Full name Lekhwiya Sports Club Ground Capacity 12,000 Manager Djamel Belmadi Founded 2009, Qatar | Nickname(s) The Red Knights Website Club home page Location Doha, Qatar Training ground Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium | |
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Chairman Sheikh Abdullah al Thani 2015–16 Qatar Stars League, 4th Arena/Stadium Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium Leagues Qatar Stars League, Qatar Emir Cup Profiles | ||
Lekhwiya Sports Club (Arabic: نادي لخويا الرياضي) is a Qatari sports club, best known for its football team, which plays in the Qatar Stars League. The club is based in the city of Doha and plays its home games at Lekhwiya Sports Stadium. It is the first team in Qatari football to win the first division title on its debut season.
Contents
History
The club was founded as Al-Shorta Doha and in 2009 was renamed to Lekhwiya. Lekhwiya club has the biggest financial budget in Qatar.
Upon the club's reformation, it was entered into the Qatari 2nd Division. It came fourth in the league on its first year before winning the next season in 2010.
In the club's first season in the Qatar Stars League, Lekhwiya finished at the top of the standings to win the 2010–11 Qatar Stars League. It was the first league title in the club's history. They also managed to reach the final of the 2010 Sheikh Jassem Cup, before losing in the final to Al-Arabi.
Their first official debut in a continental competition came on March 7, 2012 in the 2012 AFC Champions League. They won their first match against Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia, with Nam Tae-Hee scoring the only goal and also scoring the first ever goal for Lekhwiya in any regional competition.
In the 2011–12 Qatar Stars League season, Lekhwiya retained the league title with two games left to be played.
They inaugurated a new stadium, under the name of Lekhwiya Sports Stadium, on February 15, 2013 in a match against Al Khor and won their third league title in the first season at the new stadium.
Stadium
Lekhwiya's stadium began construction in 2011. The first phase was completed in May 2012. The stadium was officially inaugurated on February 15, 2013 with the first match taking place in the stadium being a Qatar Stars League fixture against Al Khor. The official seating capacity is 10,000 people, and the stadium is located in the ISF area of Doha.
Honours
10 Official championships.
Lekhwiya in Asia
AFC Champions League
Players
As of Qatar Stars League:
Players with Multiple Nationalities
Players registered as professionals
QSL clubs are limited to 4 foreign professionals (3 + 1 Asian) per squad. Last update: 30 December 2014.
Personnel
Records and statistics
Last update: 30 December 2014.
Apps and goals in the QSL only. Players whose names are in bold are still active with the club.
Reserves and academy
Lekhwiya's reserve team currently competes in the Qatargas League, the second-tier of Qatari football.
Last update: July 2014
Administrative staff
Last update: December 2013