FC Baku (), founded as Dinamo Baku in 1997, was an Azerbaijani football club based in Baku that had been an amateur club since 2016. Prior to that, Baku played 18 seasons in the Azerbaijan Premier League, winning the championship twice and the National Cup three times. The club ceased operations in 2018.
Led by Shamil Heydarov, Dinamo finished 2nd and entered the 1998âÂÂ99 UEFA Cup, but was eliminated by Argeà  Piteà Âti 1âÂÂ7 on aggregate in the preliminary round. In the 1997âÂÂ98 season, Dinamo appointed Ruslan Abdullayev as their new head coach. Under the management of Abdullayev, the team passed the first part of the tournament well, although 3rd place and 52 points were not enough for medals or European cups, and Dinamo finished the season in 6th place. The following two seasons, Dinamo also finished 6th, but since 2000, the team was managed by Ruslan Abdullayev's son Elkhan Abdullayev, and was renamed to Dinamo Bakñlñ. In the 2001âÂÂ02 season, after a disastrous performance, Dinamo Bakñlñ were relegated to the Azerbaijan First Division, but due to conflict between clubs and the AFFA, the next championship was only held two years later, in which the team participated under the name of Dinamo for the last time in its history.
In 2004, the club renamed to FC Baku, after changes by the new chairman. New management began from radical changes. Elkhan Abdullayev was replaced by Asgar Abdullayev immediately after the second week of the season. FC Baku gained some important victories over the opponents and was holding a pole position until February 2005. At the end of the season Asgar Abdullayev concentrated on the Azerbaijan Cup, where his team reached the final. In the 2004âÂÂ05 season, Baku managed to finish in 5th place.
The team's return to European competition proved to be unsuccessful. In the 2004âÂÂ05 UEFA Cup first qualifying match, Baku lost to Slovak side Mà  K à ½ilina 2âÂÂ3 on aggregate, although they won the first leg 1âÂÂ0 in Baku.
In 2008, Baku appointed Gjoko Hadà ¾ievski as their manager, and after a poor first season, the club celebrated their second title. Under his charge, FC Baku became the first Azerbaijani team to qualify for the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. The team beat FK Ekranas in the second qualifying round after a 2âÂÂ2 draw in Lithuania and 4âÂÂ2 win in the Tofik Bakhramov Stadium in the second leg. They lost to Levski Sofia in the next round 2âÂÂ0 on aggregate, with Baku drawing the first leg 0âÂÂ0 at home.
In 2010, the club was handed a two-match suspension by UEFA for fielding Joël Epalle in the first leg of the second qualifying round of the Europa League against FK BuduÃÂnost, who was ineligible to play at the time. Baku won the first leg 2âÂÂ1, but UEFA awarded BuduÃÂnost a 3âÂÂ0 win due to Baku fielding a suspended player. Although Baku went on to win the second leg 2âÂÂ1, they lost 4âÂÂ2 on aggregate due to the awarded win.
A long period of decline followed the success of the 2008 to the end of the decade. Despite the appointment of famous names such as Bülent Korkmaz, Winfried Schäfer, Aleksandrs Starkovs, Boà ¾idar Bandoviàand Milinko PantiÃÂ, the club did not achieve any success and squandered large sums of money on unsuccessful signings.
In 2014, the club owner Hafiz Mammadov's financial difficulties forced number of players and personnel to seek new clubs, leaving the club's future uncertain. The club was relegated from the Premier League in the 2014âÂÂ15 season, and played in the Azerbaijani First Division in the 2015âÂÂ16 season. The club became defunct as a professional club the next year.
The club's traditional kit is a white and blue shirt, white shorts with grey socks. Their away kit is all maroon. Baku's kits are manufactured by Macron. The club sponsored by the Baghlan Group and ZQAN Holding. The club's logo is based on The Maiden Tower, a noted landmark and one of Azerbaijan's most distinctive emblems.
Tofik Bakhramov Stadium was used for a long period of time as Baku's main stadium. In 2008, Baku's president Hafiz Mammadov announced that a new stadium which will have a capacity of 10,000 fans will be built. The new stadium was expected to be finished in 2010, but construction is currently on hold.
The club's training base is currently used for its domestic games, which holds 2,000 fans.
The club enjoys support from fans scattered all over the city, and the local area in general. The club has been the subject of an independent supporters' fanzine Toplu Bakñ since the 2010s.
Updated 21 July 2009.
The following managers have all won at least one trophy when in charge of FC Baku: