Al-Ittihad SC (Tripoli)
Association football club in Libya
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Al-Ittihad SCSC (Arabic: نادي الاتحاد الرياضي) is a professional football club based in Bab Ben Gashier, Tripoli, Libya. They have won the Libyan Premier League 18 times, the Libyan Cup 7 times and the Libyan SuperCup 11 times.[2] Al-ittihad reached the semi-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup in 2010, CAF Champions League in 2007 and CAF Cup Winners Cups in 2001.[3]
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| Full name | Al-Ittihad Sport, Cultural & Social Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 29 July 1944 | ||
| Ground | Tripoli Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 50,000[1] | ||
| Chairman | Muhammad Ismail | ||
| Manager | Faouzi Benzarti | ||
| League | Libyan Premier League | ||
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History
Founding and establishment (1944–1962)
Al-Ittihad Club was officially founded on 29 July 1944 in the Bab Ben Gashier district of Tripoli following the merger of three local sports clubs: Al-Ummal, Al-Nahda, and Al-Shabab.[4] The unification was organized by Mohamed Al-Krewi, who served as the club's primary founder and first president. The name "Al-Ittihad" (translated as "The Union") was selected to symbolize the consolidation of several Tripoli sporting factions into a single institution.[5]
During the pre-independence era and the early years of the Kingdom of Libya, competitive football was organized on a regional basis across the Western, Eastern, and Southern provinces. Al-Ittihad established itself as a leading club in the Western Province league system, competing regularly in regional cup competitions and friendlies prior to the creation of a national league framework.
Early national titles and domestic growth (1963–1985)
Following the establishment of the unified Libyan Premier League for the 1963–64 season, Al-Ittihad became one of the dominant teams in the national competition. The club won its first official national league title in the 1964–65 season, followed immediately by a second consecutive championship in 1965–66.[6]
Al-Ittihad secured a third league title in the 1968–69 season. Over the course of the 1970s, the national championship experienced periodic interruptions due to administrative restructuring and political changes in the country. Despite these disruptions, Al-Ittihad maintained its status in the top tier of Libyan football alongside cross-town rivals Al Ahly Tripoli.
Four consecutive titles and cup success (1986–1999)
The mid-1980s initiated an era of sustained domestic success for the club. After securing the 1985–86 Premier League title, Al-Ittihad accomplished a record-breaking streak by winning four consecutive Libyan Premier League championships between 1987 and 1991 (1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, and 1990–91).[7]
In addition to its league performances, the club expanded its domestic honors by winning the Libyan Cup in 1992, defeating Al-Minaa in the final, followed by a second cup title in 1999.[8] To cap the decade, Al-Ittihad won the inaugural edition of the Libyan SuperCup in January 2000.[9]
Six consecutive titles and continental campaigns (2000–2010)
The 2000s marked the most decorated decade in Al-Ittihad's competitive history, highlighted by domestic dominance and multiple deep runs in Confederation of African Football (CAF) tournaments:
- Six consecutive league championships: The club set a national football record by winning six consecutive Libyan Premier League titles from the 2004–05 season through 2009–10.[10]
- Nine consecutive SuperCups: Al-Ittihad captured nine consecutive Libyan SuperCup trophies between 2002 and 2010.[11]
- 2000 African Cup Winners' Cup: Reached the semi-final stage of the tournament before being eliminated by Egyptian side Zamalek SC.
- 2007 CAF Champions League: Advanced from a group stage containing Al Ahly SC, Espérance Sportive de Tunis, and ASEC Mimosas to reach the semi-finals, where they were narrowly defeated 1–0 on aggregate by eventual champions Al Ahly.[12]
- 2010 CAF Confederation Cup: Qualified from the group stage and progressed to the semi-finals, losing to Moroccan club FUS Rabat.[13]
Recent history (2011–present)
Following the suspension and restructuring of domestic sports leagues after 2011, Al-Ittihad continued to compete in national and continental fixtures. The team claimed its seventh Libyan Cup title in 2018.
