FC Dinamo Batumi

Prior to the formation of this club, there were some other teams existing in the city. In 1923 two newly established clubs called Mezgvauri (The Sailor) and Tsiteli Raindi (The Red Knight) merged and became Dinamo Batumi.{{cite web | url = http://dinamobatumi.com/klubi/istoria | title = The history of FC Dinamo Batumi | website = Dinamobatumi.com | date = 12 December 2016 | access-date = 13 April 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161220215403/http://dinamobatumi.com/klubi/istoria | archive-date = 20 December 2016 | url-status = dead }}

Football was becoming more popular in Adjara later, although Dinamo participated only in the lower divisions of Soviet championship. However, there were some players in the club, who later became successful footballers in USSR, including Revaz Chelebadze, Nodar Khizanishvili and Vakhtang Koridze. The famous Greek footballer Andreas Niniadis also started his career in the club. He later played for Olympiacos and Greece national football team.

The team played the last six seasons of 1980s in the First league, the second Soviet division.{{cite web |title=Dinamo Bt in Soviet leagues |url=http://wildstat.com/p/7701/club/URS_Dinamo_Batumi |website=wildstat.com}}

The success for the Batumi-based club came when they won Georgian Cup in 1998, after losing two previous finals. The club defeated Dinamo Tbilisi in final. The goals were scored by Aleksandre Kantidze and Davit Chichveishvili.{{cite web | url = http://msy.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=GEO&sec_id=591 | title = Georgian Cup season 1997-98 | website = Msy.gov.ge (Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs of Georgia) | date = | access-date = 13 April 2017 | archive-date = 25 October 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211025151226/http://msy.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=GEO&sec_id=591 | url-status = dead }} The club won Georgian Super Cup during the same year as well. They again defeated Dinamo Tbilisi, by 2–1.{{cite web | url = http://msy.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=GEO&sec_id=587 | title = Georgian Super 1998 | website = Msy.gov.ge (Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs of Georgia) | date = | access-date = 13 April 2017 | archive-date = 18 October 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211018045200/http://msy.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=GEO&sec_id=587 | url-status = dead }} As one of the strongest teams of the league, starting from 1995 Dinamo represented the country in European competitions for four consecutive seasons.

The next decade turned out disappointing for Dinamo, which failed to notch up any success on either competition. Amid construction boom in Adjara, in 2006 the club lost their stadium, located at the seaside, to be sold and demolished. The Adeli stadium, which Dinamo started using as their home ground, met the same fate later on.{{cite web |title="ადელის" სტადიონის ადგილზე აპარტამენტები აშენდება |url=https://batumelebi.netgazeti.ge/news/41828/ |website=batumelebi.netgazeti.ge (in Georgian) |date=11 April 2016}} It coincided with deteriorating performance in the league. After 2007-08 they were relegated for the first time to Pirveli Liga, where as debutants the club took 8th place in an 11-team league. Overall, Dinamo spent next five seasons out of six in the second division.

From 2013/14 the club revived their ambitions, first to gain promotion to Umaglesi Liga and then to secure a place among the league leaders. Silver, taken in 2015, was followed by bronze the next year, but in 2017 Dinamo entered a period of instability with a drastic change of players and replacement of managers. Levan Khomeriki, the head coach for three successive years, left to be replaced by Ukrainian manager Kostyantyn Frolov, but he stepped down five months later.{{cite web |title=ბათუმის "დინამოს" მთავარმა მწვრთნელმა კონსტანტინ ფროლოვმა თანამდებობა დატოვა |url=http://old.1tv.ge/ge/news/view/185423.html |website=1tv.ge (in Georgian) |date=24 October 2017}} Aslan Baladze took charge of the team, which finished the season in the relegation zone, despite having some experienced players such as Otar Martsvaladze, David Kvirkvelia and Elguja Grigalashvili in the squad. Dinamo suffered a worse setback in the play-off as dramatic two-leg tie against Sioni Bolnisi ended 5:5 on aggregate and the penalty shoot-out determined the winner.{{cite web |title=2017 play-offs |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2017/12/03/georgia/play-offs-12/fc-dinamo-batumi/fc-sioni-bolnisi/2692524/ |website=soccerway.com}}

