Újpest FC
Template:Short description Template:About Template:Infobox football club Template:Újpesti TE sections
Újpest Football Club (Template:IPA) is a Hungarian professional football club based in Újpest, Budapest, that competes in Nemzeti Bajnokság I.
Formed in 1885, Újpest reached the first division of the Hungarian League in 1905 and has been relegated only once since then. The club has been a member of the first division for 108 consecutive years. Újpest have been Hungarian champions twenty times, in addition to winning the Magyar Kupa eleven times and the Szuperkupa three times. In international competitions, Újpest are two-times winners of the Mitropa Cup and winners of the 1930 Coupe des Nations. They also reached the semi-finals of the European Cup 1973–74 and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1961–62, and were runners-up in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1968–69.
Since 1922, their home ground has been the Szusza Ferenc Stadion in Újpest. Their biggest rivalry is with fellow Budapest-based club Ferencváros, with whom they contest a local derby.
Újpest is part of the Újpesti TE family. The club includes other sports sections that represent the club at ice hockey and waterpolo.
History
Újpest was founded in 1885.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At that time, Újpest did not belong to Budapest. Újpest played their first Nemzeti Bajnokság I match in the 1905 Nemzeti Bajnokság I season. In the 1910–11 season, they were relegated.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Újpest won their first Hungarian league title in the 1929–30 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
At international level, Újpest's most successful period was in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In the 1968–69 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, they were beaten in the final by Newcastle United. In the 1973–74 European Cup, they reached the semi-finals and were eliminated by Bayern Munich.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Crest and colours
On 3 July 2017, Újpest announced that they changed their crest.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After a years of protests by supporters, and legal actions by UTE, the parent club, the management has decided to restore the traditional crest on 4 July, 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Naming history
- 1885: Újpesti TE (Újpesti Torna Egylet)
- 1926: Újpest FC (Újpest Football Club) (due to the introduction of professional football)
- 1945: Újpesti TE
- 1950: Bp. Dózsa SE (Budapesti Dózsa Sport Egyesület)
- 1956: Újpesti TE (during the Hungarian revolution)
- 1957: Ú. Dózsa SC (Újpesti Dózsa Sport Club)
- 1991: Újpesti TE
- 1998: Újpest FC
Manufacturers and shirt sponsors
The following table shows in detail Újpest FC kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors by year:
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| adidas | – | |
| Budapest Bank | ||
| Umbro | ConCorde telecom | |
| Havasi Kft. | ||
| 2003–2006 | Puma | Walton |
| 2006–2007 | – | |
| 2007–2009 | DHL | |
| 2009–2010 | Radisson Blu | |
| 2010–2011 | Birdland Golf & SPA Resort | |
| 2011–2012 | GDF Suez | |
| 2012–2016 | – | |
| 2016–2017 | Joma | – |
| 2017–2018 | Gallica |
Current sponsorships: Joma, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Acquaworld Budapest, Ramada Resort Budapest, Puebla ticket, Karzol Trans, Szókép Nyomdaipari Kft., Lamborghini
Stadium
Template:Main Template:Wide image Újpest's home stadium is Szusza Ferenc Stadion, which has been their home since the opening on 17 September 1922. It was known as Megyeri úti stadium until it was named after the club's legendary player, Ferenc Szusza in October 2003. After the renovations, which took place in 2000 and 2001, the ground can hold 13,501 spectators.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Ownership
On 3 December 2008, it was revealed by BBC Sport that the Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers were considering an alliance with Újpest. Jez Moxey, the Chief executive officer of the club said: "We have had some initial discussions in Budapest with the officials of Ujpest. We touched on the issues of loaning players, academies and sharing of best practice on and off the field."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Újpest approached Roland Duchâtelet to become the owner of the club. Although Duchâtelet refused the club's offer, he suggested his son to be the proprietor of Újpest.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Roland Duchâtelet is the owner of the Carl Zeiss Jena and former owner of the Standard Liège,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> AD Alcorcón<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Charlton Athletic<ref>Template:Citation</ref>
On 19 October 2011, Roderick Duchâtelet, former director of Germinal Beerschot, bought 95% of the shares of the City Budapest Zrt.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Roderick Duchâtelet said that he intends to bring back the glory of the 1970s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On 27 October 2011, Csaba Bartha, managing director of Újpest, confirmed that the club received 150 million Hungarian forint from Roderick Duchâtelet.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In January 2022, Duchatelet was about to sell Újpest and found possible buyers. An agreement was also signed in January 2022 in which it was stated that the buyers should pay the remaining sum by the end of June. However, due the financial unpredictability caused by the Russo-Ukrainian War, the buyers could not transfer the remaining sum. Therefore, Újpest is still owned by the Belgian entrepreneur.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On 27 April 2023, it was announced on Nemzeti Sport that Interactive Brokers Group, owned by Thomas Peterffy, is interested in purchasing the club.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On 3 February 2024, it was revealed that Duchatelet would like to sell the club to Hungarian investors.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 6 February 2024, Roderick Duchâtelet sold the club to MOL.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On 21 March 2024, the club was officially purchased by the MOL Group.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Balázs Benczédi was elected as the managing director of the club. The price of the acquisition was around 15 million euros.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Supporters
Supporters of Újpest are mainly from the fourth district of Budapest, the eponymous Újpest. Due to their success in the 1970s, the club gained supporters from all over Budapest and the country.
