ swimming pool) 1130/33, F. Bayramov Street Tel. 902222 Fitness Centre Delphin Block 2035 Khiyabany Tel. 672881 Fitness Complex 2 B. Sardanov Tel. 923123 Fitness Complex Billue 38 Darnagyul rd. Tel. 629206

Olympic Club (w/ swimming pool) 1 Bakikhanov Tel. 981234 Sports Complex Block 3097 Darnagyul district Tel. 626544 Hyatt Regency Fitness Centre 1 Bakhihanov st tel. 981234

 

see also: culture, theatre, cinema, opera and ballet, places of worship, places, summary, images

A to Z of Azerbaijan / A dan Z ye Azerbaycan

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