Ferencvárosi TC

On 3 May 1899, Ferencvárosi TC was founded by citizens of the 9th district of Budapest.[7] Ferencváros have played in the Nemzeti Bajnokság I since its inception in 1901, except for three seasons between 2006 and 2009. The club had financial problems therefore in 2006 the Hungarian Football Federation (MLSZ) withdrew the club's licence but this withdrawal was eventual deemed unauthorized.[8] Following this, Fradi were promoted back to the first division in 2009.

Ferencváros are the most successful Hungarian team both domestically and internationally. They won the 1964–65 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and have also won the Nemzeti Bajnokság I 33 times and the Magyar Kupa 24 times.[9]

They qualified for the renewed Champions League, the first Hungarian Club to do so, in the 1995–1996 season. Since then, the club have also taken part in the 2004–05 UEFA Cup, 2019–20 Europa League, 2020–21 Champions League, and 2021–22 Europa League group stages.[10]

The colours of the club are green and white. The nine stripes on the club badge, five green and four white, symbolise the district of Ferencváros, Budapest's ninth district. The three E's on Ferencváros' badge represent the club's motto of Erkölcs, Erő, Egyetértés (English: Morality, Strength, Understanding).[11]

Üllői út (1911–1974)

The first stadium of the club started being built in the autumn of 1910. On 12 February 1911, Ferencváros played their first match against Budapest rival MTK Budapest which was won by the club. The starting line-up consisted of Fritz, Rumbold, Magnlitz, Weinber, Bródy, Payer, Szeitler, Weisz, Koródy, Schlosser, Borbás. The first stadium could host 40,000 spectators.

Albert Stadion (1974–2014)

In 1971 the stands were demolished and a new stadium began to be built. The new stadium was inaugurated on the 75th anniversary of the club. On 19 May 1974, the first match was played against Vasas. The new stadium could host 29,505 spectators (including 10,771 seats and 18,734 standing). In the 1990s the stadium was redesigned to meet the UEFA requirements therefore its capacity was reduced to 18,100. When Ferencváros qualified for the 1995–96 UEFA Champions League group stage, a new journalist stand was built over the main stand.

On 21 December 2007, the stadium's name was changed from Üllői úti Stadion to Stadion Albert Flórián. Flórián Albert, the former Ferencváros icon, was present at the inauguration ceremony. There were many plans on how to increase the capacity of the stadium in case the Hungarian Football Federation won the bid for the UEFA Euro 2008 or the Euro 2012. However, the Federation did not win any bids therefore the reconstruction of the stadium was delayed.

When Kevin McCabe became the owner of the club the reconstruction was on schedule again. Later, McCabe sold his team to the Hungarian state and the reconstruction did not take place.

Ferencváros Stadion (2014–present)

Ferencváros Stadion, multi-purpose stadium, is the third home of the club. It has a capacity of 20,000 spectators in UEFA matches and 23,700 in Hungarian League matches.

When Gábor Kubatov was elected as president of the club, he and Pál Orosz managed to raise enough funds for the construction of a new stadium. The new stadium was rotated by 90 degrees in order to meet UEFA requirements. Therefore, the main stand which was parallel to the Üllői út became parallel to the Hungária körút. As part of the national stadium reconstruction programme the new stadium was built between 2013 and 2014.

The stadium was designed by Ágnes Streit and Szabolcs Kormos and was built by Market Építő Zrt from 2013 to 2014. In the arena there can be found the Ferencváros Museum and a fan shop too. The stadium is cutting edge in its vein matching entrance system. On 10 August 2014, Ferencváros played the opening match against Chelsea.[13][14][15]

After the demolition of the Puskás Ferenc Stadion, Hungary played their home matches at the new arena until the new Puskás Ferenc Stadion was opened in late 2019. The national team celebrated the victory against Norway after a 2–1 win at the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying play-off.[16]

On 14 February 2008, Sheffield United public limited company chairman Kevin McCabe successfully acquired a tender to purchase Ferencváros. McCabe's Hungarian company, Esplanade Limited liability company bought Ferencváros' real estate for £8.45 million with a view to start paying off the £5 million debt.[17] In April 2008, Ferencváros Torna Club officially agreed to sell the football club, Ferencváros Labdarúgó ZRt. to Esplanade Kft., McCabe's company in Hungary.[18]

In 2011, McCabe relinquished his ownership of the club after describing a "strained relationship" with some minority shareholders.[19]

On 25 February 2011, Gábor Kubatov, Hungarian MP, was appointed as the president of Ferencváros.[20]

On 28 October 2014, Gábor Kubatov was re-elected to serve another four-year term as the president of the club.[21]

Supporters of Ferencváros are mainly from the capital city of Hungary, Budapest. However, the club is popular all over Hungary.

