FC Fratria
Full nameФутболен Клуб Фратрия Варна
Fratria Varna Football Club
Founded16 April 2021; 2 years ago (2021-04-16)
GroundStadium Albena 1, Albena
Capacity3,000
ChairmanViktor Bakurevich
ManagerEmanuel Lukanov
LeagueThird League
2022–23A Regional Group, 1st (promoted)
WebsiteClub website

FC Fratria (Bulgarian: ФК Фратрия) is a Bulgarian association football club based in Varna, which competes in the Third League, the third division of the Bulgarian football league system. Fratria's home ground is the Stadium Albena 1, which has a capacity of 3,000 spectators.

History

Establishment

Fratria was established in 2021 by businessman Viktor Bakurevich, owner of Berezka supermarkets. Bakurevich decided to start an academy that is free from taxes, making the club base in Benkovski, Varna Province.[1] Later that year, the team started a partnership with MFC Ticha Academy.[2]

Regional and amateur leagues climb up: 2021–present

They won their first season in B Regional Group and in 2022 were promoted to A Regional Group with Oleksandr Babych taking the manager position.[3] Since Bakurevich had Russian and Ukrainian roots, a few players from Russia and Ukraine, living in Bulgaria, joined the main team and the academies.[4] The team won the league and on 29 May 2023, Fratria secured promotion to Third League, being called the fastest developing team, not only because their quick promote to the third league, but also because of the development of their base and academy.[5] In June 2023, the team started to prepare for their first season in Third League with the intentions to win the group. Fratria also established a second team that joined A Regional League.[1] Later same month it was announced they will move to Stadium Albena 1 in Albena resort.[6] In their first cup appearance, Fratria was drawn against local team Spartak Varna, but lost the match with a 1:3 result, played on 8 September 2023.[7] On 5 October 2023 the team announced that they are introducing a new sporting director in the name of Emanuel Lukanov, who took the position.[8] In January 2024, Fratria announced they will have a friendly match against Farul II, as part of their winter camp, setting a start of a partnership with Farul Constanța.[9] On 5 February Babych was signed by Pirin Blagoevgrad in First League and Lukanov was promoted as a manager of the team.[10]

Honours

Logo, shirt and sponsor

„Fratria" name comes from „Brotherhood", with the team having the sloagan „frater pro fratre", meaning „brother for brother", on their logo. Their main colors are red (bordo) and black and since 2021 their main sponsor is Berezka.

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt partner
2021–present Germany Saller Berezka

Players

Current squad

As of 16 January 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
2 DF Bulgaria BUL Ivaylo Popov
4 DF Bulgaria BUL Nikola Borisov
5 DF Bulgaria BUL Vasil Dobrev
7 FW Ukraine UKR Andriy Lisak
9 MF Bulgaria BUL Denis Kadir
14 DF Bulgaria BUL Martin Kostadinov
16 DF Bulgaria BUL Dimitar Vasilev
19 DF Bulgaria BUL Yasen Minchev
20 MF Bulgaria BUL Ivelin Kuzmanov
28 DF Ukraine UKR Oleksandr Filonchuk
39 FW Ukraine UKR Denys Vasin
41 DF Bulgaria BUL Ibryam Ibryam
No. Pos. Nation Player
45 DF Armenia ARM David Shakaryan
66 FW Moldova MDA Vasil Andoni (captain)
67 GK Bulgaria BUL Hristiyan Hristov
74 FW Russia RUS Мikhail Gashchuk
77 MF Russia RUS Artur Avetisyan
81 FW Ukraine UKR Oleksiy Mazhynskyi
96 GK Bulgaria BUL Valentin Dimitrov
DF Bulgaria BUL Valeri Hristov
MF Bulgaria BUL Steliyan Dobrev
MF Bulgaria BUL David Lukanov
MF Bulgaria BUL Yancho Andreev

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player

Reserves squad (Fratria II)

As of 31 July 2023

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
13 DF Ukraine UKR Serghi Chyzhyk
17 DF Bulgaria BUL Lachezar Voykov
18 DF Bulgaria BUL Nikola Radushev
23 MF Bulgaria BUL Emil Haralanov
GK Ukraine UKR Vladyslav Ukrainskyi
GK Bulgaria BUL Emir Nedret
No. Pos. Nation Player
DF Colombia COL Julio Rodriguez
MF Bulgaria BUL Alishen Alish
MF Bulgaria BUL Erik Georgiev
MF Russia RUS Platon Bakurevich
FW Bulgaria BUL Tsvetan Tinev
FW Russia RUS Arseniy Bogdanov

Foreign players

Up to five non-EU nationals can be registered and given a squad number for the first team in the Bulgarian First Professional League however only three can be used in a match day. Those non-EU nationals with European ancestry can claim citizenship from the nation their ancestors came from. If a player does not have European ancestry he can claim Bulgarian citizenship after playing in Bulgaria for 5 years.

Personnel

Club officials

Position Name Nationality
Coaching staff
Head coach Emanuel Lukanov Bulgaria
Assistant coach/Fratria II Evgeniy Gashchuk Russia
Goalkeepers coach vacant
Youth coach Ivaylo Stanchev Bulgaria
Youth coach Yevhen Lutsenko Ukraine
First team doctor vacant
Management
Chairman Viktor Bakurevich RussiaBulgaria
Sporting director Emanuel Lukanov Bulgaria

Managerial history

Dates Name Honours
2021–2022 Bulgaria Ivaylo Stanchev
2022–2024 Ukraine Oleksandr Babych
2024– Bulgaria Emanuel Lukanov

Seasons

League positions

Third Amateur Football League (Bulgaria)Regional Amateur Football Groups (Bulgaria)Regional Amateur Football Groups (Bulgaria)

Past seasons

Results of league and cup competitions by season
Season League Bulgarian Cup Other competitions Top goalscorer
Division Level P W D L F A GD Pts Pos
2021–22 B Regional Varna 5 10 9 0 1 29 8 +21 27 1st ↑ DNE
2022–23 A Regional Varna 4 18 15 2 1 55 10 +45 47 1st ↑ DNQ Cup of AFL R1 Moldova Vasil Andoni 19
2023–24 Third League 3 Preliminary Ukraine Danylo Polonskyi
Bulgaria Denis Kadir
6

Key

Champions Runners-up Promoted Relegated

References