Safa Sporting Club

Safa Sporting Club () is a football club based in Wata El Msaytbeh, a district in Beirut, Lebanon, that competes in the . Founded in 1939, they won three league titles, three domestic cups, one Super Cup, and two Elite Cups; they have also reached the 2008 AFC Cup final.

Safa primarily receives its support from Wata El-Museitbeh, as well as the Druze community all over Lebanon. Given their fanbase extends well in Mount Lebanon, including the city of Aley, they play the Mountain derby with Akhaa Ahli Aley.

History

Founded in 1933 at an amateur level in the Wata El-Museitbeh of Beirut, Safa Sporting Club was officially established in 1939 by seven people: Maher Wahab, Anis Naaim, Hasib Al-Jerdi, Amin Haidar, Chafik Nader, Toufik Al-Zouhairy and Adib Haidar.

On 23 December 1948, Safa obtained the official membership and license from the government as a private association. In the same year, the club was affiliated to the Lebanese Football Association and was ranked within the Second Division. In 1961, Safa was promoted to the First Division.

After finishing the 2021–22 Lebanese Premier League in 11th place, Safa were due to be relegated to the Second Division for the first time. However, following Shabab Bourj's withdrawal from the league, they were relegated in place of Safa.

Kit manufacturers

The following is a list of kit manufacturers worn by Safa.

Stadium

The Safa Stadium opened in 1948, and has a capacity of 4,000 spectators. Located in the Wata El-Museitbeh district of Beirut, the stadium is five minutes from the Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport. While the stadium is of Safa's property, the club plays in various other stadiums around the country.

Club rivalries

Safa has important rivalries with Ansar and Nejmeh, both being based in Beirut. Safa also plays the Mountain derby with Akhaa Ahli, as Akhaa is based in Aley, a city in Mount Lebanon, and Safa's support comes from the Druze community in Lebanon, who mainly live in Chouf and Aley districts.

Players

Current squad

Notable players

Honours

Domestic

* Lebanese Premier League
** Winners (3): 2011–12, 2012–13, 2015–16
* Lebanese FA Cup
**Winners (3): 1964–65, 1986–87, 2012–13
**''Runners-up (8):'' 1970–71, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1994–95, 1999–2000, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2016–17
* Lebanese Elite Cup
**Winners (2): 2009, 2012
**''Runners-up (3):'' 2011, 2014, 2015
* Lebanese Super Cup
**Winners (1): 2013
**''Runners-up (3):'' 2011, 2012, 2016
* Lebanese Second Division
**Winners (1): 1960–61 (Beirut)

Continental

* AFC Cup
** ''Runners-up (1):'' 2008

Other achievements

* Lebanese Challenge Cup
**''Runners-up (1):'' 2022

Performance in AFC competitions

* AFC Cup: 5 appearances
::2008: Final
:: 2009: Round of 16
::2012: Group stage
::2013: Group stage
::2014: Round of 16

*Asian Cup Winners' Cup: 2 appearances
::1992–93: Withdrew in first round
:: 2000–01: Withdrew in first round

Managerial history

* Walid Zeineddine
* Mahmoud Saad
* Akram Salman
* Ghassan Abou Diab
* Samir Saad
* Emile Rustom
* Valeriu Tița (2013–2014)
* Emile Rustom (2015–2018)
* Valeriu Tița (2018–2019)
* Tarek Jarraya (2019)
* Robert Jaspert (2019–2020)
* Emile Rustom (2020)
* Mohammad Dakka (2020–2021)
* Fadi Oumari (2021–22)
* Malek Hassoun (2022)
* Youssef Jawhari (2022–present)

See also

* Safa WFC, women's team
* List of football clubs in Lebanon

Notes

References

External links

Safa SC
at the AFC

Safa SC
at FA Lebanon
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Safa Beirut Sc

Football clubs in Lebanon
1939 establishments in Lebanon
Association football clubs established in 1939