Qarabag FK is a symbol of endurance, national identity and sporting evolution.
From humble roots in Soviet-era Azerbaijan to challenging European heavyweights on the biggest stage.
The Qarabag FK journey is a story of transformation, which began in the early 1950s in Aghdam, a city in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.
Initially founded as Mehsul after the completion of the town’s stadium in 1951, the side competed sporadically in regional championships before being renamed on several occasions, ultimately becoming Qarabag FK.
After clinching their first title in 1993, the first club from outside of the capital, Baku to win the Azerbaijan top league, history intervened dramatically as the Nagorno-Karabakh War, an ethnic and territorial conflict between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan with support from Turkey, engulfed the region.
For Qarabag, the fallout was monumental, as the city of Aghdam was effectively abandoned and its stadium, Imarat, destroyed.
With the club’s future uncertain, it was forced to flee Aghdam and take up residence in Baku. This displacement forged a collective identity; Qarabag is often referred to as ‘Qacqın Klub’ (the Refugees’ Club), with its crest featuring the iconic Karabakh horse, a symbol of pride and resilience. The coastal city of Baku lies some 375km to the east of Aghdam.
The Tofiq Bahramov has a capacity of 31,200 and is used by Azerbaijan clubs in the final rounds of European competitions.
The stadium was built in 1951, although its construction commenced before the Second World War, the works were completed by German prisoners of war.
Over the years, the stadium has attracted the names of Joseph Stalin and Vladimir Lenin before being named in honour of the famous football referee Tofiq Bahramov after his death in 1993 (in England, Bahramov is perhaps better known as a linesman, after playing such an instrumental role in awarding England’s controversial third goal in the 1966 World Cup Final against West Germany).
In the decades following independence, Qarabag rose from that major upheaval to become the benchmark of Azerbaijani football.
Today, they hold a record number of Azerbaijan Premier League titles, with twelve championships to their name, a remarkable eleven of those coming in the past twelve years, the only dent in that impeccable record coming in the 2020-21 campaign, when Neftci Baku pipped them to the title by just two points.
This run of domestic triumphs has coincided with the tenure of head coach Gurban Gurbanov, whose longevity and impact is unprecedented.
Because of their domestic dominance, Qarabag FK have featured regularly in European competition, competing in multiple Europa League campaigns and making history in the Champions League when in the 2017–18 season, they became the first Azerbaijani club to reach the group stage of the Champions League, drawing global attention as they took on the likes of Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and AS Roma.
This season, they finished 22nd in the Swiss League, winning three of their eight fixtures, the most notable being a 3–2 win over Benfica in Lisbon, their first ever victory in a Champions League group stage match.
As for Wednesday evening, I think it’s vital we don’t leave Baku with too much to do in the return leg at St James’ Park. Chelsea drew in Baku in the Swiss League, coming from behind at half time to level the tie at 2-2, so that should serve as a warning of the Azerbaijani’s credentials, although considering Liverpool put six past Qarabag without reply in the final match of the Swiss League, it strikes me that Newcastle United should have more than enough over two legs to see them off.
To record a third consecutive away win (in three different competitions) would of course, be very special.