FC Zarya Lugansk (2023)

Zarya Lugansk
Full nameFootball Club Zarya Lugansk
Founded2023 (2023) (as Zarya Lugansk)
GroundNovokolor-Arena, Abramovka
Capacity550
ManagerAleksey Muldarov
LeagueRussian Second League (Division B, group 1)
Websitehttps://fkzarya.ru/

FC Zarya Lugansk (Russian: ФК «Заря» Луганск) is a professional football club officially based in Luhansk (internationally recognized as Ukraine), but plays in Abramovka, Rostov Oblast, Russia.[1]

Club history

Following the Revolution of Dignity and the subsequent 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine, the Ukrainian government did not maintain control over the city of Luhansk. As a consequence, the historical club FC Zorya Luhansk was not able to play their home games in the city, and played in other cities, including Zaporizhzhia and Kyiv. During the Russo-Ukrainian war, Luhansk Oblast was annexed by Russia in 2022, making teams based in Luhansk eligible to enter the Russian football competition system. The club was formed in 2023 under the name Zarya ("Zarya" and "Zorya" are the words for "dawn" in Russian and Ukrainian languages respectively) and played in local amateur competitions. The team has been described as a "fake team" and a "rip-off of Ukraine's Zorya Luhansk".[2] As Avanhard Stadium is not available to use due to its damage and the continuing war, the team plays home games in Abramovka, Rostov Oblast, which is approximately 160 km away from Luhansk.[1] For the 2026 season, Zarya was licensed for the fourth-tier Russian Second League Division B group 1.[3][4]

Commonwealth League

Zorya Lugansk first competed in the Commonwealth League in 2024, achieving 3rd place with a total of 31 point after 18 games. Second place was a fellow team Dynamo Luhansk.[5] In 2025, although only achieving 9th place with 8 points after 18 games, Zarya joined the Russian Second League Division B alongside Shakhytor. A reserve team, Zarya-2, continues to compete in the Commonwealth League.[6]

Current squad

As of April 2026

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  RUS Arsen Kulumbegov
2 DF  RUS Spartak Gogniyev
3 DF  RUS Aleksey Muldarov
4 DF  RUS Danil Skrypnikov
5 MF  RUS Vladislav Saushkin
7 MF  RUS Roman Romanov
8 DF  RUS Nikita Kukanov
9 FW  RUS Valentin Ushakov
10 MF  RUS Vladislav Zaporozhets
11 FW  RUS Mikhail Zakharov
12 DF  RUS Yaroslav Voronkov
13 DF  RUS Artyom Demagin
No. Pos. Nation Player
15 MF  RUS Valery Titarenko
16 GK  RUS Maksim Mikityuk
17 MF  RUS Ivan Glushchenko
18 MF  RUS Sergey Demchenko
21 DF  RUS Konstantin Antonets
22 FW  RUS Zaur Kasayev
23 GK  RUS Myroslav Znovenko
35 MF  RUS Yan Balan
43 MF  RUS Ruslan Voytsekhovsky
72 MF  RUS Maksym Ahapov
80 MF  RUS Artyom Sholar
99 DF  RUS Robert Naniyev

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Луганская "Заря" получила лицензии для участия во Второй лиге России" [Luhansk Zarya issued a license to participate in Russian Second League] (in Russian). Championat. 12 February 2026. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  2. ↑ "How a rip-off of Ukraine's Zorya Luhansk are climbing Russia's pyramid". The Guardian. 20 April 2025. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  3. ↑ "11 клубов Второй Лиги Б получили аттестаты ФНЛ" (in Russian). Russian Second League. 16 February 2026. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  4. ↑ "Стал известен проект календаря и состав участников LEON-Второй Лиги Б сезона 2026" (in Russian). Russian Second League. 3 March 2026. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  5. ↑ "Турнирная таблица – Объединенный чемпионат по футболу "Содружество"". www.liga-union.ru. Retrieved 2026-06-02.
  6. ↑ "Турнирная таблица – Объединенный чемпионат по футболу "Содружество"". www.liga-union.ru. Retrieved 2026-06-02.
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