Abkhazia national football team

Abkhazia

Association	Football Federation of Abkhazia
Confederation	ConIFA
Head coach	Beslan Gubliya
Top scorer	Ruslan Shoniya (8)
Home stadium	Republican Stadium, Sukhumi
FIFA code	ABK
First colours Second colours
First international
Abkhazia 1–1 Nagorno-Karabakh   (Sukhumi, Abkhazia; 25 September 2012)
Biggest win
Abkhazia 9–0 Chagos Islands   (Sukhumi, Abkhazia; 29 May 2016)
Biggest defeat
Nagorno-Karabakh 3–0 Abkhazia   (Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh; 21 October 2012)
CONIFA World Football Cup
Appearances	3 (first in 2014 )
Best result	Champions, 2016
CONIFA European Football Cup
Appearances	2 (first in 2015 )
Best result	3rd place, 2019

The Abkhazia national football team is the team representing the partially recognised state of Abkhazia. They are not affiliated with FIFA or UEFA, and therefore cannot compete for the FIFA World Cup or the UEFA European Championship.

They competed at the first ConIFA World Football Cup in 2014, finishing 8th overall, ^[1] and they hosted and won the second edition in 2016.

History

On the eastern coast of Black Sea where the Caucasus mountains meet is Abkhazia. It is sandwiched between Russia and Georgia. It is currently an independent state which declared sovereignty in 1990 and is only recognized by Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and some other unrecognized nations. They were first registered in 2008 by Russia. However, Georgia still declares that Abkhazia is part of Georgia. ^{[1] [2]}

Football

Football is a major sport in Abkhazia and FC Dinamo Sukhumi, a former Soviet second division league team is in the forefront. All Abkhaz football teams closed shop after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. ^[2] The first Abkhazian Premier League was founded in 1994 with 15 teams and Dynamo Sukhumi won the inaugural title. Another club, Nart Sukhumi, started in 1997, is dominating in the recent times in the domestic circuit with 12 league titles and 9 domestic cups. Former Russian lower league player Juma Kvaratskhelia was heading the Football Federation of Abkhazia in 2012. Later, Ruslan Adzhindzhal, who was the president, resigned in January 2017 and Kvaratskhelia was re elected in 2017. ^[3] He also served as chief coach from 2012 to 2017. ^[2]

After a revival in 2012, Abkhazia competed internationally under the umbrella of the CONIFA. The team made their debut in the CONIFA World Cup in 2014 and won the edition that they hosted in 2016. In 2018, they won a match against Tibet 3-0 in the World CONIFA Championship at London. ^[4] But later, the defending champions went out at the first stage. They drew 2-2 with Northern Cyprus in their final group game and made an exit after the group stage itself. ^[5]

In 2019, Abkhazia made their first appearance ever in the CONIFA European Cup, where they finished third. ^[6]

In 2023, Abkhazia was drawn in the 2024 CONIFA World Cup Qualification Group D with Artskah. ^[7] The match was originally to be played on the 10th of July. However, the match was postponed.

International record

At CONIFA World Football Cup

Year	Position	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA
2014	8th	5	1	3	1	6	6
2016	1st	5	4	1	0	15	1
2018	9th	6	4	1	1	15	4
2024	cancelled
Total		16	9	5	2	36	11

At CONIFA European Football Cup

Year	Position	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA
2015	did not enter
2017	4th	5	1	3	1	5	6
2019	3rd	5	2	3	0	6	3
2021	Cancelled
2023	Cancelled
Total		10	3	6	1	11	9

Results and fixtures

Main article: Abkhazia national football team results (2020–present)

For results before 2020, see Abkhazia national football team results (2012–2019).

2020

Abkhazia   v   Donetsk PR

25 September 2020 (2020-09-25) Friendly	Abkhazia	0–0	Donetsk PR	Sukhumi, Abkhazia
--:--  UTC+4		Report		Stadium: Dinamo Stadium
Note: Match Abandoned at half-time due to floodlight failure.

2021

Abkhazia   v PFC Sochi

11 July 2021 (2021-07-11) Friendly	Abkhazia	1–0	PFC Sochi	Sukhumi, Abkhazia
--:--  UTC+4	Kvitsinia 54'			Stadium: Dinamo Stadium Attendance: 2,000

2022

Abkhazia   v Adygea

16 November 2022 (2022-11-16) Friendly	Abkhazia	1–1	Adygea	Sukhumi, Abkhazia
--:--  UTC+4	Kvitsinia 42'	Report	Delok 45'	Stadium: Dinamo Stadium

Abkhazia   v   Kabardino-Balkaria

23 November 2022 (2022-11-23) Friendly	Abkhazia	2–4	Kabardino-Balkaria	Sukhumi, Abkhazia
17:00  UTC+4	Pimpiia 10' Kvitsinia 82'		Bazhev 32' Bekboev B 51' Khutov 65' Abazhev 80'	Stadium: Dinamo Stadium

Current squad

The following 23 players were called up to the squad for the 2019 CONIFA European Football Cup.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1 GK	Ilia Sherba	(1987-08-25) 25 August 1987 (age 37)	0	0	Gagra
2	2 DF	Georgi Zhanaa	(1995-01-28) 28 January 1995 (age 30)	15	0	Nart Sukhum
3	2 DF	Astamur Tsishba	(1988-02-23) 23 February 1988 (age 37)	13	1	Gagra
4	3 MF	Danil Chirikba	(1998-05-12) 12 May 1998 (age 27)	0	0	New Athos
5	3 MF	Tarash Khagba	(1991-01-14) 14 January 1991 (age 34)	18	3	Dinamo Sukhum
6	3 MF	Akaki Zvanba	(1992-10-28) 28 October 1992 (age 32)	1	0	New Athos
7	3 MF	Alan Khugaev	(1991-08-31) 31 August 1991 (age 33)	13	0	Spartak Vladikavkaz
8	3 MF	Shabat Logua	(1995-03-22) 22 March 1995 (age 30)	18	3	OFK Bačka
9	2 DF	Lev Tarba	(1999-12-02) 2 December 1999 (age 25)	0	0	Nart Sukhum
10	4 FW	Dmitri Maskayev	(1987-12-27) 27 December 1987 (age 37)	4	1	Torpedo Moscow
11	4 FW	Ramin Bartsits	(1990-01-26) 26 January 1990 (age 35)	0	0	Gagra
12	1 GK	Inal Katsuba	(1995-09-21) 21 September 1995 (age 29)	8	0	Nart Sukhum
13	3 MF	Roman Zikrach	(1998-01-18) 18 January 1998 (age 27)	0	0	FC Kairat
14	3 MF	Viktor Pimpiia	(1998-12-15) 15 December 1998 (age 26)	4	1	Ritsa
15	4 FW	Danilo Ardzinba	(1999-05-27) 27 May 1999 (age 26)	0	0	FC Strogino Moscow
16	3 MF	Daur Chanba	(2000-07-07) 7 July 2000 (age 24)	0	0	OFK Bačka
17	2 DF	Lev Baburin	(1997-07-11) 11 July 1997 (age 27)	0	0	Baltica-M
18	3 MF	Giga Benidze	(1998-09-18) 18 September 1998 (age 26)	0	0	Dinamo Sukhum
19	3 MF	Gudisa Smyr	(2000-03-06) 6 March 2000 (age 25)	0	0	FC Druzhba Maykop
20	3 MF	Timur Agrba	(1999-12-01) 1 December 1999 (age 25)	0	0	Nart Sukhum

Top goalscorers

Only matches at CONIFA tournaments are counted.

#	Player	Goals
1	Ruslan Shoniya	8
2	Dmitri Kortava	6
3	Shabat Logua	5
4	Ruslan Akhveldiani	4
5	Vladimir Argun	3
	Dmitri Maskayev	3
	Astamur Tarba	3
	Amal Vardania	3

Managers

Manager	Period	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Win %
Jemal Gubaz	2007–2008	2	0	2	0	000.0
Juma Kvaratskhelia	2012–2017	28	12	12	4	042.9
Beslan Ajinjal	2017–2019	12	7	4	1	058.3
Beslan Gubliya	2020–	4	1	2	1	025.0
Totals		46	20	20	6	43.47

Honours

Non-FIFA competitions

• CONIFA World Football Cup
  • Champions (1): 2016
• CONIFA European Football Cup
  • Third place (1): 2019

See also

• Abkhazia national football team results (2012–2019)
• Abkhazia national football team results (2020–present)
• Abkhazia national football team results (unofficial matches)

References

1. conifa.org
2. "CONIFA World Cup 2020 profiles: Abkhazia". Young Pioneer Tours. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
3. "ДЖУМА КВАРАЦХЕЛИЯ ИЗБРАН ПРЕЗИДЕНТОМ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ ФУТБОЛА АБХАЗИИ". abkhazinform.com (in Russian). Retrieved 17 June 2025.
4. https://abkhazmoscow.com/en/news/news476
5. "5 of the Greatest Upsets in CONIFA Tournament History". SI. 2 June 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
6. "Road to glory revealed for CONIFA SPORTSBET.IO European Football Cup 2019". CONIFA. 25 May 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
7. "CONIFA Men's World Cup Qualifiers - Europe". CONIFA. 14 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2025.