FC Telavi

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Telavi
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Full nameFootball Club Telavi
FoundedJuly 19, 2016; 9 years ago (2016-07-19)
GroundGivi Chokheli Stadium
Telavi, Georgia
Capacity12,000
ChairmanSoso Grishikashvili
ManagerValery Gagua
LeagueErovnuli Liga 2
20258th of 10 (relegated)
Websitefctelavi.ge

FC Telavi (Georgian: საფეხბურთო კლუბი თელავი) is a Georgian professional football club based in the city of Telavi, Kakheti. Following the 2025 season, they were relegated to Erovnuli Liga 2, the second tier of Georgian football.

While the municipal stadium named after Givi Chokheli awaits a thorough reconstruction, Telavi use Kavkasioni Arena as their home ground.

History

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First steps

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The football club was founded in 2016 by former football players Irakli Vashakidze, Soso Grishikashvili and Aleksandre Amisulashvili.[1] Telavi successfully completed their first season in Regionuli Liga in 2016 and earned a place in III division. The next year they finished 2nd in Group White and in promotion play-offs defeated Guria 3–2 on aggregate.[2]

In 2018, Telavi took a foothold in Liga 2 coming 5th in the final table. In David Kipiani Cup Telavi eliminated four opponents, including Dila Gori, and reached the semifinals where they lost to Torpedo Kutaisi, the future champions of the competition.[3]

The next year they booked another promotion play-off, beat Rustavi in both games and advanced to the Erovnuli Liga.[4] With this result the team achieved three promotions within the four seasons. Also, after a twelve-year pause the first-tier football finally returned to the capital of Kakheti.

In Erovnuli Liga

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Following this promotion, nine new players, including four foreigners, strengthened the squad for 2020.[5] During their very first season the club was widely praised for decent performance. Having lost just two games out of 18, FC Telavi finished in the 6th place.[6]

The next season began poorly. After being winless for 17 games Telavi seemed a primary candidate for relegation, which resulted in the exit of manager. Starting from mid-June the team experienced some revival, producing an unbeaten run for seven matches, including five wins. They secured six more victories in the last quarter of the season, leapfrogged the rivals and accomplished a great escape. With this achievement Giorgi Mikadze claimed the Manager of Erovnuli Liga Round 4 (October–December) award[7] and received a nomination for Coach of the Season.[8]

Despite a promising forecast to the season, things went awry in early 2023. By mid-season, with the club sitting bottom of the table, fourteen players had been released in a summer overhaul preceded by departure of two managers. Instead, more than a dozen of new players was brought led by Irakli Rukhadze, the top goalscorer for three consecutive seasons a few years earlier.[9] Тhese changes brought an immediate impact. After the summer break Telavi won six of their eight games and climbed out of the relegation zone. As a result, when the Erovnuli Liga summed up part 3 (rounds 19–28) of the season, Giorgi Mikadze was recognized as best manager with three players - Begić, Guti and Rukhadze - named in the best eleven of the league.[10]

Starting from 2023, Telavi fought three successive relegation battles against their 2nd division opponents. Their third playoff ended in a penalty shootout defeat to Meshakhte which resulted in their first demotion from an upper league.

Statistics

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Seasons

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Year Division Pos P W D L GF GA Pts Cup
2017 3rd, White Group 2/10 18 10 5 3 30 18 35 1⁄32 finals
Promotion Group 3/10[a]↑ 18 12 3 3 56 15 39
2018
2nd
 5/10 36 12 12 12 45 43 48 1⁄2 finals
2019 3/10[b]↑ 36 19 6 11 70 36 63 1⁄8 finals
2020
1st
 6/10 18 4 12 2 21 14 24 1⁄4 finals
2021 6/10 36 12 8 16 35 53 44 1⁄8 finals
2022 7/10 36 8 15 13 29 36 39 1⁄8 finals
2023 8/10[c] 36 10 7 19 34 62 37 1⁄8 finals
2024 9/10[d] 36 8 10 18 32 43 34 1⁄4 finals
2025 8/10[e] ↓ 36 9 9 18 36 59 36 1⁄16 finals
  1. ^ Defeated Guria 3–2 on aggregate in Liga 2/3 playoffs
  2. ^ Beat Rustavi 3–1 on aggregate in Liga 1/2 playoffs
  3. ^ Defeated Spaeri 5–1 on aggregate in Liga 1/2 playoffs
  4. ^ Beat Rustavi 3–2 on aggregate in Liga 1/2 playoffs
  5. ^ Lost to Meshakhte on penalties in Liga 1/2 playoffs

