FC Arsenal Kyiv

Soviet club

Created on July 14, 1925, as a multi-sports club of the Arsenal Factory in Kiev, before World War II the club played mostly in regional competitions or amateur competitions for factory workers. In 1936 Arsenal Kiev took part in the Soviet Cup in football where it was eliminated after the first round of competition after a replay.

After World War II the club played in the Ukrainian Soviet competitions under the name of FC Mashynobudivnyk Kiev (the SC Arsenal Kyiv also used to have a hockey team, HC Zenit Kiev). In 1958 Mashynobudivnyk won the competitions and was accepted to the Soviet Class B under the name of FC Arsenal Kiev. In 1959–1964 the club played in the Soviet Class B. During its last season in 1964 the club was renamed into FC Temp Kiev. After the season Arsenal was dissolved, while its players became part of Dynamo Kyiv.

In 1958 they won the Ukrainian SSR Championship under that name and were accepted to the Soviet Class B under the name of FC Arsenal Kiev. In 1959–1964 the club played continuously in the Soviet Class B. During its last season in 1964 the club was renamed into FC Temp Kiev. After the season, in 1964, Arsenal was dissolved, while its players became part of Dynamo Kyiv, the club was replaced by Dynamo-2 Kyiv in the Soviet Second League and ceased to exist.

Contemporary club origin

The origin of the contemporary Arsenal club is disputed; some consider it to be part of the CSKA Kyiv heritage, others – of FC Boryspil. In 1994 CSKA merged with FC Boryspil under the name CSKA-Borysfen Boryspil (soon thereafter – CSKA-Borysfen Kyiv). After a series of successful seasons FC Boryspil made its way from the Ukrainian Third League to the Ukrainian First League before the merge, while CSKA prior to that was relegated in two seasons from the Ukrainian First League to the Ukrainian Third League. The original CSKA team became a farm team (CSKA-2) of the merged CSKA-Borysfen. The newly merged team advanced to the top flight (from the First League to the Higher League) in one season. Since the 1995–96 season, the club has continuously competed in the top flight.

In 1996 CSKA-Borysfen went through another transformation when it split into two different clubs: CSKA Kyiv and Borysfen Boryspil. The management of CSKA-Borysfen decided to recreate a club in Boryspil, while CSKA was reorganized by the Ministry of Defense as the first team of CSKA. Simultaneously, the actual CSKA that was competing at the lower division won a promotion and was later reorganized as the second team, CSKA-2. Borysfen after competing at the amateur level of the Kyiv Oblast applied to enter the professional competitions and gained entry to the lower divisions of the championship.

The army-men also managed to appear in the domestic cup's finals twice (1998 and 2001), where they lost both times: first against city-rivals Dynamo Kyiv and then against Shakhtar Donetsk. The club's greatest achievements include a successful UEFA Cup run in the season of 2001–02, defeating the now defunct Finnish side Jokerit and Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade.

New epoch

In 2001-2007 FC Arsenal that originally was created as the Kiev's city team was funded by the Kiev City Administration until the dismissal of Oleksandr Omelchenko, after that the club was passed around through several private owners until it became bankrupt completely. Under the Omelchenko's guardianship Arsenal played at the main national football venue (today Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex) without any concerns, yet later it was "kicked out" of the capital and for sometime was forced to play in Boryspil or rent the Dynamo's home venues. Omelchenko who was a political opponent of Surkis brothers (Hryhoriy Surkis and Ihor Surkis) insisted that Dynamo should be playing at its home venue Lobanovsky Dynamo Stadium.

Its European competition season in 2001-02, the club played under the brand of CSKA while de facto for the whole year was known as Arsenal.

In 2013 after selling of the club by Rabinovich to Onyshchenko, there started a promotional campaign for revival of historical heritage of another Sports Club Arsenal Kyiv that used to exist at the Kiev Arsenal Factory trying to connect the old sports club of 1925 with the newly created club of 2001.

