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| Georgian Football Federation | |
|---|---|
| Name | Georgian Football Federation |
| Founded | 1936; re-established 1990 |
| Fifa affiliation | 1992 |
| Uefa affiliation | 1992 |
| Headquarters | Tbilisi |
| President | Levan Kobiashvili |
Georgian Football Federation is the governing body for association football in Georgia, overseeing Georgia national football team, domestic leagues, development programmes and national cup competitions. The body coordinates with international institutions such as FIFA, UEFA, and regional confederations to manage participation in tournaments including the FIFA World Cup, UEFA European Championship, and youth competitions. It works with clubs, referees, coaches, and academies to promote football across regions such as Tbilisi, Batumi, and Kutaisi.
The organisation traces roots to Soviet-era structures including the Soviet Top League and regional associations in Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic before reconstitution after the breakup of the Soviet Union. In 1991–1992 the federation secured recognition from FIFA and UEFA, enabling independent entry to qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship. Prominent Georgian players such as Kakhi Asatiani, Georgi Kinkladze, Temuri Ketsbaia, Mikheil Ashvetia, Shota Arveladze, and Giorgi Loria emerged during transitional decades, influencing the federation’s strategic focus on youth development and club licensing aligned with UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations. Political events in the 1990s, including tensions following the Rose Revolution, affected domestic competition stability and prompted governance reforms tied to international standards promoted by FIFA's Governance Regulations.
The federation’s governance includes an executive committee, a president, and technical departments overseeing competitions, refereeing, and youth development. Current leadership includes figures with backgrounds in professional clubs like Dinamo Tbilisi and international careers tied to Bundesliga and Premier League alumni. Committees liaise with national institutions such as the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs (Georgia) and regional federations in provinces including Adjara and Imereti. The organisation operates licensing and disciplinary panels influenced by UEFA statutes and collaborates with referee bodies from associations like the English Football Association and German Football Association for exchange programs.
The federation administers the senior Georgia national football team, as well as youth sides: Georgia national under-21 football team, Georgia national under-19 football team, and Georgia national under-17 football team. Women's football is represented by the Georgia women's national football team and youth equivalents. Teams compete in tournaments including the UEFA Nations League, UEFA European Under-21 Championship, UEFA European Under-19 Championship, and qualification stages for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. Notable national team fixtures have included matches against Spain national football team, Italy national football team, England national football team, and regional rivals such as Armenia national football team and Azerbaijan national football team.
Domestic structure is headlined by the top-tier league Erovnuli Liga (formerly Umaglesi Liga), second-tier Erovnuli Liga 2, and lower divisions including the Liga 3 and regional leagues. Cup competitions include the Georgian Cup and the Georgian Super Cup, providing qualification routes to UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League for clubs like FC Dinamo Tbilisi, FC Torpedo Kutaisi, FC Saburtalo Tbilisi, and FC Dinamo Batumi. The federation implements club licensing, stadium certification and youth quota measures inspired by UEFA Youth League frameworks to raise competitiveness in continental tournaments such as the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.
Youth academies and regional centres collaborate with the federation’s development department to run coaching courses, talent identification and school programmes. Partnerships have been formed with clubs and academies including FC Dinamo Tbilisi Academy, foreign development projects tied to UEFA HatTrick Programme, and club exchanges with academies in France, Spain, and Germany. Coach education follows curricula aligned with UEFA Coaching Convention and includes licensing pathways from grassroots to professional levels. Initiatives target expansion in municipalities such as Zugdidi, Gori, and Rustavi to broaden participation among boys and girls and to foster pathways into national youth teams and professional clubs.
Stadiums and training centres under federation oversight include venues in Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena in Tbilisi, the Central Stadium (Kutaisi), and facilities serving clubs in Batumi and Zestafoni. Investment programmes leverage UEFA and FIFA development funds for pitch renovation, artificial turf projects, and construction of youth academies. Infrastructure planning addresses matchday standards, floodlighting, seating capacity and broadcasting requirements to meet UEFA competition criteria and to attract international friendlies against teams from Russia national football team, Turkey national football team, and Poland national football team.
The federation has faced scrutiny over refereeing controversies in high-profile derbies involving FC Dinamo Tbilisi and FC Torpedo Kutaisi, disciplinary disputes, and questions about transparency in club licensing and financial oversight. Governance reforms were accelerated after criticism related to appointment processes and alleged conflicts involving former officials with ties to political figures from periods around the Rose Revolution. International bodies including FIFA and UEFA have periodically recommended compliance measures, anti-corruption training, and external audits to align the federation with best practices in administration and competition integrity.
Category:Football in Georgia (country) Category:Sports governing bodies in Georgia (country)