# FC Rustavi

FC Rustavi (Georgian: საფეხბურთო კლუბი რუსთავი) is a Georgian football club based in the city of Rustavi. They compete in Erovnuli Liga 2, the 2nd tier of Georgian football.
Founded in 2015, it is one of the youngest participants of the Georgian football leagues.
The team has spent two seasons in the first division.

## History

FC Rustavi have no legal connections with any of the football clubs previously existing in the city (Gorda, Metalurgi, Olimpi). As a new team, it was established on 3 July 2015.

### League performance

Rustavi debuted in the second division the same year and achieved a modest goal of retaining a place in it by finishing in midtable.
Contrary to expectations, in 2016 they emerged among the favourites, managed to prevail in the promotion contest and under manager Varlam Kilasonia won the league. However, due to the season being transitional to the spring-autumn system, no team was promoted.
Despite a poor start in 2017, the club drastically improved and after a ten-match winning run claimed the first place with automatic promotion to the first tier.
Rustavi signed some experienced players such as Nukri Revishvili, Mamuka Kobakhidze and Otar Martsvaladze and in the very first game in the Erovnuli Liga obtained three points at Dinamo Tbilisi. But frequent changes of the squad throughout the season did not contribute to stable results and finally the team finished in the 7th place.
The club was struggling for most of the regular season in 2019. Eventually, Rustavi could have remained in the league in case of a play-off victory over Telavi, but they were defeated in both games.
Back in Liga 2, the next season Rustavi joined the promotion battle and remained in a play-off range until the last game. However, the results of the final matchday turned out unfavourable. Yet, in this season Rustavi recorded their biggest win 10–0.
Starting from 2021, the club took part in two relegation battles. Initially, Rustavi prevailed over Kolkheti 1913 due to away goals, but in the next season they lost both matches to Kolkheti Khobi, which resulted in their relegation to the third division.
During the 2023 season, Rustavi were battling for an automatic promotion spot. Although the team suffered a 4–7 aggregate defeat from Locomotive in play-offs, ultimately they were admitted back to the 2nd division after Shukura's disqualification by the Federation.

### Georgian Cup

Rustavi have twice reached the quarterfinal stage of this competition.
As a lower league side, they came close to the sensation during the game against Dinamo Tbilisi in 2017. After a goalless draw in regular and extra times, the winner was determined on penalties.
The same scenario unfolded two years later when Rustavi's Cup campaign was stopped by Torpedo Kutaisi.

## Seasons

| Season | League | Pos | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | Domestic Cup |
| 2015/16 | 2nd | 9$_{/18}$ | 34 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 33 | 33 | 43 | 1st round |
| 2016 | 2nd | 1$_{/9}$ | 16 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 40 | 15 | 32 | Preliminary round |
| 2017 | 2nd | 1$_{/10}$↑ | 36 | 26 | 5 | 5 | 72 | 25 | 83 | 1⁄4 finals |
| 2018 | 1st | 7$_{/10}$ | 36 | 8 | 13 | 15 | 33 | 44 | 37 | 1⁄8 finals |
| 2019 | 1st | 8$_{/10}$↓ | 36 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 40 | 56 | 38 | 1⁄4 finals |
| 2020 | 2nd | 4$_{/10}$ | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 35 | 27 | 26 | 1⁄16 finals |
| 2021 | 2nd | 9$_{/10}$ | 36 | 11 | 6 | 19 | 46 | 58 | 39 | 1⁄16 finals |
| 2022 | 2nd | 7$_{/10}$↓ | 28 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 34 | 54 | 23 | 1⁄8 finals |
| 2023 | 3rd | 3$_{/16}$↑ | 30 | 19 | 4 | 7 | 63 | 31 | 61 | 1st round |
| 2024 | 2nd | 2$_{/10}$ | 36 | 20 | 5 | 11 | 62 | 41 | 65 | 1⁄8 finals |
* ↑ Six points deducted
* ↑ Lost 1–3 on aggregate to Telavi in Liga 1/2 play-offs
* ↑ Beat Kolkheti 1913 on away goles in Liga 2/3 play-offs
* ↑ Lost 0–2 on aggregate to Kolkheti Khobi in Liga 2/3 play-offs
* ↑ Promoted despite losing 4–7 on aggregate to Locomotive in Liga 2/3 play-offs
* ↑ Lost 2–3 on aggregate to Telavi in Liga 1/2 play-offs

