Qabala İK

The club was founded under the name of Goy Gol on 3 July 1995, based in Goy Gol. On 1 September 2005, Goy Gol was registered in Gabala by the Ministry of Justice, before the AFFA registered the team as professional on 5 September of the same year. In the summer of 2006, the team moved from Goygol to Qabala, before the club changed its name to Gilan PFK. Later, the club changed its name to Qəbələ PFK on 31 August 2007.^[5][6]

On 10 May 2010, former Arsenal defender Tony Adams was appointed as new manager after signing a £1 million per year deal with the club.^[7][8] In his first season in charge Gabala finished in 7th place in Azerbaijan Premier League.^[9][10] In November 2011, Adams resigned as Gabala's coach due to family problems.^[11][12]

Despite the appointment of managers like Fatih Kavlak and Ramiz Mammadov, the club could not reach a satisfactory position in the league and was struggling in the middle of the table for many years.^[13][14] On 29 May 2013, Yuri Semin was appointed as the new manager after signing a £1 million per year deal with the club.^[15][16] In the same year, the club qualified for European cups for the first time in their history but lost to Neftchi Baku on penalties in the final of the Azerbaijan Cup.^[17][18]

In the 2015–16 season of the Europa League, they became the 3rd club from Azerbaijan to qualify for the group stage after Qarabağ FK and Neftçi Baku. They eliminated Dinamo Tbilisi, Čukarički, Apollon Limassol and surprisingly Panathinaikos. They came 4th in their tough group of Borussia Dortmund, PAOK and FC Krasnodar. They got two points both from 0–0 draws against PAOK.

Following their defeat to Keşla in the 2017–18 Azerbaijan Cup Final, Roman Hryhorchuk left Gabala after his contract was not extended.^[19] On 30 May 2018, Gabala announced that Sanan Gurbanov had been appointed as the club's new manager on a two-year contract.^[20] On 31 August 2019, Gurbanov resigned as manager following Gabala's 4–0 defeat at home to Keşla.^[21] On 2 September 2019, Elmar Bakhshiyev was appointed as Gabala's manager.^[22]

On 24 February 2024, Elmar Bakhshiyev resigned as Head Coach, with Kakhaber Tskhadadze being appointed the following day.^[23][24] On 27 May 2024, at the end of the 2023-24 season, Gabala extended their contract with Tskhadadze for an additional three-seasons.^[25]

Following their 5–0 victory over Baku Sporting on 4 April, Gabala secured promotion back to the Azerbaijan Premier League at their first attempt.^[26]

League and cup history

More information Season, League ...

Season	League									Azerbaijan Cup	Top goalscorer		Managers
	Div.	Pos.	Pl.	W	D	L	GS	GA	P		Name	League
2005–06	2nd	1st	30	22	6	2	72	14	72	Last 16	R.Ahmadov	18	Faig Jabbarov
2006–07	1st	11th	24	4	4	16	17	47	16	Last 16	Vusal Garaev	4	Ramiz Mammadov
2007–08	1st	6th	26	11	3	12	33	36	36	Semi-finals	Vitali Balamestny	8
2008–09	1st	10th	26	9	6	11	28	21	33	Semi-finals	Kanan Karimov	6
2009–10	1st	6th	42	15	14	14	42	48	56	1st round	Tomasz Stolpa	7
2010–11	1st	7th	32	13	12	7	31	18	51	Quarter-finals	Deon Burton	9	Tony Adams
2011–12	1st	5th	32	15	7	10	43	32	52	Quarter-finals	Dodô Yannick Kamanan	9	Tony Adams Fatih Kavlak
2012–13	1st	6th	32	10	8	14	32	40	38	Quarter-finals	Victor Mendy Assis	6	Fatih Kavlak Ramiz Mammadov Luis Aragón
2013–14	1st	3rd	36	18	7	11	48	36	61	Runners-up	Danijel Subotić	12	Yuri Semin
2014–15	1st	3rd	32	15	9	8	46	35	54	Quarter-finals	Javid Huseynov	11	Dorinel Munteanu Roman Hryhorchuk
2015–16	1st	3rd	36	16	11	9	44	28	59	Semi-finals	Oleksiy Gai	10	Roman Hryhorchuk
2016–17	1st	2nd	28	14	10	4	48	21	52	Runners-up	Filip Ozobić	11
2017–18	1st	2nd	28	14	7	7	43	26	49	Runners-up	Bagaliy Dabo	13
2018–19	1st	4th	28	9	9	10	31	33	36	Champions	James Adeniyi	10	Sanan Gurbanov
2019–20	1st	8th	20	5	4	11	25	35	19	Semi-finals	Davit Volkovi	5	Sanan Gurbanov Elmar Bakhshiyev
2020–21	1st	7th	28	5	11	12	23	44	26	Quarter-finals	Raphael Utzig	5	Elmar Bakhshiyev
2021–22	1st	4th	28	12	9	7	38	34	45	Semi-finals	Isnik Alimi	8
2022–23	1st	4th	36	13	11	12	47	47	50	Champions	Isnik Alimi	9
2023–24	1st	10th	36	7	5	24	30	64	26	Semi-finals	Osama Khalaila	9	Elmar Bakhshiyev Kakhaber Tskhadadze
2024–25	2nd	1st	27	21	4	2	56	8	67	Last 16	Domi Massoumou	16	Kakhaber Tskhadadze

