Al-Fotuwa SC

Al-Fotuwa Sports Club (Arabic: نادي الفتوة الرياضي) is a Syrian professional football club based in the city of Deir ez-Zor that competes in the Syrian Premier League, the top flight of Syrian football. Nicknamed "the Blue Knight" (Arabic: الفارس الأزرق) or Azzurri Deir ez-Zor, Al-Fotuwa have won three Premier League titles and four Cup titles. It was founded in 1930 in Deir ez-Zor.^{[citation needed]}

Al-Fotuwa SC

Full name	Al-Fotuwa Sports Club
Nickname(s)	The Blue Knight (Arabic: الفارس الأزرق) Azzurri Deir ez-Zor
Founded	1930; 95 years ago (1930) as Ghazi Club
Ground	Deir ez-Zor Municipal Stadium
Capacity	13,000
Chairman	Madloul al-Aziz
Manager	Sofiane Nechma
League	Syrian Premier League
2024–25	7th
Home colours Away colours

History

Al-Fotuwa was founded in 1930 as Ghazi Club and in 1950 was renamed as Al-Fotuwa Sports Club.^[1] Al-Fotuwa Club dominated the 1980s at the level of the Syrian Premier League and is a record holder by reaching the final match of the Syrian Cup nine times in a row, winning four of them. They achieved a double, by winning the league and cup titles, twice in 1990 and 1991. In addition, the club won the title of the Syrian-Lebanese Super Cup, which was held only once.

In the 2022–23 season, they won their third title after 32 years and also qualified to their debut 2023–24 AFC Cup.^[2] On 2 October 2023, Al-Fotuwa recorded their first ever win in the AFC Cup in a 1–0 win against Lebanon side, Al Ahed.^[3] In the 2023–24 season, Al-Fotuwa achieved their third domestic double in history.^[4]

Stadium

Main article: Deir ez-Zor Municipal Stadium

Deir ez-Zor Municipal Stadium is located in Arifi area of Deir ez-Zor, Syria.^[5] The stadium consists of a football field, and spaces that accommodate 13,000 spectators.

Colours and kits

Since its foundation, the traditional colour of Fotuwa's home kit is yellow with various designs over the years.^{[citation needed]}

Supporters and rivalries

This club is supported by fans from Deir ez-Zor Governorate, and it is considered one of the four largest fans in Syria.^[6] The main rival of the club is Al-Jihad SC from Al-Qamishli.^[7]

Achievements

• Syrian Premier League: 4
  • Champion: 1990, 1991, 2022–23, 2023–24
• Syrian Cup: 5
  • Champion: 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 2024
• Syrian-Lebanese Super Cup: 1
  • Champion: 1991

Performance in AFC competitions

See also: Syrian football clubs in the AFC Cup

• Asian Club Championship: 1 appearance

1988–89: Group stage

• AFC Cup: 1 appearance

2023–24: Group stage

• AFC Challenge League: 1 appearance

2024–25: Group stage

Records

As of 1 November 2024

Match won

Match drawn

Match lost

Champions

Runners-up

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
1988–89	Asian Club Championship	Qualifying Group	Al-Rasheed	0–3		3rd place
			Al-Sadd	1–4
			Al-Ansar	1–0
2023–24	AFC Cup	Group stage	Jabal Al-Mukaber	–[a]	0–1[a]	3rd place
			Al Ahed	1–0	1–2
			Al-Nahda	0–1	1–2
2024–25	AFC Challenge League	Group stage	Al-Seeb	0–5		3rd place
			Hilal Al-Quds	0–0
			Al-Ahli Club	1–1

1. Jabal Al-Mukaber withdrew during the competition.

Performance in UAFA competitions

• Arab Cup Winners' Cup: 1 appearance

1989: Group Stage

Records

Accurate as of 12 June 2022

Match won

Match drawn

Match lost

Champions

Runners-up

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
1989	Arab Cup Winners' Cup	Group	Al-Ittihad Jeddah	0–5		4th place
			Stade Tunisien	0–4
			Al-Rasheed	0–7

Players

As 11 June 2024

Current squad

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  SYR Talal Al Hussen 2 DF  SYR Fares Arnaout 3 DF  SYR Karam Imran 5 MF  SYR Subhi Shoufan 6 MF  SYR Ahmed Hussein 7 MF  SYR Oday Al Jafal 8 MF  SYR Ward Al Salama 9 FW  SYR Mahmoud Al Baher 10 MF  SYR Mustafa Jneid 11 MF  SYR Ammar Mostat 12 MF  SYR Muhammad Abbadi 14 DF  SYR Ahmed Al Ashkar 15 DF  SYR Khalil Ibrahim 16 DF  SYR Abdulhadi Hanbazli 17 MF  SYR Oqbah Al Marel

No. Pos. Nation Player 18 DF  SYR Ahmad Al Khassi 22 GK  SYR Ahmad Kanaan 25 DF  SYR Youssef Al Hamawi 26 MF  SYR Zid Gharir 27 DF  SYR Mesra Alarsaan 30 MF  SYR Ali Baaj 31 GK  SYR Taha Mosa 38 MF  SYR Mohammad Al Salama 77 MF  SYR Abdul Rahman Al Hussein 80 GK  SYR Omar Al Fateh 88 DF  SYR Abdal Razak Al Mohamad 90 FW  SYR Hassan Owaid 93 FW  SYR Mohammad Malta 95 FW  SYR Assad Al Khoder

Coaches

• Anouar Abdul Kader (2008–2013)
• Osama Al Ghabad (2013–2015)^[8]
• Anouar Abdul Kader (2015–2017)
• Mohamed Aqil (2021–2023)
• Ammar Shamali (2023)
• Ayman Hakeem (2023–2024)
• Ammar Shamali (2024)
• Sofiane Nechma (2024–present)