In the 2020–21 season, Al-Ittihad secured its 17th Premier League title by defeating Al Ahly Tripoli in a championship playoff final.[14] The club defended its title in the 2021–22 season, winning the playoff final 2–1 against Al Ahly Tripoli in Rades, Tunisia, bringing its total to 18 national league titles.[15]
Honours
Al-Ittihad SCSC is the most decorated club in Libyan football history, holding the national record for the highest number of top-flight league titles (18) and SuperCup trophies (11).[16] The club dominated domestic competitions throughout the 2000s, winning six consecutive league championships between 2005 and 2010 and nine consecutive SuperCups between 2002 and 2010.[17]
Domestic competitions
| Type | Competition | Titles | Winning Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | Libyan Premier League | 18 | 1964–65, 1965–66, 1968–69, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2020–21, 2021–22 |
| Libyan Cup | 7 | 1992, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2018 | |
| Libyan SuperCup | 11 | 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2024 |
- record
Performance in CAF competitions
Overview
| Competition | Apps | First entry | Last entry | Best result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAF Champions League / African Cup of Champions Clubs | 15 | 1967 | 2021–22 | Semi-finals (2007) |
| CAF Confederation Cup | 11 | 2005 | 2021–22 | Semi-finals (2010) |
| African Cup Winners' Cup | 1 | 2000 | 2000 | Semi-finals (2000) |
| Total | 27 | 1967 | 2021–22 | Semi-finals (3 times) |
CAF Champions League & African Cup of Champions Clubs
| Season | Competition | Round |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | African Cup of Champions Clubs | Quarter-finals |
| 1985 | African Cup of Champions Clubs | First round |
| 1990 | African Cup of Champions Clubs | First round |
| 1991 | African Cup of Champions Clubs | First round |
| 1992 | African Cup of Champions Clubs | First round |
| 2003 | CAF Champions League | Second round |
| 2004 | CAF Champions League | Preliminary round |
| 2006 | CAF Champions League | Preliminary round |
| 2007 | CAF Champions League | Semi-finals |
| 2008 | CAF Champions League | Second round |
| 2009 | CAF Champions League | First round |
| 2010 | CAF Champions League | Second round |
| 2011 | CAF Champions League | Second round |
| 2013 | CAF Champions League | Preliminary round |
| 2021–22 | CAF Champions League | First round |
CAF Confederation Cup
| Season | Competition | Round |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | CAF Confederation Cup | Second round |
| 2008 | CAF Confederation Cup | Play-off round |
| 2010 | CAF Confederation Cup | Semi-finals |
| 2011 | CAF Confederation Cup | Play-off round |
| 2015 | CAF Confederation Cup | First round |
| 2016 | CAF Confederation Cup | First round |
| 2018 | CAF Confederation Cup | First round |
| 2018–19 | CAF Confederation Cup | First round |
| 2019–20 | CAF Confederation Cup | First round |
| 2020–21 | CAF Confederation Cup | First round |
| 2021–22 | CAF Confederation Cup | Quarter-finals |
African Cup Winners' Cup
| Season | Competition | Round |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | African Cup Winners' Cup | Semi-finals |
Stadium
Al-Ittihad play their home games at the Tripoli Stadium, 6 km from center of Tripoli. They share the 45,000-capacity ground with Al-Ahly Tripoli and Al Madina. The club owns the 5,000 capacity Al Mala'b Al Baladi (Arabic: الملعب البلدي). Located in central Tripoli, the ground is now used for training. Al-Ittihad SCSC usually play their home games in front of thousands of spectators.
Current squad
- As of 2 March 2026
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Managers
| Manager | Nationality | From | To | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ion Moldovan |  Romania | 1995 | 1996 | [18] |
| Semen Osynovskyi |  Ukraine | August 1998 | November 1998 | |
| Giuseppe Dossena |  Italy | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Ion Moldovan | Romania | 2005 | 2006 | |
| Branko Smiljanić |  Serbia | July 2006 | June 2008 | |
| Stefano Cusin | Italy | December 2008 | June 2009 | |
| Miodrag Ješić | Serbia | July 2009 | May 2010 | |
| Anwar Salama |  Egypt | May 2010 | October 2010 | |
| Baltemar Brito |  Brazil | 2010 | 2011 | |
| Marcos Paquetá | Brazil | 2011 | 2012 | |
| José Vidigal |  Portugal | 2012 | 2013 | |
| Baltemar Brito | Brazil | 2013 | 2014 | |
| Osama Al Hamadi |  Libya | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Giuseppe Sannino | Italy | 2021 | 2021 | |
| Osama Al Hamadi | Libya | 2021 | 2022 | |
| Milija Savović |  Montenegro | 2022 | 2023 | |
| Moamen Soliman | Egypt | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Jamal Khamis | Libya | 2024 | 2026 | |
| Rhulani Mokwena |  South Africa | March 2026 | July 2026 | [19] |
Other sports
As a multi-sport club (Al-Ittihad Sport, Cultural & Social Club), Al-Ittihad maintains active competitive teams in several indoor and Olympic sports alongside its association football department:
- Basketball: Al-Ittihad operates a senior men's basketball team that competes at the top level in the Libyan Division I Basketball League and regularly represents Libya in regional Arab club competitions.
- Volleyball: The club's volleyball division competes in the top tier of the Libyan Volleyball League and participates in continental tournaments such as the African Club Volleyball Championship.
- Handball: Al-Ittihad fields competitive men's handball teams in national league and domestic cup competitions.
- Table Tennis: The club maintains a table tennis section competing in national individual and team tournaments across various age categories.