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European record

Main article: Gabala SC in European football

As of match played 3 August 2023

More information Competition, Pld ...

Competition	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
UEFA Europa League	38	10	7	21	36	55
UEFA Europa Conference League	4	1	0	3	6	12
Total	42	11	7	24	42	67

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More information Season, Competition ...

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
2014–15	UEFA Europa League	1Q	Široki Brijeg	0–2	0–3	0–5
2015–16	UEFA Europa League	1Q	Dinamo Tbilisi	2–0	1–2	3–2
		2Q	Čukarički	2–0	0–1	2–1
		3Q	Apollon Limassol	1–0	1–1	2–1
		PO	Panathinaikos	0–0	2–2	2–2 (a)
		Group C	Borussia Dortmund	1–3	0–4	4th
			PAOK	0–0	0–0
			Krasnodar	0–3	1–2
2016–17	UEFA Europa League	1Q	Samtredia	5–1	1–2	6–3
		2Q	MTK Budapest	2–0	2–1	4–1
		3Q	Lille	1–0	1–1	2–1
		PO	Maribor	3–1	0–1	3–2
		Group C	Anderlecht	1–3	1–3	4th
			Saint-Étienne	1–2	0–1
			Mainz 05	2–3	0–2
2017–18	UEFA Europa League	2Q	Jagiellonia Białystok	1–1	2–0	3–1
		3Q	Panathinaikos	1–2	0–1	1–3
2018–19	UEFA Europa League	1Q	Progrès Niederkorn	0–2	1–0	1–2
2019–20	UEFA Europa League	2Q	Dinamo Tbilisi	0–2	0–3	0–5
2022–23	UEFA Europa Conference League	2Q	Fehérvár	2–1	1–4	3–5
2023–24	UEFA Europa Conference League	2Q	Omonia	2–3	1–4	3–7

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Notes

• 1Q: First qualifying round
• 2Q: Second qualifying round
• 3Q: Third qualifying round
• PO: Play-off round
• Group: Group stage

The club's crest includes Caucasus Mountains with a black crescent and red eight-pointed star, similar to Azerbaijani flag. It also includes 2005 which signifies the club's formation year.

Shirt sponsors and kit manufacturers

Gabala's traditional kit is composed of red shirts, black shorts and red socks. The club's first kit manufacturer was Erreà, until a two-year deal was agreed with Joma in 2013.^[27][28]

In August 2012, Gabala signed a one-year deal with the American multinational beverage corporation and manufacturer Pepsi, which will replace Hyundai as the shirt sponsor from the 2013–14 season.^[29]

In September 2015, Gabala signed a one-year deal with QafqaZ Hotels and Resorts.^[30]

On 31 January 2020, Gabala announced that dairy brand Milla would be the club's new title sponsor until the end of 2021.^[31]

On 4 July 2023, Gabala announced Capelli Sport as their new kit supplier on a three-year contract.^[32]

On 12 August 2025, Gabala announced that they had signed a one-year agreement with AFB Bank for them to be the clubs front of shirt sponsor.^[33]

More information Years, Manufacturer ...

