FK Panevėžys

Panevėžys
Full nameFutbolo Klubas Panevėžys
Founded2015 (2015)
GroundAukštaitija Stadium
Capacity6,600
ChairmanBronius Vaitiekūnas
ManagerToni Korkeakunnas
LeagueTOPLYGA
2025A Lyga, 6th of 10
Websitefk-panevezys.lt

Futbolo klubas Panevėžys, commonly known as Panevėžys, is a Lithuanian professional football club from the city of Panevėžys. The team currently plays in TOPLYGA, the top tier of Lithuanian football.

History

Aukštaitija Stadium, home ground of FK Panevėžys

The city of Panevėžys has a long history of football in Lithuania. Until 2014, the city was represented by 7-time title winners FK Ekranas. However, FK Ekranas was unable to meet the financial criteria to participate in the 2015 season and lost eligibility to participate in the A Lyga. The club was declared bankrupt. To fill the void, FK Panevėžys was established at the beginning of 2015, right before the new season started.[1] The club made its debut in the I Lyga (second tier), finishing its first season in eighth place.[2] In 2016, the club improved its performance and finished in fifth place.[3]

In 2017, Panevėžys aimed to win the I Lyga and return a club from the city of Panevėžys to the A Lyga. However, the start of the season was disastrous, which resulted in the resignation of the head coach Virginijus Liubšys. Eventually, the club finished 10th in the league table. In the 2018 season under new coach Alexandru Curteian, FK Panevėžys achieved their goal of winning the I Lyga and achieved promotion to the A Lyga for the first time in history. They finished their first season in the top flight (2019 A Lyga) in 5th position.[4]

Panevėžys reached the final of the 2020 Lithuanian Football Cup and on 24 October 2020 beat FK Sūduva on penalties to secure the trophy.[5] In the 2021 Lithuanian Football Cup, the club reached the final again, but could not defend the title, as they lost 1–5 against FK Žalgiris.

Former Lithuania national team coach Valdas Urbonas took over the club for the 2022 season.[6] After a successful start to the season, Panevėžys was in first place in the table after 14 matches played. After a series of weak performances, the club dropped to third place, leading to the dismissal of Urbonas in September 2022.[7] Urbonas was replaced by Italian national Gino Lettieri. At the end of the 2023 season, Panevėžys secured first place in the league, 12 points ahead of second-place team FK Žalgiris, becoming a Lithuanian champion for the first time in history.[8]

Kit manufacturers

Kit provider Period
Germany Adidas 2015–2018
Denmark Hummel 2019–2022
Italy Macron 2023–present

The team kit is produced by Italian company Macron. It is all-red with white details to reflect the colours of the FK Panevėžys.

Honours

Participation in Lithuanian championships

SeasonLeaguePosPWDLFAPtsCup
2015I Lyga8th341879794855Round of 32
20165th301785683559Round of 16
201710th2810711454437Quarterfinalist
20181st261844772658Round of 16
2019A Lyga5th3010716496337Quarterfinalist
20205th202612193812Winner
20214th3616128554060Finalist
20223rd3618810503162Semifinalist
20231st362691641487Round of 32
20248th3691413344041 Round of 32
20256th3614715554949Winner

European campaigns

Jagiellonia Białystok 3:1 FK Panevėžys (2024)
Season Competition Round Club Home Away Agg.
2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League 2QR Serbia Vojvodina 0–1 0–1 0−2
2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League 1QR Moldova Milsami Orhei 0–0 0–2 0–2
2023–24 UEFA Europa Conference League 1QR Moldova Milsami Orhei 2–2 1–0 3–2
2QR Israel Hapoel Be'er Sheva 1–1 0–1 1–2
2024–25 UEFA Champions League 1QR Finland HJK 3–0 1–1 4–1
2QR Poland Jagiellonia Białystok 0–4 1–3 1–7
UEFA Europa League 3QR Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv 1–2 0–3 1–5
UEFA Conference League PO Wales The New Saints 0–3 0–0 0–3
2026–27 UEFA Conference League 2QR Kazakhstan Tobol 1–1 1–1 (a.e.t.) 2–2 (2–3 p)
Notes
  • QR: Qualifying round
  • PO: Play-off round

Panevėžys B

The Panevėžys 'B' team is currently playing in the I Lyga (second tier).