Top goalscorers

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Season Div. Player Goals
2018 2nd Georgia (country) Giorgi Nikabadze 10
2019 2nd Georgia (country) Irakli Rukhadze 16
2020 1st Georgia (country) Irakli Rukhadze 5
2021 1st Georgia (country) Irakli Rukhadze 7
2022 1st Georgia (country) Imeda Ashortia
Georgia (country) Giorgi Kvernadze 		3
2023 1st Georgia (country) Imeda Ashortia
Georgia (country) Irakli Rukhadze 		6
2024 1st Georgia (country) Tornike Morchiladze
Serbia Dejan Georgijević 		6
2025 1st Georgia (country) Mikheil Basheleishvili
Spain Inigo Martin 		5

Managerial history

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Name From To
Georgia (country) Giorgi Dekanosidze 2017 2018
Ukraine Denys Khomutov 2019 2019
Georgia (country) Revaz Gotsiridze 2019 2021
Georgia (country) Giorgi Mikadze 2021 2021
Georgia (country) Giorgi Chelidze 2022 2022
Georgia (country) Giorgi Tsetsadze 2022 2023
Armenia Vardan Minasyan 2023 2023
Georgia (country) Giorgi Mikadze (2) 2023 2023
Greece Georgios Kostis 2023 2023
Russia Oleg Vasilenko 2024 2024
Armenia Armen Adamyan 2024 2024
Cyprus Pambos Christodoulou 2024 2024
Georgia (country) Valery Gagua 2025

Current squad

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As of 4 September, 2025[11]

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 File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Levan Tandilashvili
2 MF File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Nikoloz Basheleishvili
3 DF File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Aleko Ananidze
4 DF File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Zurab Gigashvili
5 DF File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Piruz Gabitashvili
6 DF File:Flag of Ghana.svg GHA Ebenezer Kpozo
7 MF File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Niko Tsetskhladze (on loan from Dinamo Tbilisi)
8 MF File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Andria Devdariani
9 FW File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Jaduli Iobashvili (on loan from Dinamo Tbilisi)
10 FW File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Vato Arveladze
11 MF File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Tato Zhividze
12 MF File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Dachi Tsnobiladze (captain)
14 MF File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Giorgi Chkhetiani
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 FW File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Nikolay Kipiani
19 FW File:Flag of Spain.svg ESP Iñigo Martin
21 MF File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Mikheil Basheleishvili
22 DF File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Davit Gogotishvili
23 DF File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Archil Datuashvili
24 GK File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Davit Iobashvili
28 MF File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Davit Kutalia
29 MF File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Eldar Parkinashvili
32 FW File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Bachana Arabuli
33 GK File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Sergi Bazerashvili
34 MF File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Giorgi Talakhashvili
39 DF File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Lado Odishvili
40 DF File:Flag of Georgia.svg GEO Rati Mchedlishvili

Management

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Ownership

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The club is governed by shareholders. Currently, 33% of the share belongs to chairman Soso Grishikashvili while the rest have been purchased by Armenian businessmen Vardan Hakopian and Tigran Hakobian.[12]

Telavi received the first Armenian investment in March 2023.[13]

Coaching positions

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Position Name
Head coach Valery Gagua
Assistant coach Levan Merebashvili
Fitness coach Alexander Parnyuk
Goalkeeping coach Bukhu Odikadze
First-team analyst Andro Giorgobiani

Sponsors

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In early 2018, FC Telavi signed a sponsorship contract with m2 Development company.[14]

In late 2022, the club announced a partnership deal with a wine-producing company based in Telavi.[15]

Stadium

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Givi Chokheli football ground is home to FC Telavi, although the club played most of their home games in the last several seasons at 2,000-seater Kavkasioni Rugby Arena.[16]

In October 2020, local authorities made a presentation on construction plans for a brand new stadium.[17]

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References

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