FC Matchakhela (Georgian: საფეხბურთო კლუბი მაჭახელა) is a Georgianfootball club based in the town of Khelvachauri, Adjara. Following the 2025 season, they were relegated to Regionuli Liga, the fifth tier of Georgian football.

History

Matchakhela were founded оn the basis of Khelvachauri's Sport School on 15 June 2011. After the first season under manager Nugzar Kokoladze, the team mostly consisting of local amateur footballers took 4th place in Meore Liga. The next head coach, Amiran Gogitidze, guided the club to the top of the league, which they won with automatic promotion in 2013.[1]

On 28 February 2014, the sport school club changed its status into Football Club Matchakhela Ltd.[2]

During most of the 2013–14 season, Matchakhela were engaged in inter-Adjarian rivalry with Dinamo Batumi for a second promotion place to Umaglesi Liga, in which eventually the latter prevailed. Overall, the 3rd place taken in 2014 in Liga 2 has been the club's highest point reached in Georgian leagues.[3]

The team finished the 2014–15 season comfortably in mid-table, but a year later entered a period of instability. Struggling the whole season, they eventually lost a battle for survival.

The 2016 season was transitional in all Georgian football leagues into Spring-Autumn system with a sharp reduction of clubs in each division. Matchakhela failed to remain in the third tier and thus suffered double relegation in successive seasons. Although they managed to climb back to Liga 3 the next year,[4] in 2018 the team finished bottom of the league.[5]

Matchakhela spent two seasons in Regionuli Liga before they won promotion to recently formed Liga 4 for 2021. After two more years, they successfully concluded their league campaign under Avtandil Kunchulia and moved back into the third tier.[6] In 2023, the team ended up in the drop zone, but due to the demotion of another club to Liga 4, Matchakhela managed to retain their place in the third division.[7]

Following the next two seasons, the club once again changed divisions after suffering back-to-back relegations.

Seasons

SeasonLeaguePosMPWDLGF–GAPts
2012–13Meore Liga West1st of 13↑24202274-1162
2013–14Pirveli Liga Group B3rd of 1426166444-2154
2014–15Pirveli Liga Group A6th of 10361431948-6645
2015–16Pirveli Liga16th of 18↓348131330-4337
2016Liga 3 Group B5th of 8↓1471625-2322
2017Regionuli Liga West A2nd of 15↑2895463-2362
2018Liga 320th of 20↓385132035-6328
2019Regionuli Liga West8th of 1018621030-4020
2020Regionuli Liga West B2nd of 6↑1080228-1624
2021Liga 4 White Group7th of 1018611135-4119
Relegation Round5th of 101893645-2430
2022Liga 43rd of 16↑30204660-2664
2023Liga 314th of 1630822038-8126
2024Liga 315th of 16↓30661930-8624
2025Liga 416th of 16↓3001298-1681

Squad

As of 13 March 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.Nation Player
1 GK GEORobert Imerlishvili
4 DF GEOLasha Kakhidze
5 DF GEOGiga Darchidze
7 MF GEORamaz Kveseishvili(C)
8 DF GEOVasiko Kunchulia
9 FW GEOVano Tsilosani
10 FW GEONika Kvantaliani
11 FW GEOErekle Malazonia
13 GK GEOBachuki Varshanidze
No.Pos.Nation Player
14 MF GEOAmiran Aladashvili
18 MF Ikena Uzowuru
19 MF GEOAnri Zakarashvili
22 MF GEODavit Nakashidze
23 DF GEOIrakli Kromlidi
25 FW GEOBeka Chkuaseli
26 MF GEOMishiko Zakaradze
30 GK GEOLuka Ninidze

Honours

• Pirveli Liga (level 2)

Third place (1): 2013–14, Group B

• Meore Liga (level 3)

Winners (1): 2012–13

• Liga 4 (level 4)

Third place (1): 2022

• Regionuli Liga (level 5)*

Runners-up (2): 2017, 2020 (West)

Note: Regionuli Liga was fourth tier up until 2018

Stadium

Matchakhela play their home matches at Akhalsopeli Central stadium, which has the capacity of 1,000 seats.

Name

The name derives from Machakheli, a geographical area near the border between Georgia and Turkey.

References

On Soccerway

FC Matchakhela Khelvachauri Results on Flashscore

Page on Facebook