## Top goalscorers

| Season | Div. | Name | Goals |
| 2015–16 | 2nd | Zviad Metreveli, Zaza Tsitskishvili | 6 |
| 2016 | 2nd | Data Sitchinava | 12 |
| 2017 | 2nd | Data Sitchinava | 30 |
| 2018 | 1st | Beka Kavtaradze, Zaza Tsitskishvili, Otar Martsvaladze | 4 |
| 2019 | 1st | Beka Kavtaradze | 8 |
| 2020 | 2nd | Toma Tabatadze | 13 |
| 2021 | 2nd | Paata Kiteishvili | 12 |
| 2022 | 2nd | Bantu Mzwakali | 9 |
| 2023 | 3rd | Bachuki Gotsadze | 10 |
| 2024 | 2nd | Giorgi Gabedava | 15 |

## Penalty shoot-outs

| Season | Date | Competition | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Score |
| 2017 | 13 September 2017 | Georgian Cup | Quarterfinals | Dinamo Tbilisi | Home | Lost | 0–3 |
| 2019 | 25 September 2019 | Georgian Cup | Quarterfinals | Torpedo Kutaisi | Home | Lost | 2–4 |

## Squad

As of 10 March 2025
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | GEO | Soso Kardava |
| 2 | DF | GEO | Roman Chachua |
| 3 | DF | GEO | Vazha Patsatsia |
| 6 | MF | GEO | Zaur Sichinava |
| 7 | DF | GEO | Levan Tsotsonava |
| 8 | MF | GEO | Kakhaber Kakashvili |
| 9 | FW | GEO | Mamia Gavashelishvili [es] |
| 10 | MF | GEO | Davit Samurkasovi |
| 11 | MF | GHA | Solomon Kessi |
| 13 | DF | GEO | Avtandil Gujabidze |
| 14 | DF | GEO | Giorgi Jalagonia |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 17 | MF | GHA | Billy Jibril |
| 18 | MF | GEO | Nika Japaridze |
| 19 | FW | GEO | Levan Kutalia |
| 20 | MF | UKR | Dmytro Dobranski |
| 22 | MF | JPN | Yuta Nakano |
| 24 | MF | GEO | Roin Odishelidze |
| 25 | GK | GEO | Nikoloz Ramishvili |
| 27 | DF | GEO | Mamuka Kapanadze |
| 28 | FW | GEO | Tornike Guliashvili |
| 29 | GK | GEO | Levan Shovnadze |
| 37 | GK | GEO | Luka Jojua |
| 40 | DF | GEO | Davit Ubilava |

## Managers

| Name | From | To |
| Giorgi Mishvelidze | September 2015 | April 2016 |
| Varlam Kilasonia | April 2016 | December 2017 |
| Vladimir Gazzayev | January 2018 | June 2018 |
| Varlam Kilasonia (2) | June 2018 | September 2018 |
| Ucha Sosiashvili | September 2018 | December 2018 |
| Badri Kvaratskhelia | February 2019 | April 2019 |
| Varlam Kilasonia (3) | May 2019 | July 2020 |
| Suliko Davitashvili | July 2020 | August 2020 |
| Temur Makharadze | August 2020 | February 2021 |
| Vladimer Khachidze | February 2021 | July 2021 |
| Armaz Jeladze | August 2021 | April 2022 |
| Levan Jokhadze | May 2022 | November 2022 |
| Valeri Abramidze | November 2022 | December 2022 |
| Varlam Kilasonia (4) | February 2023 | |

## Club staff

| Position | Name |
| General Director | Bachana Tskhadadze |
| Head coach | Varlam Kilasonia |
| Assistant coach | |
| Goalkeeper coach | Andro Koroshinadze |

## Honours

* Pirveli Liga/Erovnuli Liga 2
** Champions (1): 2016 (Group White), 2017
** Runners-up (1): 2024

## Notable players

* Giorgi Mamardashvili
* Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

## Other teams

Rustavi also have a reserve team, which participates in Group A of Regionuli Liga. Their home ground is the Poladi stadium.