Prior to the new season in Liga 2 Gia Geguchadze was appointed in the club{{cite web |title=ბათუმის დინამოს გია გეგუჩაძე გაუძღვება |url=https://fanebi.com/bathumis-dinamos-gia-geguchadze-gaudzghveba/ |website=fanebi.com (in Georgian)|date=13 January 2018 }} and with promotion set as their only goal, Dinamo convincingly won the league by an 11-point margin.{{cite web |title=2018, Liga 2 |url=https://erovnuliliga.ge/en/tables?season=255&league=2 |website=flashscore.com| date=7 December 2018 }}

2019 brought some more encouraging news. 100% share of Dinamo Batumi owned by the Adjarian government was awarded to Lamini Ltd for 49 years.{{cite web |title=რა პირობით გასხვისდა "დინამო ბათუმი" |url=https://batumelebi.netgazeti.ge/news/252976/ |website=batumelebi.netgazeti.ge (in Georgian) |date=10 February 2020}} Besides, a new prospect emerged for the issue of football ground, which had plagued the club for so long. While Dinamo played home matches either on their training base or at Rugby Arena, in January the government inaugurated the construction of a new UEFA category IV stadium with the capacity of 20,000 seats due to be completed in late 2020.

Back in the top flight Dinamo rushed to the title-chasing battle, in which they initially performed beyond expectations. As no other newly promoted club had ever won the league, Dinamo Batumi appeared close to setting this record, although at the crucial point they slipped up, first dropping two points against relegation-bound WIT Georgia and then losing to another unmotivated club altogether.{{cite web |title=Erovnuli Liga, 2019 |url=https://www.flashscore.com/football/georgia/crystalbet-erovnuli-liga-2019/ |website=soccerway.com}} Yet, the second place was definitely success for Dinamo, where some national team members - Jaba Jigauri, Giorgi Navalovski, Vladimer Dvalishvili - emerged at this stage.

Meanwhile, support for the club reached remarkable proportions by Georgian standards. While all of 1,500 seats on Angisa training base were full approximately three hours in advance, many more spectators watched the games from outside the fence. According to some estimates, an average number of fans per each match was around 6,400.{{cite web |title= ბათუმის დინამოს საოცარი ისტორია |url= http://intermedia.ge/%E1%83%A1%E1%83%A2%E1%83%90%E1%83%A2%E1%83%98%E1%83%90/115729-%E1%83%91%E1%83%90%E1%83%97%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9B%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%93%E1%83%98%E1%83%9C%E1%83%90%E1%83%9B%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%E1%83%9D%E1%83%AA%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98-%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%E1%83%A2%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%90/68/ |website=intermedia.ge (in Georgian)}}

The next season, shortened by coronavirus, saw a scenario resembling the previous one. After ten rounds Dinamo were unbeaten, sitting on the top of the table, but later they suffered two home defeats, including from direct rivals Dinamo Tbilisi, who taking this opportunity sealed the champion's fate.{{cite web |title=Erovnuli Liga, 2020 |url=https://erovnuliliga.ge/en/tables?season=391 |website=eliga.ge| date=10 December 2020 }}

On 27 October 2020 a long-awaited official opening ceremony was held in Batumi. Finally, the second placed club for two consecutive seasons representing the second largest city proudly moved into their home.{{cite web |title=UEFA Category IV stadium opens in Batumi |url=https://agenda.ge/en/news/2020/3335 |website=agenda.ge}}

In early December UEFA announced that this stadium would host some of U21 European championship matches in 2023.{{cite web |title=Romania and Georgia to host U21 finals in 2023 |url=https://www.uefa.com/under21/news/0264-11009128e358-6de79f43e540-1000--romania-and-georgia-to-host-2023-u21-finals/ |website=UEFA|date=3 December 2020}}

