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.
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Full name | BFA Sporting | ||
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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 | ||
2022–23 | Lebanese Second Division, 4th of 12 | ||
Website | Club website | ||
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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. Archived from the original on 13 June 2024. 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. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. 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. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
- ^ a b "بالصور.. سبورتينج والحكمة يتأهلان لدوري الدرجة الأولى". كووورة. 16 April 2021. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
- ^ Hijazi, Alloffs (12 April 2021). "سبورتينغ في دوري الاضواء للمرة الأولى في تاريخه". El Maestro Sport (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ "الصفاء والحكمة أم المعارك في نهاية الدوري". كووورة. 4 May 2022. Archived from the original on 13 June 2024. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
- ^ بيان اعلامي صادر عن ادارة نادي سبورتينغ الرياضي (in Arabic). BFA Sporting. 27 June 2023. Archived from the original on 5 August 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023 – via Facebook.
- ^ "Players". AC Sporting. Retrieved 19 March 2022.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Sporting AC". Global Sports Archive. Archived from the original on 13 June 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2022.