FC Rustavi

FC Rustavi have no legal connections with any of the football clubs previously existing in the city (Gorda, Metalurgi, Olimpi). As a new team, it was established on 3 July 2015.{{cite web |title=რუსთავი: აღზევება |url=http://lelo.ge/article/რუსთავი-აღზევება-1449/ |website=lelo.ge (in Georgian) |date=5 December 2017}}

Rustavi debuted in the second division the same year and achieved a modest goal of retaining a place in it by finishing in midtable.{{cite web |title=2015/16 regular season |url=https://int.soccerway.com/national/georgia/pirveli-liga/20152016/regular-season/r32926/ |website=soccerway.com}}

Contrary to expectations, in 2016 they emerged among the favourites, managed to prevail in the promotion contest and under manager Varlam Kilasonia won the league. However, due to the season being transitional to the spring-autumn system, no team was promoted.{{cite web |title=პირველი ლიგა ოთხმა კლუბმა გაინაღდა |url=https://www.mysports.ge/ka/post/view/16520 |website=mysports.ge (in Georgian), 25 November 2016}}

Despite a poor start in 2017, the club drastically improved and after a ten-match winning run claimed the first place with automatic promotion to the first tier.{{cite web |title=ეროვნული ლიგა 2-ის 2017 წლის სეზონი დასრულდა|url=https://fanebi.com/erovnuli-liga-2-is-2017-tslis-sezoni-dasrulda/ |website=fanebi.com (in Georgian) |date=25 November 2017}}

Rustavi signed some experienced players such as Nukri Revishvili, Mamuka Kobakhidze and Otar Martsvaladze and in the very first game in the Erovnuli Liga obtained three points at Dinamo Tbilisi. But frequent changes of the squad throughout the season did not contribute to stable results and finally the team finished in the 7th place.{{cite web |title=Erovnuli Liga in 2018 |url=https://www.flashscore.com/football/georgia/crystalbet-erovnuli-liga-2018/ |website=flashscore.com}}

The club was struggling for most of the regular season in 2019. Eventually, Rustavi could have remained in the league in case of a play-off victory over Telavi, but they were defeated in both games.{{cite web |title=თელავმა" "რუსთავი" დაამარცხა და ეროვნულ ლიგაში დაწინაურდა |url=https://1tv.ge/news/telavma-rustavi-daamarckha-da-erovnul-ligashi-dawinaurda/|website=1tv.ge (in Georgian) |date=11 December 2017}}

Back in Liga 2, the next season Rustavi joined the promotion battle and remained in a play-off range until the last game. However, the results of the final matchday turned out unfavourable. Yet, in this season Rustavi recorded their biggest win 10–0.{{cite web |title=ეროვნული ლიგა 2. "რუსთავმა" 10:0 მოიგო |url=https://sportall.ge/fekhburthi/fekhburthii/erovnuli-liga/144505-erovnuli-liga-2-qrusthavmaq-100-moigo.html |website=sportall.ge (in Georgian) |date=29 November 2020}}

Starting from 2021, the club took part in two relegation battles. Initially, Rustavi prevailed over Kolkheti 1913 due to away goals, but in the next season they lost both matches to Kolkheti Khobi, which resulted in their relegation to the third division.{{cite web |title=ეროვნულ ლიგა 2-ში ხობის "კოლხეთი" და "ვიტ ჯორჯია" ითამაშებენ |url=https://1tv.ge/news/erovnul-liga-2-shi-khobis-kolkheti-da-vit-jorjia-itamasheben-1tvsport/ |website=1tv.ge (in Georgian), 10 December 2022}}

During the 2023 season, Rustavi were battling for an automatic promotion spot. Although the team suffered a 7–4 aggregate defeat from Locomotive in play-offs, ultimately they were admitted back to the 2nd division after Shukura's disqualification by the Federation.{{cite web |title="შუქურა" ლიგა 4-ში დაქვეთდა, ლიგა 2-ში კი "რუსთავი" ითამაშებს - ეროვნულმა ლიგამ ლიცენზირების შედეგები გამოაქვეყნა #1TVSPORT "შუქურა" ლიგა 4-ში დაქვეთდა, ლიგა 2-ში კი "რუსთავი" ითამაშებს |url=https://1tv.ge/news/shuqura-liga-4-shi-daqvetda-liga-2-shi-ki-rustavi-itamashebs-erovnulma-ligam-licenzirebis-shedegebi-gamoaqveyna-1tvsport/ |website=1tv.ge (in Georgian) |access-date=11 January 2024}}

Rustavi have twice reached the quarterfinal stage of this competition.

