FC Shkupi
ФК Шкупи
Full nameKlubi Futbollistik Shkupi
Nickname(s)Pëllumbat (Pigeons)
Shvercerat (Smugglers)
Short nameShkupi
Founded1927 (1927)
GroundČair Stadium
Capacity10,000
OwnerOlgun Peker
ChairmanOlgun Peker
ManagerMladen Žižović
LeagueMacedonian First Football League
2022–232nd of 11
WebsiteClub website

FC Shkupi (Macedonian: Фудбалски Клуб Шкупи, Albanian: Klubi Futbollistik Shkupi) is a professional football club based in Čair, Skopje, North Macedonia. The club plays in the Macedonian First Football League, which is the top tier of football in the country.

History

After financial issues with main sponsor Jugomagnat, Sloga went through an unstable period. In 2012, Sloga was merged with FC Albarsa to form FK Shkupi. However, the Football Federation of Macedonia does not consider Shkupi to be successors to the original Sloga Jugomagnat for political reasons as the FFM allowed a merging between Vardar, the most popular club among ethnic Macedonians and Miravci with Vardar avoiding relegation and keeping its previous trophies and accolades.[1] Despite the FFM not recognising Shkupi's track records and honours as Sloga, Sloga's official support firm, previous players and management, recognize Shkupi as its successor.

After finishing Macedonian First league in the fourth place in the 2017–18 season, Shkupi played in the Europa League qualifiers for the first time. In the 2021–22 season the club were crowned the champion of country for the first time in its history.

Supporters

The team's supporters are the Shvercerat which were officially established in 1989 in Čair in Skopje. Shvercerat is Albanian for "Smugglers". Shvercerat were also the same supporters of the predecessor club Sloga Jugomagnat, before the merger to the current club Shkupi. Similarly to Shkëndija, FK Shkupi is an Albanian oriented club, with the supporters being Albanian and also part of the Tifozat Kuq e Zi, an ultras group that supports Albania in international football. Nationalist Albanian rhetoric is often a part of the chanting in league games, although comparing in level of popularity, Shkupi has not matched with Shkëndija.

On 13 February 2011, a large gathering of Vardar supporters, Komiti Skopje, congregated at the Skopje Fortress to protect a construction site on the grounds of the fortress.[2] A large group of the Shvercerat, who were against the government building on the area of the old fortress, broke through the police line and forced the Komiti out of the Skopje Fortress.[3][4][2] The construction site was seized by the Shvercerat[3] until police successfully took control and arrested Omer Bunjaku, a leading figure of the Shvecerat.[4]

The Shvercerat are known for taking rival team supporter's banner. They have succeeded in taking the Kratovo banner of Sileks, the Vojvodi banner of Teteks, Komiti Zapad banner of Vardar, Vinari banner of Vardar Negotino, Prilep banner of Pobeda, Green Front and BFC Hooligans banners of Pelister.[5][6]

Honours

Crest and colours

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Ref
2020-21 Reflex - [7]
2021-22 Serdur Global
2022-23 Alagöz Holding

Recent seasons

Season League Cup European competitions
Division P W D L F A Pts Pos
2012–13 3. MFL North 28 23 4 1 80 26 73 1st ↑
2013–14 2. MFL 29 16 4 9 56 31 52 4th R1
2014–15 2. MFL 27 16 5 6 44 19 53 1st ↑ R2
2015–16 1. MFL 32 9 11 12 29 34 38 6th R2
2016–17 1. MFL 36 8 13 15 27 39 37 8th QF
2017–18 1. MFL 36 13 12 11 51 46 51 4th R2
2018–19 1. MFL 36 13 9 14 40 42 48 4th R1 Europa League QR1
2019–201 1. MFL 23 7 8 8 28 28 29 5th N/A Europa League QR1
2020–21 1. MFL 33 16 11 6 41 24 59 2nd QF Europa League QR1
2021–22 1. MFL 33 23 7 3 66 21 76 1st QF Conference League QR2
2022–23 1. MFL 30 17 7 6 62 27 58 2nd QF Champions League / Europa League
Conference League		 QR2 / QR3
PO

