Football in Azerbaijan | |
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![]() Khazar Lankaran fans during a football game. | |
Country | Azerbaijan |
Governing body | Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan |
National team(s) | Azerbaijan national football team Azerbaijan women's national football team |
International competitions | |
Champions League Europa League Europa Conference League Super Cup FIFA Club World Cup FIFA World Cup (national team) UEFA European Championship (national team) UEFA Nations League (national team) FIFA Women's World Cup (national team) UEFA Women's Championship (national team) |
Football is the third most popular sport in Azerbaijan, after Combat Sports and Chess. Azeri football is organized by the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan, or AFFA, which runs the national, professional football league, the AFFA Supreme League, the men's national football team, the women's national team and various youth levels.
The national teams take part in all competitions organised by FIFA and UEFA at both senior and youth levels. Neftchi Baku used to be one of the leading teams in the former top league in the Soviet Union, sometimes playing in European club competitions. Their most famous player arguably was Anatoly Banishevski, who was also a member of the Soviet team, that reached the semi-finals in the 1966 FIFA World Cup. Another Azerbaijani footballing legend is also part of football history: Tofiq Bahramov was the linesman who played a crucial role in the 1966 FIFA World Cup Final between England and West Germany. Their women's league has been more irregular, with only youth levels being run in several seasons.
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