Ahal Änew Football Club (Turkmen: Ahal Änew Futbol Kluby), or simply Ahal FK, is a Turkmen professional football club based in the Änew, Ahal Province. Founded in 1989, the club played its first-ever top flight season in 1992. The club plays its home matches at the 20,000 seater Ashgabat Stadium.

Ahal won the 2022 Ýokary Liga, becoming one of eight clubs to have won the Ýokary Liga since its inception in 1992.

History

During 1989–91, Ahal Änew participated in the Soviet Second League. Ahal Änew played in the top division of Turkmenistan in 1992, winning bronze medal, but the following year the team was disbanded. The returning season was 1998–99.

First silverware

On 28 October 2013, head coach Ali Gurbani guided Ahal Änew to win the 2013 Turkmenistan Cup where they beat Altyn Asyr to win the cup for the first time in the club history. In the 2014 season, Ahal Änew began by winning the 2014 Turkmenistan Super Cup beating HTTU Aşgabat 4–2 . In October 2014, a new coach was appointed, Guwançmuhammet Öwekow where he helped the club to resulted in a victory in the 2014 Turkmenistan Cup, beating Balkan 2–1 on 28 October 2014.

AFC Cup debut

Ahal Änew debuted in the 2015 AFC Cup. In the second qualifying round, the club defeated the Omani club Fanja SC, earning the right to participate in the group stage. In September 2015, Boris Grigorýanc was appointed as head coach, replacing Guwançmuhammet Öwekow who left the position voluntarily.

Between 2016 and 2019, Rovshen Meredov served as head coach. From 2019 to 2020, the role was held by Said Seýidow. In 2021, Hojaahmet Arazow took over.

In 2021, Mergen Orazov was appointed as the manager of Ahal. In the 2021 Ýokary Liga, Ahal was runner-up in the championship for the 7th time and qualified for the 2022 AFC Champions League. Only Ahal were granted an AFC Champions League license, as the Ýokary Liga champions FC Altyn Asyr were only eligible for the 2022 AFC Cup.

In 2022, under the leadership of Mergen Orazov, Ahal became Turkmenistan champion for the first time in its history. Ahal also won the Turkmenistan Cup and the Football Federation of Turkmenistan Cup. Mergen Orazov was named the best coach of Turkmenistan in 2022. Ahal has unveiled a new logo ahead of the 2024 Ýokary Liga season. The updated design features a minimal color scheme, with the emblem showcasing the Txrkmennebitönumleri sponsor's symbol and the club's founding year, 1989. Under Welsähet Öwezow, FC Ahal finished second in the 2024 season. In the 2025 season, FC Ahal qualified for the 2025–26 AFC Champions League Two group stage, having beaten the Tajik club Regar-TadAZ (2:1) in the qualifying play-offs.

Domestic

SeasonLeagueTurkmenistan CupTop goalscorerHead coach/manager
Div.Pos.Pl.WDLGSGAPNameLeague
19921st32822241031646
1998–991st8325423147419
20001st520857222429
20011st8325324319318
20021st9322327171029
20031st9367128259622
20041st73611520246438
20051st9326620377224Turkmenistan Armen Sogomonyan Turkmenistan Ali Gurbani
20081st1020111812684Turkmenistan Durdy Redzhepov
20092ndFirst round
20101st8185112133316Quarter-final
20111st8369423408331Quarter-finalTurkmenistan Armen Sogomonyan
20121st43215512594550First roundTurkmenistan Didar Durdyýew14Turkmenistan Baýram Durdyýew Turkmenistan Ahmet Agamyradow
20131st63616812624156WinnersTurkmenistan Ali Gurbani
20141st2362835852487WinnersTurkmenistan Ali Gurbani Turkmenistan Guwançmuhammet Öwekow
20151st536161010675458Quarter-finalTurkmenistan Guwançmuhammet Öwekow Boris Grigorýants
20161st43618810634262Quarter-final
20171st2322264702172Winners
20181st2281864552260Semi-final
20191st2281594441754FinalTurkmenistan Didar Durdyýew14Turkmenistan Röwşen Meredow Turkmenistan Amangylyç Koçumow Turkmenistan Baýramnyýaz Berdiýew
20201st2281747542955SemifinalTurkmenistan Elman Tagaýew16
20211st214851251129FinalTurkmenistan Elman Tagaýew10
20221st1282341892173WinnersTurkmenistan Didar Durdyýew27

Continental history

As of match played 22 April 2021

CompetitionPldWDLGFGA
AFC Cup2010373023
AFC Champions League611469
Total26114113632
SeasonCompetitionRoundClubHomeAwayAggregate
2015AFC CupPreliminary roundKyrgyzstan Dordoi Bishkek3–0–3–0
Oman Fanja–3–23–2
Group DKuwait Qadsia0–10–24th
Tajikistan Istiklol1–22–5
Iraq Erbil2–13–2
2018AFC CupGroup DTajikistan Istiklol0–10–13rd
Turkmenistan Altyn Asyr0–00–1
Kyrgyzstan Alay5–03–2
2019AFC CupPreliminary roundKyrgyzstan Alay1–02–13–1
Tajikistan Khujand1–10–01–1(a)
2020AFC CupPreliminary roundKyrgyzstan Alay——w/o
2021AFC CupGroup EKyrgyzstan Dordoi Bishkek2–01st
Tajikistan Ravshan3–1
West Asia Zone finalUzbekistan Nasaf2–3–2–3
2022AFC Champions LeagueGroup CIran Foolad0–10–14th
Qatar Al-Gharafa4–20–2
United Arab Emirates Shabab Al Ahli1–12–1

Honours

Corporate hierarchy

PositionName
ChairmanTurkmenistan Gurbandurdy Öwekow
ChairmanTurkmenistan Sähetmyrat Aliýew
AdministratorTurkmenistan Çarymämmet Orazmämmedow
AdministratorTurkmenistan Agajan Orazmyradow
AdministratorTurkmenistan Begençhmuhammet Kuliýew
AdministratorTurkmenistan Konstantin Grigorýans

Managers/coaches

Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors

The club is owned by the Main Department Türkmennebitönumleri (Turkmen Petroleum Products) of the State Concern Türkmennebit.

PeriodKit supplierShirt sponsor
2018–2020NikeTNÖ
2021JakoTNÖ
2022NikeTNÖ
2023–2024HummelTNÖ, Dragon Oil

External links

  • (archived 13 December 2014)