As a lower league side, they came close to reaching the semifinals during the game against Dinamo Tbilisi in 2017. After a goalless draw in regular and extra times, the winner of the quarterfinal was determined on penalties.{{cite web |title=რუსთავი-დინამო (თბ) 0:0 (პენ. 0:3) - რევიშვილის საოცრებანი|url=https://sportall.ge/fekhburthi/fekhburthii/thasi/109141-rusthavi-dinamo-thb-00-pen-03-revishvilis-saocrebani-video.html |website=sportall.ge |date=14 September 2017}}

The same scenario unfolded two years later when Rustavi's Cup campaign was stopped by Torpedo Kutaisi.{{cite web |title=ქუთაისის "ტორპედო" დავით ყიფიანის სახელობის თასის ნახევარფინალშია|url=https://megatv.ge/ქუთაისის-ტორპედო-დავით-ყ/ |website=megatv.ge (in Georgian) |date=25 September 2019}}

{{Notelist}}

As of 10 March 2025{{cite web |title=Rustavi players |url=https://erovnuliliga.ge/ge/club/rustavi/squad |website=eliga.ge}}

{{Fs start}}

{{Fs player|no=1|nat=GEO|pos=GK|name=Soso Kardava}}

{{Fs player|no=2|nat=GEO|pos=DF|name=Roman Chachua}}

{{Fs player|no=3|nat=GEO|pos=DF|name=Vazha Patsatsia}}

{{Fs player|no=6|nat=GEO|pos=MF|name=Zaur Sichinava}}

{{Fs player|no=7|nat=GEO|pos=DF|name=Levan Tsotsonava}}

{{Fs player|no=8|nat=GEO|pos=MF|name=Kakhaber Kakashvili}}

{{Fs player|no=9|nat=GEO|pos=FW|name=Mamia Gavashelishvili}}

{{Fs player|no=10|nat=GEO|pos=MF|name=Davit Samurkasovi}}

{{Fs player|no=11|nat=GHA|pos=MF|name=Solomon Kessi}}

{{Fs player|no=13|nat=GEO|pos=DF|name=Avtandil Gujabidze}}

{{Fs player|no=14|nat=GEO|pos=DF|name=Giorgi Jalagonia}}

{{Fs mid}}

{{Fs player|no=17|nat=GHA|pos=MF|name=Billy Jibril}}

{{Fs player|no=18|nat=GEO|pos=MF|name=Nika Japaridze}}

{{Fs player|no=19|nat=GEO|pos=FW|name=Levan Kutalia}}

{{Fs player|no=20|nat=UKR|pos=MF|name=Dmytro Dobranski}}

{{Fs player|no=22|nat=JAP|pos=MF|name=Yuta Nakano}}

{{Fs player|no=24|nat=GEO|pos=MF|name=Roin Odishelidze}}

{{Fs player|no=25|nat=GEO|pos=GK|name=Nikoloz Ramishvili}}

{{Fs player|no=27|nat=GEO|pos=DF|name=Mamuka Kapanadze}}

{{Fs player|no=28|nat=GEO|pos=FW|name=Tornike Guliashvili}}

{{Fs player|no=29|nat=GEO|pos=GK|name=Levan Shovnadze}}

{{Fs player|no=37|nat=GEO|pos=GK|name=Luka Jojua}}

{{Fs player|no=40|nat=GEO|pos=DF|name=Davit Ubilava}}

{{Fs end}}

• Pirveli Liga/Erovnuli Liga 2
• Champions (1): 2016 (Group White), 2017
• Runners-up (1): 2024

• Giorgi Mamardashvili
• Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Rustavi also have a reserve team, which participates in Group A of Regionuli Liga.{{cite web |title=2024 Regional league |url=https://gff.ge/ge/championships/group/group-a|website=gff.ge}} Their home ground is the Poladi stadium.

{{Reflist}}

• [https://int.soccerway.com/teams/georgia/rustavi-rustavi/34920/ FC Rustavi] at Soccerway
• [https://flashscore.ge/team/fc-rustavi/G4t5rQ29/results/ FC Rustavi Results] at Flashscore
• {{facebook|FCRustavii}}

{{Erovnuli Liga 2 teamlist}}

{{Umaglesi Liga}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rustavi}}

Category:Football clubs in Georgia (country)

Category:Association football clubs established in 2015

Category:2015 establishments in Georgia (country)