FC Shukura Kobuleti

FC Shukura Kobuleti, commonly known as Shukura Kobuleti or simply Shukura, is a Georgian football club from Kobuleti, the second largest city in Adjara.

After the 2023 season, the team was first relegated to Erovnuli Liga 2, the second tier of Georgian football, and later expelled to Liga 4. But they withdrew without playing a single match there.

History
Established in 1968, Shukura played eight seasons in the Soviet third division.

After an independent Georgian league was formed in 1990, the club took part in II league competition before getting promoted to Umaglesi Liga for 1993/94. After one season, though, they lost a relegation battle.

A decade later the team managed to earn another promotion after 2003/04, but facing severe financial problems, Shukura was unable to play in the first tier. In 2011/12, Shukura won the third division and advanced to II league. They had another successful season in 2013/14, when the club returned to the top flight and also for the first time reached the semifinals of David Kipiani Cup after Umaglesi Liga clubs WIT Georgia and Merani had been eliminated.

In October 2019, Giorgi Shashiashvili took the helm of Shukura and a year later led the club to successful completion of their promotion goal, although after one season the club returned to league 2. The team came close to the Cup final in 2021. Having initially beaten Dinamo Tbilisi, Shukura was ahead of Samgurali three minutes before the stoppage time, but still lost a dramatic five-goal thriller. In 2022, Shukura sealed the first place in Liga 2 for the third time in a decade and claimed the champion's record-breaking fifth title in the history of the second division. In the same year, development company Alliance Group Holding was confirmed as a majority stakeholder (83%) of the club with its chairman Ayet Kukava taking over the remaining share.

Despite large-scale pre-season changes, Shukura were faced with a turbulent period back in the Erovnuli Liga in 2023. Unable to play at the home ground during the entire season, they were handed a transfer ban at some point and, besides, deducted six points for financial issues. With six matches still to play, Shukura were officially relegated in October. In January 2024, the Football Federation announced that due to Shukura's failure to meet licensing requirements the club would be demoted to the 4th tier.

Current squad
As of 4 November 2023

Honours

 * Erovnuli Liga 2
 * Winners (5): 1992–93, 2003–04, 2013–14, 2020, 2022

Notable players

 * Davit Khocholava,
 * Later played for the likes of FC Copenhagen and Shakhtar Donetsk, as well as being a player for the Georgian national team. He played 29 matches for Shukura in 2014/15.

Stadium
The Chele Arena, home ground to FC Shukura, is named after Revaz Chelebadze, the famous football player born in Kobuleti. It has the capacity of 6,000 seats. In 2023, a plan to build a new stadium with a capacity of 8,000 seats was unveiled.

Other teams
Shukura have a reserve team, taking part in the Regionuli Liga tournament.

Name
Shukura literally means a lighthouse, which is duly depicted on the club's emblem.