Players

Current squad

As of 27 August 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  LTU Vytautas Černiauskas
4 DF  TUN Rayen Mzoughi
5 DF  TAN Miano van den Bos
6 MF  LTU Matas Ramanauskas
7 MF  LTU Ernestas Veliulis
8 MF  CIV Salomon Kouadio
11 MF  SVN Lovro Grajfoner
12 GK  LTU Liudvikas Valius
13 DF  CYP Strahinja Kerkez
15 DF  LTU Justinas Januševskij
16 FW  SRB Marko Bačanin
17 FW  UKR Oleksandr Kurtsev
22 GK  LTU Arijus Bražinskas
24 FW  LTU Nauris Petkevičius
25 DF  LTU Ignas Lukoševičius
No. Pos. Nation Player
26 MF  FRA Jérôme Simon
27 MF  GHA Kwadwo Asamoah
28 MF  LTU Ernestas Burdzilauskas (on loan from Kauno Žalgiris)
32 DF  LTU Rokas Rasimavičius
33 DF  SEN Seydina Keita
34 MF  BEL Isaac Asante
45 DF  GER Milan Delević
50 DF  KOS Laurit Krasniqi
66 DF  LTU Dovydas Balsys
77 MF  BDI Parfait Bizoza
79 FW  LTU Valdas Paulauskas
80 FW  BRA Elivelto
95 DF  COD Joël Bopesu
— MF  TUN Yassine Dridi

Out on loan

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
20 FW  LTU Nojus Lukšys (on loan to Lithuania Neptūnas until 31 December 2026)
No. Pos. Nation Player

Staff

Position Name
Chairman Lithuania Bronius Vaitiekūnas
Head coach Finland Toni Korkeakunnas
Coach Lithuania
Coach Lithuania Dainius Gleveckas
Club doctor Lithuania Jonas Vinogradovas
Head physio Lithuania Dainius Mikšys
Media Lithuania Gintaras Brazdžionis

Coaches

Name Nat From To

Virginijus Liubšys

Lithuania20152017
Albertas Klimavičius (caretaker) Lithuania20172017
Alexandru Curteian Moldova20182020
João Luís Martins Portugal20202021[9]

Valdas Urbonas

Lithuania20212022[10]
Gino Lettieri Italy20222024
Stijn Vreven Belgium20242024
Roland Vrabec Germany20242026

References

  1. ↑ "Apie klubą – FK Panevėžys". fk-panevezys.lt. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  2. ↑ "Lithuanian 2015 LFF 1 Lyga". almis.sritis.lt. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  3. ↑ "Lithuanian 2016 LFF 1 Lyga". almis.sritis.lt. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  4. ↑ "Lithuanian 2019 A Lyga". rsssf.org. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  5. ↑ "Nepakartojama drama Hegelmann LFF taurės finale ir istorinis "Panevėžio" triumfas". 24 October 2020. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  6. ↑ "V. Urbonas perėmė "Panevėžio" vairą" (in Lithuanian). alyga.lt. 11 December 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  7. ↑ ""Panevėžys" atsisveikino su vyriausiuoju treneriu" (in Lithuanian). delfi.lt. 11 September 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  8. ↑ "FK "Panevėžys" užsitikrino A lygos čempionų titulą" (in Lithuanian). delfi.lt. 21 October 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  9. ↑ "J. Martinsas atsisveikino su "Panevėžiu" | A Lyga | Aukščiausia Lietuvos futbolo lyga".
  10. ↑ "Išsiskyrė klubo ir V. Urbono keliai - FK Panevėžys". 11 September 2022.