Home ground
Bank Respublika Arena
Masazır, Abşeron
8,969Capacity
Masazır · Azerbaijan
SabahFutbol Klubu
Qara-çəhrayılar · “The Black-Pinks”
- Champions 2025/26
- Double winners
Sabah play at Bank Respublika Arena, capacity 8,969, are coached by Valdas Dambrauskas and stand 2nd in the 2026/27 Misli Premyer Liqası on 20 points from 9 matches. Founded in 2017 in Masazır. 25 registered players.
Updated
2026/27 season
MİSLİ PREMYER LİQASILeague position
2nd
Played 9
Points
20
- 6 won
- 2 drawn
- 1 lost
Registered players
25
for 2026/27
Ground capacity
8,969
Seats
Recent form
- Won
- Drew
- Won
- Drew
- Lost
Most recent last
Head coach
Valdas Dambrauskas
Management
President Magsud Adigozalov
Squad
25
Registered players, 2026/27
Club colours
Black & pink
Last season2025/26
1st of 12
78 points, champions
Honours
1League title
2Azerbaijan Cups
1Domestic double
League: 2025-26
Cup: 2024-25, 2025-26
Squad 2026/27 — 25 players
Defenders 6
Midfielders 12
6
Abdulax XaybulaevAzerbaijan · 25
7
Umarali RaxmonaliyevUzbekistan · 23
8
Kristian NvaçukvuNigeria · 20
9
Xəyal ƏliyevAzerbaijan · 22
10
Aleksey İsayevAzerbaijan · 30
11
Kahim ParrisYamayka · 26
13
İvan LepiniçaCroatia · 27
16
Rauf RüstəmliAzerbaijan · 23
17
Tellur MütəllimovAzerbaijan · 31
21
Velko SimiçSerbia · 31
37
Eduardo Santos KeyrosBrazil · 26
88
Rodriqo FernandeşPortugal · 25
Forwards 5
Squad taken from the Professional Football League's registration list for this club. Shirt numbers can change during a transfer window.
History
Founded on 8 September 2017 — one of the youngest clubs in any European top flight. Sabah finished only fifth in the 2017-18 First Division and were awarded a Premier League licence in May 2018 because clubs above them failed the criteria. Eight years later they are champions of Azerbaijan.
The 2025/26 season was close to perfect: 24 wins from 33, 78 points, a league-low 25 goals conceded, the title sealed with four rounds to spare, and the Azerbaijan Cup retained for a first domestic double. Valdas Dambrauskas — previously of Ludogorets, Hajduk Split and Omonia — delivered it in his first full season, having arrived in June 2025 on a three-year deal.
In Europe
Sabah reached the Conference League qualifying rounds in 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 without going deep, eliminating RFS and Petrocub along the way and losing to Partizan, St Patrick's Athletic and Levski Sofia.
2026/27 is different: as champions they entered the Champions League for the first time in club history, beating Welsh champions The New Saints 4-1 on aggregate in the first qualifying round and taking a 1-0 lead over KuPS Kuopio into the second-leg trip to Finland.
Stories & legends
Promoted on a technicality, champions eight years later
Sabah only entered the top flight in 2018 because higher-placed clubs failed their licences. In 2025/26 they broke Qarabağ's twelve-year grip on Azerbaijani football and won the double.
Champions League football in a suburban ground
The Bank Respublika Arena in Masazır seats fewer than 9,000 — smaller than many English fourth-tier stadiums — and hosted a Champions League qualifier win over Welsh champions TNS in July 2026.
One stadium, two names
UEFA bans sponsor names, so the ground is Bank Respublika Arena in the league and “Alinja Stadium” on uefa.com — the same building under two names in the same week.
Fixtures & results
Including UEFA Champions League.
Next
Sabah
20:45
Slavia Praha
13 Oct
20:45 Baku timeChampions League, league phase, matchday 2Baku Olympic Stadium
Sabah
20:45
Borussia Dortmund
20 Oct
20:45 Baku timeChampions League, league phase, matchday 3Baku Olympic Stadium
Şamaxı
Sabah
21:45
Barcelona
25 Nov
21:45 Baku timeChampions League, league phase, matchday 5Baku Olympic Stadium
Recent
Qarabağ
İmİşlİ
Transfers
Veljko SimićAttacking midfield · Serbia
Free
Joined Sabahfrom Sivasspor · 2 Jun 2026
Tymoteusz PuchaczLeft-back · Poland
Loan
Joined Sabahfrom Holstein Kiel · Summer 2026
Leading scorers
2
Joy-Lance Mickels
Rwanda
4Goals
5
Orphé Mbina
Gabon
2Goals
5
Veljko Simić
Serbia
2Goals
Sabah news
Misli Premyer Liqasi action continues with two matches
İmişli faces Turan Tovuz in Yevlax, while Kəpəz takes on Zirə in Ganja during the latest round of the Misli Premyer Liqasi.
Dambrauskas praises talented youngster Khayal Aliyev
Sabah coach Valdas Dambrauskas hailed returning youngster Xəyal Əliyev as one of Azerbaijan's most talented players after their win against Qəbələ.
Sabah cruise to 4-0 away win against Qəbələ
Sabah secured a comfortable 4-0 away victory against Qəbələ in the Misli Premyer Liqasi, with goals from Abdulla Khaibullayev, Joy-Lance Mickels, and…
Away wins for Zirə and Araz-Naxçıvan reserves
Zirə-2 and Araz-Naxçıvan-2 secured away victories against Turan Tovuz-2 and Şamaxı-2 respectively on the opening day of the Reserves League's sixth…
Sabah goalkeeper named in Champions League team of the week
Sabah goalkeeper Stas Pokatilov has made the UEFA Champions League team of the week for the second round of the league phase after a 2-0 win against…
Match officials announced for Misli Premyer Liqasi matchday eight
The Professional Football League has named the referees for matchday eight of the Misli Premyer Liqasi, with Kamal Umudlu taking charge of the…
Official channels
Registered with UEFA as “Alinja Stadium” — sponsor names are not permitted in European competition
Frequently asked
Where does Sabah play?
Sabah play at Bank Respublika Arena in Masazır, Abşeron, capacity 8,969. Registered with UEFA as “Alinja Stadium” — sponsor names are not permitted in European competition
Who is the Sabah head coach?
Valdas Dambrauskas.
When were Sabah founded?
Sabah were founded in 2017 in Masazır, Abşeron district.
What has Sabah won?
League titles: 2025-26. Azerbaijan Cup: 2024-25, 2025-26.