1The 2019–20 season was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in North Macedonia.[8]

Players

Current squad

As of 10 October 2023

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK North Macedonia MKD Artan Iljazi
2 DF North Macedonia MKD Mario Mladenovski
3 DF North Macedonia MKD Blerton Sheji
5 DF North Macedonia MKD Kristijan Toshevski
7 MF North Macedonia MKD Arbi Vosha
8 MF North Macedonia MKD Ali Adem
9 FW Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Armin Hodžić
10 MF Brazil BRA Dudu Sampaio
11 FW North Macedonia MKD Kristijan Trapanovski
13 GK North Macedonia MKD David Denkovski
17 DF North Macedonia MKD Davor Serafimov
21 MF North Macedonia MKD Hamza Ramani
No. Pos. Nation Player
22 DF North Macedonia MKD Mario Richkov
23 FW Ghana GHA Issah Kuka
30 MF Brazil BRA Niltinho
37 MF Senegal SEN Albert Diène
42 DF Slovakia SVK Michal Pintér
77 MF Kosovo KOS Suad Sahiti
78 MF North Macedonia MKD Aleks Zlatkov
88 MF Brazil BRA Queven
92 GK North Macedonia MKD Andreja Efremov
96 DF North Macedonia MKD Darko Ilieski
98 FW North Macedonia MKD Luan Abazi (on loan from Wil 1900)
99 MF North Macedonia MKD Kristijan Ackovski

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
44 DF North Macedonia MKD Idriz Osmanovikj (at Skopje)
— FW North Macedonia MKD Umerfaruk Sulejman (at Skopje)

KF Shkupi in European football

Season Competition Round Opponent Home Away Agg.
2018–19 UEFA Europa League 1Q Scotland Rangers 0–0 0–2 0–2
2019–20 UEFA Europa League 1Q Armenia Pyunik 1–2 3–3 4–5
2020–21 UEFA Europa League 1Q Azerbaijan Neftçi — 1–2 —
2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League 1Q Kosovo Llapi 2–0 1–1 3–1
2Q Portugal Santa Clara 0–3 0–2 0–5
2022–23 UEFA Champions League 1Q Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps 3–0 0–2 3–2
2Q Croatia Dinamo Zagreb 0–1 2–2 2–3
UEFA Europa League 3Q Republic of Ireland Shamrock Rovers 1–2 1–3 2–5
UEFA Europa Conference League PO Kosovo Ballkani 1–2 0–1 1–3
2023–24 UEFA Europa Conference League 1Q Lithuania Hegelmann 0–0 5–0 5–0
2Q Bulgaria Levski Sofia 0–2 0–1 0–3

References

  1. ↑ "Official, FK Vardar Stays in First Division". MINA. 23 June 2011. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2018. There will be a fusion between FK Vardar and FK Miravci. Both clubs will change their names. FK Miravci will in effect become FK Vardar 1947, except Vardar will keep all of its trophies and history.
  2. 1 2 "Macedonia: Violent Inter-Ethnic Incident on Skopje Fortress". Global Voices. 15 February 2011. a group of "supporters" of the building of the church (i.e., a Macedonian football fan group Komiti) and a group of "supporters" of its destruction (i.e., an Albanian football fan group Shverceri) gathered on the same location
  3. 1 2 "INCIDENT NE KALA TE SHKUPIT – ИНЦИДЕНТ ВО СКОПСКО КАЛЕ" on YouTube
  4. 1 2 "OMER BUNJAKU I ARTAN GRUBI" on YouTube
  5. ↑ "Shvercerat vazhdojnë të sundojnë FYROM-in". Tfsh.ml (in Albanian). 9 April 2015.
  6. ↑ Shvercerat banner collection (Media notes). Archived from the original on 18 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "KF Shkupi Kit History". Football Kit Archive. Retrieved 2023-03-14.
  8. ↑ "Вонредна седница на Управен одбор на Фудбалска федерација на Македонија: Прекин на натпреварувачката сезона 2019/2020". Фудбалска Федерација на Македонија. 4 June 2020.
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