Ferencváros' nickname of Fradi is derived from Franzstadt, the German name for the area of Ferencváros, with the club carrying a "vague sense of German ethnicity", according to British sports journalist Jonathan Wilson.[22]

Since the opening of the newly built Groupama Aréna, the spectators are scanned at the entrance. As a consequence, the main supporter group of the club, called B-közép, announced a boycott in 2014. Club chairman Kubatov said that he had wanted peace in the new stadium and the club had already paid a lot of fines and punishments due to the unacceptable behaviour of the B-közép. Kubatov had expected that the spectators could have been changed due to the new regulations. However, the number of spectators had not increased in the 2014–15 and 2015–16 seasons.

On 13 March 2016, 10,125 spectators watched the match between Ferencváros' second team against Csepel SC in the 2015–16 Nemzeti Bajnokság III season. The match was a protest by the B-közép to show how many spectators were missing from the Groupama Aréna.[23]

On 24 March 2016, the representatives of the B-közép started negotiations with club leader, Gabor Kubatov.[24] As a results of negotiations they were allowed back to the stadium.[25]

Rivalries

See also: Budapest derby, Ferencvárosi TC–Újpest FC rivalry, and Örökrangadó

Ferencváros-Újpest derby in the Hungarian league at the Albert Stadion on 10 March 2013

Ferencváros-Újpest derby on 1 April 2011

Ferencváros have rivalry with several teams from Budapest including MTK Budapest, Újpest, Honvéd, Vasas SC, and several provincial clubs such as Debrecen[27] and Diósgyőr. Since Ferencváros has been the most successful club in Hungarian Football history by winning 33 Hungarian League titles, 21 Hungarian Cup titles and 2 Hungarian League Cup titles and the most successful Hungarian club in the European football competitions by winning the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1964–65 season every club in the Hungarian League wants to defeat them.

The biggest rivalry is with Újpest, which dates back to the 1930s when Újpest won their first Hungarian League title. Since then, the fixture between the two teams attracts the most spectators in the domestic league.[28] The matches between the two teams often end in violence which causes big trouble for the Hungarian football. The proposal of personal registration was refused by both clubs.

The fixture between Ferencváros and MTK Budapest FC is called the Örökrangadó or Eternal derby. It is the oldest football rivalry in Hungary, which dates back as early as the 1903 season when Ferencváros first won the Hungarian League. In the following three decades either Ferencváros or MTK Budapest won the domestic league.

Honvéd are also considered fierce rivals as the clubs are in very close proximity to each other and in the past frequently competed for honours.

Hooliganism

Ferencváros supporters

On 26 November 2002, the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Committee fined Ferencváros €18,300 for fireworks and hooliganism-related offences committed by the fans of Ferencváros before and after the 2002-03 UEFA Cup second tie against VfB Stuttgart on 12 November 2002.[29]

In 2004, Ferencváros were charged by UEFA with crowd trouble and racist abuse after playing Millwall in the 2004-05 UEFA Cup tie in Budapest, Hungary.[30] Four fans of Millwall suffered stab wounds. The racist abuse was directed at Millwall's players of African origin, including Paul Ifill.[31][32]

On 17 July 2013, Ferencváros fans fought with police after a friendly match against Leeds United, which ended in a 1–0 victory over the Championship club, in Murska Sobota, Slovenia.[33]

On 19 July 2014, UEFA issued sanctions against Ferencváros and Diósgyőr and Slovakia’s Spartak Trnava, following racist behaviour by their fans during 2014–15 UEFA Europa League qualifying matches against Maltese sides Sliema Wanderers, Birkirkara and Hibernians respectively. Ferencvaros were the hardest hit by the UEFA measures as club were fined by €20,000 and the partial closure of their stadium following monkey chants and racist banners displayed in both legs in Malta and Hungary.[34]

On 27 January 2015, Gábor Kubatov, president of the club, said that he would have the fines paid by the supporters. Kubatov aims to cease the racism and violence at the stadium.[35]

On 9 February 2015, UEFA refused the appeal of Ferencváros in connection with the incidents before and after the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League qualifying match between NK Rijeka and Ferencváros. According to the verdict, Ferencváros supporters were not allowed to attend the following UEFA match at home.[36]

• History of Ferencvárosi TC
• List of Ferencvárosi TC seasons
• Ferencvárosi TC in European football
• List of Ferencvárosi TC managers
• List of Ferencvárosi TC records and statistics

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ferencvárosi Torna Club.

• Official website (in Hungarian)
• Ferencváros Ultras: photos and videos (in Hungarian)
• Fans of Ferencváros – Videoblog
• Ultra Group Site (in Hungarian)
• Ferencváros Statistics Site (in Hungarian)
• ex-FTC Support Group Association (in Hungarian)
• Soccerway profile