Years	Manufacturer	Sponsor
2009–2010	Adidas	Hyundai
2010–2011	Lotto
2011–2012	Erreà
2012–2013		Pepsi
2013–2015	Joma
2015–2020		QafqaZ Hotels
2020–2021		Milla
2021–2022		Jale
2022–2023		Gilan & Knauf
2023–2025	Capelli Sport
2025–present	Joma	AFB Bank

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The club play their home matches at the Gabala City Stadium, an all-seater football stadium situated in Qabala.

As of 2007, predominantly due to UEFA requirements, the club proposed an extensive renovation of the stadium, which has since been in constant process of redevelopment.^[34] AFL Architects were appointed to design a new 15,000 capacity stadium and training facility in December 2008 after winning a limited design competition. Accommodation within the stadium will include hotel and conferencing facilities, as well as retail and corporate hospitality space, and a dramatic viewing deck at the top of the entrance tower.^[35] It is expected that the stadium was scheduled to open in 2014.^[36]

Gabala has a large fanbase in relation to its comparative lack of success on the pitch. Gabala's fan base has fluctuated over the years with high crowds coinciding with the club's success in the Premier League so that the club now averages in the top four best home attendances in the country. One of the main supporters group name is Red Black Army.^[37]

• Azerbaijan League
  • Runners-up (2): 2016–17, 2017–18
• Azerbaijan Cup
  • Winners (2): 2018–19, 2022–23
  • Runners-up (3): 2013–14, 2016–17, 2017–18
• Azerbaijan First Division
  • Winners (2): 2005–06, 2024–25

Azerbaijani teams are limited to nine players without Azerbaijani citizenship. The squad list includes only the principal nationality of each player, several non-European players on the squad have dual citizenship with an EU country.

Current squad

As of 11 February 2026^[38]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

More information No., Pos. ...

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  AZE Səlahət Ağayev 3 DF  BRA Eduardo Kunde 4 MF  NGA Salihu Nasiru 6 MF  ESP Jaime Sierra 7 DF  AZE Turan Manafov (on loan from Stellenbosch) 8 DF  FRA Sambou Sissoko (on loan from Valenciennes) 10 MF  AZE Shahin Shahniyarov 11 MF  AZE Asif Mammadov 12 FW  FRA Ibrahim Sangaré 13 DF  AZE Nicat Aliyev 14 FW  CGO Domi Jaurès Massoumou 16 DF  GHA Isaac Amoah 17 MF  AZE Qadir Ramazanov 21 MF  AZE Ziya Shakarkhanov 22 FW  AZE Farid Isgandarov

No. Pos. Nation Player 23 DF  AZE Rufat Ahmadov (on loan from Turan Tovuz) 24 FW  NGA Ismahil Akinade 26 DF  AZE Elnur Mustafayev 27 MF  AZE Eshqin Ahmadov 28 DF  AZE Murad Musayev 30 FW  GHA Prince Owusu 33 DF  SEN Seydina Keita 44 DF  AZE Salman Alasgarov 50 FW  CIV Adriel Ba Loua 66 DF  AZE Nuqay Rashidov 70 FW  ANG Paulo Quimbila 74 DF  AZE Suleyman Damadayev 93 GK  AZE Rza Jafarov (on loan from Neftçi) 94 GK  AZE Habib Hushanov

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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.

More information No., Pos. ...

No. Pos. Nation Player 9 FW  AZE Mehrac Bakhshali (at Mingəçevir until 30 June 2026) 71 FW  AZE Sanan Agalarov (at Shahdag Qusar until 30 June 2026) 97 MF  AZE Emil Süleymanov (at Shamakhi until 30 June 2026)

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Information correct as of match played 10 March 2026. Only competitive matches are counted.

More information Name, Nat. ...

