FC Rustavi

FC Rustavi operates as a professional football club in Georgia, rooted in the industrial city of Rustavi. The organization launched in 2015 to succeed the legacy of FC Metalurgi Rustavi, which ceased operations in 2013 after winning the top division twice. While the original club dominated the early 2000s, this newer entity entered the lower tiers and worked its way up through the pyramid.

The team secured promotion to the Crystalbet Erovnuli Liga following the 2025 season, becoming one of the youngest participants in the country's top flight. By the 2026 campaign, they competed against established sides like Dinamo Tbilisi and Torpedo Kutaisi. Their squad features an average age of 24.7 years with nine foreign nationals among the twenty-four registered players. [edit]

The current FC Rustavi was founded in 2015 to fill the void left by the dissolution of FC Metalurgi Rustavi. The predecessor club, established in 1948, won the Georgian top division in 2002 and 2003 before folding in 2013 due to financial difficulties. The new club began its journey in the lower divisions, playing in Liga 3 and Erovnuli Liga 2 for several seasons.

Progress accelerated in recent years as the team built a competitive roster. After finishing strongly in the second tier during the 2025 season, the club earned promotion to the top flight. This achievement allowed them to compete in the Crystalbet Erovnuli Liga starting in 2026. Matches at the GFF Technical Centre often draw support from local workers connected to the city's steel industry heritage. [edit]