FC Karabakh, A Soccer Team Worth Knowing

Storyline: At the Europa League this week FC Karabakh of Azerbaijan will play Sweden’s Gothenburg. It’s an unusual international match, but that’s only half of the story. Written by Ramil Iskandarli, Azerbaijan

On Thursday of this week an Azerbaijani soccer club, FC Karabakh, will play Swedish Gothenburg at the Europa League. It’s a notable game, not only because Azerbaijanian teams don’t often qualify for these matches, but because of FC Karabakh’s unique status in the soccer world.

It’s the only soccer club considered to be a refugee team in exile.

Courtesy: azerbaycan24.com

Here’s the background. The Aghdam region of Azerbaijan was occupied by Armenian armed forces during the war over the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijanduring between Azerbaijan and Armenia. In 1993 a ceasefire agreement was signed between the sides of the conflict. The UN Security Council adopted four resolutions in 1993 about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, demanding withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from all occupied territories of Azerbaijan, including the Aghdam region.

But those resolutions were never implemented by Armenia. As a result, FC Karabakh football team lost its native Imaret Stadium in Aghdam. The stadium was destroyed along with the all buildings and houses in Aghdam.

FC Karabakh is currently settled in Baku and plays its games at different stadiums in the city. Some years ago the club attempted to play in one of the rare, non-occupied villages of Aghdam, but after violations of the ceasefire by Armenian military forces, FC Karabahh club left the village for security reasons.

I wish great success to this refugee team in exile! I hope that, one day, FC Karabakh will return to its native city and play in front of its people.