- Famous supporters
- Template:Flagicon Zoltán Zana (Ganxta Zolee) (rapper, actor) <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Henrik Havas (journalist, television personality)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon György Gyula Zagyva (politician)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon András Stohl (actor, television personality)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Zsolt Wintermantel (politician & former mayor of Újpest)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Attila Széki (Curtis) (rapper, former footballer)
- Template:Flagicon Péter Majoros (Majka) (rapper, television personality)
Rivalries
Újpest are in rivalry with several teams from Budapest including Ferencváros, MTK Budapest, Budapest Honvéd and several provincial clubs such as Debrecen and Diósgyőr. Since Újpest have been the third most successful club of the Hungarian Football history by winning 20 Hungarian League titles and nine Hungarian Cup titles, and the most successful Hungarian club in the European football competitions in the 1970s, every club in the Hungarian League wants to defeat them.
The rivalry with Ferencváros dates back to the 1930s when Újpest won their first Hungarian League title. Since then the fixture between the two teams attracts the most spectators in the domestic league.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The matches between the two teams often ends in violence which can cause big trouble for the HFF and Hungarian football in general. The proposal of personal registration was refused by both clubs.
Honours
Domestic
- Nemzeti Bajnokság I:
- Nemzeti Bajnokság II:
- Magyar Kupa:
- Szuperkupa:
- Winners (3): 1992, 2002, 2014
International
- Mitropa Cup:
- Coupe des Nations 1930 (Predecessor of Champions League):
- Winners (1): v Slavia Praha 3–0
- Inter-Cities Fairs Cup:
- Runners-up (1): 1968–69 v Newcastle United 0–3 and 2–3
- European Cup (Champions League):
- Semi-finalists (1): 1973–74 v Bayern Munich 1–1 and 0–3
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup:
- Semi-finalists (1): 1961–62 v AC Fiorentina 0–1 and 0–2
Friendly
- Joan Gamper Trophy:
- Winners (1): 1970
- Trofeo Colombino:
- Winners (1): 1971
Players
Current squad
First team squad
Template:Updated<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Fs start Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs mid Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs end
Out on loan
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Club officials
Board of directors
As of 5 May 2025<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| President | Template:Flagicon Péter Ratatics |
| Managing director | Template:Flagicon Áron Páll |
Management
As of 8 May 2025<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager | Template:Flagicon Damir Krznar |
| Assistant manager Video analyst |
Template:Flagicon Vedran Attias |
| Assistant manager | Template:Flagicon Nikola Mitrović |
| Assistant manager | Template:Flagicon Ales Mertelj |
| Assistant manager | Template:Flagicon Boldizsár Bodor |
| Goalkeeping coach | Template:Flagicon András Elbert |
| Body performance coach | Template:Flagicon Luka Krklješ |
| Fitness coach | Template:Flagicon Ádám Száraz |
| Video analyst | Template:Flagicon Samu Varga |
| Video analyst | Template:Flagicon Balázs Benczés |
| Club doctor | Template:Flagicon Iván Kollár Dr. |
| Club doctor | Template:Flagicon Péter Lestár Dr. |
| Physiotherapist | Template:Flagicon Žarko Milovanović |
| Physiotherapist | Template:Flagicon Aleksandar Jovetić |
| Physiotherapist | Template:Flagicon Dorottya Varga |
| Technical manager | Template:Flagicon Babett Zsitva |
| Data analyst | Template:Flagicon Kornélia Tuza |
| Kit manager | Template:Flagicon Tamás Nagy |
| Masseur | Template:Flagicon József Kádár |
| Masseur | Template:Flagicon Kálmán Hénap |
Notable former players
- Template:Flagicon Jonathan Heris
- Template:Flagicon Kylian Hazard
- Template:Flagicon Pierre-Yves Ngawa
- Template:Flagicon Túlio Maravilha
- Template:Flagicon Lacina Traoré
- Template:Flagicon Darwin Andrade
- Template:Flagicon Foxi Kéthévoama
- Template:Flagicon Lubos Kozel
- Template:Flagicon Radek Slončík
- Template:Flagicon Robert Vágner
- Template:Flagicon Scott Malone
- Template:Flagicon Paulus Roiha
- Template:Flagicon Budu Zivzivadze
- Template:Flagicon Falaye Sacko
- Template:Flagicon Souleymane Diarra
- Template:Flagicon Nebojsa Kosovic
- Template:Flagicon Kim Ojo
- Template:Flagicon Obinna Nwobodo
- Template:Flagicon Enis Bardhi
- Template:Flagicon Mbaye Diagne
- Template:Flagicon Marko Dmitrovic
- Template:Flagicon Juanan
- Template:Flagicon Anton Salétros
- Template:Flagicon Densill Theobald<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
See also
- History of Újpest FC
- List of Újpest FC seasons
- Újpest FC in European football
- List of Újpest FC managers
- List of Újpest FC records and statistics