FK Metta
Latvian football club
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
FK Metta (also called FS Metta/Latvijas Universitāte from 2007 to 2018) is a professional Latvian football club based in Riga. As of 2012 they play in the Latvian Higher League. Metta plays its home games at Daugava Stadium. Until June 2018, their home venue was the Riga Hanza Secondary School Stadium.
(Football Club METTA)
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| Full name | Futbola klubs METTA (Football Club METTA) | |||
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| Founded | 2006 | |||
| Ground | Futbola centrs Rūpnīca, Sarkandaugava, Riga | |||
| Capacity | 10,461 | |||
| Chairman | Ģirts Mihelsons | |||
| Manager | Andris Riherts | |||
| League | Virslīga | |||
| 2025 | Virslīga, 10th of 10 (Relegated) | |||
| Website | http://www.fsmetta.lv/ | |||
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History
FS Metta (Latvian: Futbola skola Metta, lit. 'Football School Metta') was officially founded on May 2, 2006, though the club had been active in youth tournaments since 2000. In 2007 FS Metta and University of Latvia (Latvijas Universitāte) merged as a senior professional team and participated in the Latvian Championship first division (Traffic 1. līga). They finished the season in the fourth position.
The club remained at the same level for the next four seasons. Though a professional club, Metta initially retained the prefix FS (Futbola Skola), since their policy was to invest in youth players. In 2011 Metta won the Latvian First League championship and was automatically promoted to the Latvian Higher League – the top tier of Latvian football.[1]
The affiliation with the university provides the club with a greater financial backing and the players with the opportunity to study at the most prestigious Latvian university. The club was created with the aim to gather the greatest youth talents from across the country and surrounding areas to build and shape them into expensive players for sale to bigger clubs.[2]
In 2019, the partnership with the University of Latvia expired, and the club was renamed from FS Metta to FK Metta.
In 2020 FK Metta was the youngest top-tier team in Europe.[3] At the end of the season, the team's average age was 19,5.[4] In September 2020, FK Metta forward Raimonds Krollis made his debut for the Latvia national football team.[5] He became the first-ever player that has gone through the whole FK Metta academy and played for the senior national team.
In the 2025 Latvian Higher League season, Metta placed last and was relegated to the Latvian First League. Prior to the start of the 2026 season, the club unveiled its new sports complex at Sāremas iela in Sarkandaugava, Riga - the Futbola centrs Rūpnīca ('Factory Football Center'). The center was built on the location of the former Energoautomātika Stadium (Latvian: "Energoautomātikas" stadions) which was demolished around 2024.[6][7]
Patron of the University of Latvia
Football school "Metta" is a silver patron of the University of Latvia Foundation. They have supported the University of Latvia since 2016, donating to the football system and scholarships.[8]
Participation in Latvian Championships
| Season | Division | Pos./Teams | Pl. | W | D | L | GS | GA | P | Latvian Football Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 2nd (1.līga) | 4/(16) | 30 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 67 | 23 | 61 | 1/8 finals |
| 2008 | 2nd (1.līga) | 5/(15) | 28 | 13 | 9 | 6 | 43 | 27 | 48 | 1/8 finals |
| 2009 | 2nd (1.līga) | 6/(14) | 26 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 47 | 19 | 45 | Not Held |
| 2010 | 2nd (1.līga) | 5/(12) | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 42 | 25 | 36 | 1/8 finals |
| 2011 | 2nd (1.līga) | 1/(13) | 24 | 17 | 5 | 2 | 61 | 14 | 56 | 1/8 finals |
| 2012 | 1st (Virslīga) | 8(10) | 36 | 7 | 8 | 21 | 39 | 82 | 29 | 1/8 finals |
| 2013 | 1st (Virslīga) | 9(10) | 27 | 4 | 7 | 16 | 15 | 47 | 19 | 1/16 finals |
| 2014 | 1st (Virslīga) | 9(10) | 36 | 3 | 7 | 26 | 26 | 69 | 16 | 1/16 finals |
| 2015 | 1st (Virslīga) | 7(8) | 24 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 19 | 56 | 12 | 1/4 finals |
| 2016 | 1st (Virslīga) | 7(8) | 28 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 32 | 47 | 30 | 1/4 finals |
| 2017 | 1st (Virslīga) | 7(8) | 24 | 3 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 46 | 15 | 1/4 finals |
| 2018 | 1st (Virslīga) | 7(8) | 28 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 24 | 52 | 19 | 1/2 finals |
| 2019 | 1st (Virslīga) | 9(9) | 32 | 6 | 8 | 18 | 35 | 60 | 26 | 1/8 finals |
| 2020 | 1st (Virslīga) | 9(10) | 27 | 4 | 4 | 19 | 22 | 55 | 16 | 1/8 finals |
| 2021 | 1st (Virslīga) | 7(10) | 28 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 33 | 55 | 20 | 1/8 finals |
| 2022 | 1st (Virslīga) | 9(10) | 36 | 5 | 7 | 24 | 41 | 86 | 22 | 1/4 finals |
| 2023 | 1st (Virslīga) | 9(10) | 36 | 8 | 9 | 19 | 41 | 63 | 33 | 1/8 finals |
| 2024 | 1st (Virslīga) | 7(10) | 36 | 10 | 6 | 20 | 34 | 76 | 36 | 1/8 finals |
| 2025 | 1st (Virslīga) | 10(10) | 36 | 8 | 7 | 21 | 39 | 74 | 31 | 1/8 finals |
| 2026 | TBD (LVBET līga) | TBD | TBD |
Managers
Andris Riherts (May 2006 – June 2021)- Andrejs Gluščuks (June 2021 – present)
Current players
First-team squad
As of 6 April, 2026[9] 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.
Player of the year
| Season | Player |
|---|---|
| 2006 |  Jānis Kauss |
| 2007 | Vladimirs Cīmanis |
| 2008 | Ivars Gailis |
| 2009 | Marsels Vapne |
| 2010 | Juris Skābardis |
| 2011 | Rūdolfs Puķītis |
| 2012 | Mārtiņš Milašēvičs |
| 2013 | Gatis Kalniņš |
| 2014 | Edgars Vardanjans |
| 2015 | Eduards Emsis |
| 2016 | Roberts Uldriķis |
| 2017 | Dāvis Indrāns |
| 2019 | Dāvis Ošs |
| 2019 |  Kgotso Masangane |
| 2020 | Raimonds Krollis |
| 2021 | Lūkass Vapne |
| 2022 | Jānis Beks |
Club officials
Board of directors
- General secretary: Ģirts Mihelsons
- Executive Director: Maira Mihelsone
Coaching staff
- Manager: Andris Riherts
- Fitness Coach: Jānis Skābardis
Medical staff
Staff
- Press Officer: Miks Vilkaplāters
- Technical manager: Harijs Toms
Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors
Honours
- Latvian First League
- Champions (1): 2011