BFA Sporting
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| Full name | BFA Sporting | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Short name | Sporting | ||
| Founded | 23 October 1963, as Al Jihad SC | ||
| Ground | Rafic Hariri Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 5,000 | ||
| Chairman | Joseph Bacha | ||
| Manager | Rami El-Ladki | ||
| League | Lebanese Second Division | ||
| 2023–24 | Lebanese Second Division, 8th of 12 | ||
| Website | https://sportingbeirut.com/ | ||
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BFA Sporting (Arabic: بي اف اي سبورتينغ), or simply Sporting, is a football club based in Beirut, Lebanon, that competes in the Lebanese Second Division. The club was founded in 1963, and first competed in the Lebanese football league system in 1997.
BFA Sporting first competed in the Lebanese Premier League in 2021, having won the 2020–21 Lebanese Second Division. In 2023, they entered into a partnership with Beirut Football Academy.
History
Al Jihad SC
On 23 October 1963, Al Jihad SC (Arabic: نادي الجهاد الرياضي), based in Hay El Sellom, a district in Beirut, was formally recognized as a non-profit sports and cultural organization.[1] They played their first official season in 1997, in the Lebanese Fifth Division,[1] which they won in 1999–2000.[2] In 2007–08 they won the Lebanese Third Division,[1] and were promoted to the Lebanese Second Division.[3]
Al Khoyol FC
On 2 September 2009, the club relocated to Ghobeiry, and changed their name to Al Khoyol FC (Arabic: نادي الخيول الرياضي).[4]
In 2009–10, Khoyol lost a decisive match for promotion to the Lebanese Premier League against Akhaa Ahli Aley.[5] The following season, in 2010–11, Khoyol lost to Ahli Saida in another decisive promotion match.[5] In both instances, Khoyol complained to the Lebanese Football Association (LFA) for supposed match fixing.[5]
In 2014, Khoyol were relegated to the Third Division.[1]
Sporting
On 24 April 2018, the club changed their name to AC Sporting (Arabic: نادي سبورتينغ الرياضي) and moved to Beirut:[6] they promptly gained promotion to the Lebanese Second Division in 2019, coming first in the Lebanese Third Division.[7] Sporting won the 2020–21 Lebanese Second Division,[8] and gained promotion to the Lebanese Premier League for the first time in their history.[9] After finishing in last place, Sporting were relegated back to the Second Division.[10]
On 26 June 2023, the club issued a statement announcing that it had been acquired by Australian-Lebanese businessman Joseph Bacha, owner of Telford Civil. They also entered into a partnership with Beirut Football Academy, and renamed the club into BFA Sporting (Arabic: بي اف اي سبورتينغ).[11]
Players
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Honours
See also
Notes
- ^ As Al Jihad SC
References
- ^ a b c d "Club History". AC Sporting. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- ^ a b Mahfoud, Maroun (13 April 2021). "Who is AC Sporting?". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
- ^ "Lebanon 2007/08". RSSSF. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- ^ "الجامعة اللبنانية | التشريعات | تعديل اسم جمعية "نادي الجهاد الرياضي"- حي السلم ليصبح جمعية: "نادي الخيول الرياضي"". www.legallaw.ul.edu.lb. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- ^ a b c "سبورتينغ في الدرجة الأولى.. من هو؟ وكيف وصل؟". lebanonfg.com. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
- ^ "الجامعة اللبنانية | التشريعات | تعديل اسم ونقل مركز جمعية « نادي الخيول الرياضي» - الغبيري ليصبح «نادي سبورتينغ الرياضي» - بيروت". www.legallaw.ul.edu.lb. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Lebanese League Third Division 2018/2019". www.goalzz.com. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
- ^ a b "بالصور.. سبورتينج والحكمة يتأهلان لدوري الدرجة الأولى". كووورة. 16 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
- ^ Hijazi, Alloffs (12 April 2021). "سبورتينغ في دوري الاضواء للمرة الأولى في تاريخه". El Maestro Sport (in Arabic). Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ "الصفاء والحكمة أم المعارك في نهاية الدوري". كووورة. 4 May 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
- ^ بيان اعلامي صادر عن ادارة نادي سبورتينغ الرياضي (in Arabic). BFA Sporting. 27 June 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023 – via Facebook.
- ^ "Players". AC Sporting. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
- ^ "Sporting AC". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 1 October 2022.