Establishment of Arsenal Kyiv

After the 2000 financial crisis at CSKA, the club, as a state company of the Sports Committee of Ministry of Defense, had its budget cut and was on the brink of being dissolved. The Kyiv city government on the initiative of Oleksandr Omelchenko bought the club in 2001 reorganizing it under the name of 'Arsenal', grandfathering everything from CSKA Kyiv. The First League second team CSKA-2 Kyiv continued to be affiliated with the Ministry of Defense and once again became the primary team of the Army football club, FC CSKA Kyiv.

While under the city government's ownership, Arsenal struggled financially, resorting to loaning many of its first team's squad players. The city had decreased funding to the club significantly as it sought to reduce its numerous sports holdings. In May 2007, it was announced that the club would be demoted due to financial issues, however soon afterwards it was revealed that Arsenal would be purchased by Ukrainian oligarch, Vadim Rabinovich. The new owner started actively financing the club and its transfers. In January 2009 the Mayor of Kiev Leonid Chernovetskyi bought Arsenal Kyiv for 1 hryvnia from Rabynovich; Chernovetskiy's 30-year-old son Stepan became the club's president. The following year Rabynovich bought the club back due to the poor management.

Bankruptcy

In January 2013 the owner Rabynovych stated that the club could be liquidated. During the next month it was announced that Ukrainian oligarch Oleksandr Onyshchenko was ready to finance the club and claimed that he had paid all the debts. He also accused the previous leadership of the club of not passing the documents for signing the agreements on the transfer of corporate rights to the club. On 29 August, Rabynovych stated that he had resigned from the post of club president. The next day Onyschenko stated that due to the (then) present situation he could decide not to help the club. On 24 October Onyschenko stated that he had stopped financing Arsenal. The next day Arsenal failed to appear for a 2013–14 Ukrainian Premier League match against SC Tavriya Simferopol. On 28 October 2013 it again failed to appear for a 2013–14 Ukrainian Cup match against FC Nyva Ternopil. The next day general director Viktor Holovko announced that the club was filing for bankruptcy and withdrawing from competitions as it was unable to find any sponsors.

On 15 November 2013 FC Shakhtar Donetsk Chairman Rinat Akhmetov announced that after financial help from the other teams in the league; the Arsenal squad would be able to complete its 2013–14 (Ukrainian Premier League) season. But the next day Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk refused to (re)play the (16th round) match Arsenal had earlier failed to appear for (due to its bankruptcy). As a result, 29 October 2013 was the date the club lost its professional status.

Reorganization in 2014

The Arsenal team that was re-founded in 2001 went bankrupt in late 2013, but the club was soon reformed and currently plays as an amateur team in the Kiev City League competition.

In January 2014 an initiative group of former club players and fans with the help of Kiev businessman and rally driver Oleksiy Kikireshko re-established the club as FC Arsenal-Kyiv.

After its last game of the 2014 Kiev city championship on November 9, 2014, which was won by FC Arsenal-Kyiv, the club's president Kikireshko announced that the club submitted a preliminary application on participation in the Ukrainian Second League for the 2015–16 Ukrainian Second League season. and it was accepted. the Ukrainian Second League.

The club appointed Andriy Annenkov in February 2014 but resigned after an unsuccessful start to a new season on 8 August 2015.

Supporters and Rivalries

Arsenal supporters are very strongly tied to the anti-fascist movement and in the majority hold strong left-wing views. They maintain friendly relations with Partizan Minsk and SV Babelsberg who have similar political beliefs. Their archrivals are the majority nationalist and right-wing Dynamo Kiev, with whom they contest the Kiev derby. They also have a rivalry with the other Kiev team, CSCA Kiev, not only along political lines but also due to the controversial intertwining of the two club's histories. Other fierce rivals are Karpaty Lviv and Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk.

Presidents

Current squad

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

Out on loan

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

Honours

European competitions

Arsenal Kyiv appeared in the European competitions for the first time as CSKA Kyiv in 1998 (1998–99 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup) in away game against the Irish Cork City F.C. which CSKA lost 1-2. The first two qualifications to European competitions were achieved by reaching the final of Ukrainian Cup in 1998 and 2001. During that time Arsenal Kyiv was known as CSKA Kyiv.

The first appearance in the European competitions under Arsenal brand the club made in 2012.

CSKA Kyiv

Arsenal Kyiv

Managers