Name	Nat.	From	To	P	W	D	L	GS	GA	%W	Honours	Notes
Faig Jabbarov	Azerbaijan	2005	2006	30	22	6	2	0	0	073.33	Azerbaijan First Division (1)	[42]
Ramiz Mammadov	Azerbaijan	2006	May 2010	118	38	27	53	0	0	032.20		[43]
Tony Adams	England	12 May 2010	16 November 2011	44	17	15	12	45	35	038.64		[44]
Fatih Kavlak	Turkey	18 November 2011	27 September 2012	29	14	7	8	43	27	048.28		[43]
Ramiz Mammadov	Azerbaijan	24 September 2012	2 April 2013	21	8	6	7	23	22	038.10		[43]
Luis Aragon (Interim)	Spain	2 April 2013	28 May 2013	8	1	3	4	5	10	012.50		[45]
Yuri Semin	Russia	28 May 2013	23 May 2014	41	21	9	11	56	38	051.22		[46]
Dorinel Munteanu	Romania	16 June 2014	8 December 2014	18	6	5	7	20	26	033.33		[47]
Sanan Gurbanov (Interim)	Azerbaijan	8 December 2014	21 December 2014	3	1	2	0	4	3	033.33		[48]
Roman Hryhorchuk	Ukraine	21 December 2014	29 May 2018[19]	159	75	41	43	238	150	047.17		[49]
Sanan Gurbanov	Azerbaijan	30 May 2018[20]	31 August 2019[21]	40	14	9	17	37	52	035.00	Azerbaijan Cup (1)
Elmar Bakhshiyev	Azerbaijan	2 September 2019[22]	24 February 2024[23]	155	52	41	62	187	228	033.55	Azerbaijan Cup (1)
Kakhaber Tskhadadze	Georgia	25 February 2024[24]		71	31	12	28	105	78	043.66	Azerbaijan First Division (1)

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• Notes:

P – Total of played matches W – Won matches D – Drawn matches L – Lost matches GS – Goal scored GA – Goals against
%W – Percentage of matches won

Nationality is indicated by the corresponding FIFA country code(s).

Urfan Abbasov is Gabala's most capped player, with 305 appearances for the club. Players in bold signifies current Gabala player.

Most appearances

As of match played 10 March 2026

More information Name, Years ...

	Name	Years	League apps	League goals	Cup apps	Cup goals	Europe apps	Europe goals	Total apps	Total goals
1	Ürfan Abbasov	2011–2019, 2021–2024	248	5	40	1	17	0	305	6
2	Asif Mammadov	2006-2007, 2015–Present	208	13	31	3	24	1	263	17
3	Murad Musayev	2013–2016, 2019–Present	156	7	23	0	3	0	182	7
4	Dmytro Bezotosnyi	2015–2019	117	0	17	0	32	0	166	0
5	Dodô	2011–2016	131	23	15	3	15	4	161	30
6	Vojislav Stanković	2015–2016, 2016–2019	92	1	21	1	29	1	142	3
7	Elvin Camalov	2013–2019	111	0	18	0	12	0	141	0
8	Javid Huseynov	2014–2015, 2016–2019, 2020-2021	109	16	20	2	11	3	140	21
8	Ulvi Isgandarov	2017–2024	118	17	16	4	6	0	140	21
10	Victor Mendy	2011–2015	112	29	13	4	2	0	127	33

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Top goalscorers

As of match played 10 March 2026

More information Name, Years ...

	Name	Years	League apps	League goals	Cup apps	Cup goals	Europe apps	Europe goals	Total apps	Total goals	Ratio
1	Victor Mendy	2011–2015	112	29	13	4	2	0	127	33	0.26
2	Dodô	2011–2016	131	23	15	3	15	4	161	30	0.19
3	Bagaliy Dabo	2016–2018	43	20	6	4	13	3	62	27	0.44
4	Filip Ozobić	2016–2018	45	16	10	6	18	3	73	25	0.34
4	Domi Massoumou	2024–Present	50	22	6	3	0	0	56	25	0.45
6	Isnik Alimi	2021–2023	61	17	10	5	2	0	73	22	0.3
7	Javid Huseynov	2014–2015, 2016–2019, 2020-2021	109	16	20	2	11	3	140	21	0.15
7	Ulvi Isgandarov	2017–2024	118	17	16	4	6	0	140	21	0.15
9	Steeven Joseph-Monrose	2017–2019	47	15	9	3	6	2	62	20	0.32
10	Danijel Subotić	2013–2014, 2017	40	15	8	4	0	0	48	19	0.4

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• Gabala Cup 2012