This ultimate triumph was made possible from a third straight attempt. With the same head coach into the fourth season and a largely retained squad, the team had some advantage over their rivals from Tbilisi who were plagued by a frequent change of managers and key players. One point picked up by the latter in four head-to-head matches indicated which side looked stronger this year. Besides, an impressive European campaign boosted the players from Adjara. As a result, seven of them were called up in early September for the national team's World Cup game against Spain.{{cite web |title=Spain vs Georgia, Match report |url=https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/match/2030883--spain-vs-georgia/ |website=UEFA}}

Inspired by fervent supporters, Batumi won six matches with a large margin, including 8–1, the biggest win of the season, and lifted the Champion's Shield for the first time in their history.{{cite news |title=ზეიმი ბათუმში – დინამო ბათუმმა საჩემპიონო ფარი ჩაიბარა |url=https://netgazeti.ge/news/580005/ |publisher=netgazeti.ge (in Georgian) |date=4 December 2021}} Subsequently, their seven players were named in Team of the Season.

Тhe club failed to defend the title in 2022 despite having a nine-point lead over the nearest rivals by mid-season. But they prevailed in another champion's race over the same opponent the next season. Their 2023 campaign was not as smooth as two years earlier, though. The club faced a mounting pressure from the fanbase who voiced their protest against an existing transfer policy after the departure of key players such as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Zuriko Davitashvili and Sandro Altunashvili. Eventually, Gia Geguchadze, who had guided Dinamo to five trophies during his five-year tenure, left the club following the second consecutive premature elimination from the European season.{{cite web |url=https://goal.ge/news/ofitsialurad-gia-geguchadzem-batumis-dinamo-datova-204299 |website=goal.ge (in Georgian)|title=ოფიციალურად: გია გეგუჩაძემ ბათუმის დინამო დატოვა |date=21 August 2023}}

Being in a celebratory mood in view of their 100th anniversary and sitting on top of the table during the whole season, the team under new coach Andriy Demchenko comfortably regained the champion's title and, besides, reached the cup final for the first time in 25 years.{{cite web |title="დინამო ბათუმი" საქართველოს ჩემპიონი გახდა |url=https://batumelebi.netgazeti.ge/news/506069/ |website=batumelebi.ge (in Georgian) |access-date=24 November 2023}}

Dinamo's European history began with the 1995 Cup Winners' Cup competition. In a memorable home game against Celtic Glasgow more than 15,000 spectators witnessed good attacking football from both sides. The Georgians took the early lead but conceded twice in the first period. They equalized later and came close to the draw, although the Scots scored at the end of the regular time to cruise to victory.{{cite web |title=Dinamo Batumi vs Celtic |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/report/ec-der-pokalsieger-1995-1996-1-runde-dinamo-batumi-celtic-fc/ |website=worldfootball.net}}

A year later the draw paired Dinamo against PSV Eindhoven. Even though the Dutch side were the ultimate winners, Batumi played decently enough to earn a point in the first game. Goals in this game were scored by Amiran Mujiri and Luc Nilis.

Another remarkable event occurred in 1998 when they beat the powerful Yugoslav team Partizan Belgrade at home.

In 2021, the club narrowly missed out on UEFA Conference League play-offs after an extra-time draw at Sivasspor preceded by a sensational away victory over BATE Borisov.{{cite web |title=BATE vs Dinamo Batumi, Match report |url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/match/2032877--bate-vs-dinamo-batumi/ |website=UEFA}}

{{updated|match played 10 July 2024}}

{{updated|7 March 2025}}{{cite web |url=https://erovnuliliga.ge/ge/club/dinamo-bt/squad |title=Squad |website=erovnuliliga.ge}}

{{Fs start}}

{{Fs player|no= 1|nat=GEO|pos=GK|name=Lazare Kupatadze}}

{{Fs player|no= 3|nat=COG|pos=DF|name=Messie Biatoumoussoka}}

{{Fs player|no= 4|nat=GEO|pos=DF|name=Luka Kapianidze}}

{{Fs player|no= 6|nat=UKR|pos=MF|name=Artem Mylchenko}}

{{Fs player|no=7|nat=MLD|pos=MF|name=Dmitri Mandrîcenco}}

{{Fs player|no=8|nat=CIV|pos=MF|name=Mohamed Fofana|other=on loan from İstanbul Başakşehir}}

{{Fs player|no=9|nat=LTU|pos=FW|name=Gytis Paulauskas|other=on loan from Kolos Kovalivka}}

{{Fs player|no=10|nat=ALB|pos=MF|name=Uerdi Mara}}

{{Fs player|no=11|nat=ESP|pos=FW|name=Jalen Blesa}}

{{Fs player|no=12|nat=GEO|pos=DF|name=Luka Lakvekheliani}}

{{Fs player|no=13|nat=GEO|pos=GK|name=Luka Kharatishvili}}

{{Fs player|no=17|nat=GEO|pos=MF|name=Irakli Rukhadze}}

{{Fs player|no=18|nat=BEL|pos=MF|name=Moutir Chajia}}

{{Fs mid}}

{{Fs player|no=19|nat=GEO|pos=DF|name=Nika Kalandarishvili}}

{{Fs player|no=20|nat=GEO|pos=FW|name=Luka Tsulukidze}}

{{Fs player|no=21|nat=UKR|pos=DF|name=Kyrylo Melichenko}}

{{Fs player|no=22|nat=GEO|pos=MF|name=Tornike Kirkitadze}}

{{Fs player|no=23|nat=GEO|pos=DF|name=Mamuka Kobakhidze|other=captain}}

{{Fs player|no=26|nat=GEO|pos=MF|name=Nika Dumbadze}}

{{Fs player|no=29|nat=TUN|pos=MF|name=Ghaith Ouahabi|other=on loan from Espérance de Tunis}}

{{Fs player|no=30|nat=GEO|pos=GK|name=Mate Turmanidze}}

{{Fs player|no=31|nat=GEO|pos=MF|name=Revaz Injgia}}

{{Fs player|no=35|nat=GEO|pos=DF|name=Revaz Chiteishvili}}

{{Fs player|no=36|nat=GEO|pos=MF|name=Nika Baladze}}

{{Fs player|no=37|nat=GEO|pos=MF|name=Giorgi Putkaradze}}

{{Fs player|no=39|nat=GEO|pos=MF|name=Guram Japaridze}}

{{Fs end}}

Below is the list of coaches who spent at least two seasons at Dinamo Batumi

• Shota Cheishvili (1990–94, 1996–99, 2015–16)
• Valerian Chkhartishvili (1994–96)
• {{ill|Giovanni Carnevali|it}} (2000–02)
• Levan Khomeriki (2014–15, 2016–17)
• Gia Geguchadze (2018–2023)

• Erovnuli Liga
• Winners (2): 2021, 2023
• Runners-up (5): 1997–98, 2014–15, 2019, 2020, 2022
• Third place (2): 1996–97, 2016
• Georgian Cup
• Winners (1): 1997–98
• Runners-up (5): 1992–93, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 2023
• Georgian Super Cup
• Winners (2): 1997–98, 2022
• Runners-up (3): 1995–96, 1996–97, 2023

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{official website|http://dinamo.ge/}} {{in lang|ka}}
• {{facebook|DinamoBatumi1923}} {{in lang|ka}}
• [https://www.flashscore.ge/team/dinamo-batumi/ttw3Lxa4/results/ FC Dinamo Batumi Results] {{in lang|ka}}

{{Dinamo Batumi squad}}

{{FC Dinamo Batumi managers}}

{{Erovnuli Liga teamlist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dinamo Batumi}}

Category:Football clubs in Georgia (country)

Category:Sport in Batumi

Category:1923 establishments in Georgia (country)

Category:Association football clubs established in 1923