AsociaÃÂia Clubul Sportiv Petrolul 52, commonly known as FC Petrolul PloieÃÂti (), Petrolul PloieÃÂti, or simply Petrolul, is a Romanian professional football club based in PloieÃÂti, Prahova County. It competes in the Liga I, the top tier of the Romanian league system.
The team was founded in 1924 in Bucharest as Juventus, following the merger of Triumf and Romcomit, and won its first national championship in the 1929âÂÂ30 season. In 1952, it relocated to the industrial city of PloieÃÂti, and adopted the name Petrolul five years later. During this period, the club enjoyed its most successful era, securing three further league titles in 1957âÂÂ58, 1958âÂÂ59, and 1965âÂÂ66. Petrolul PloieÃÂti has also won the Cupa României on three occasions, most recently in the 2012âÂÂ13 season.
The team made its European debut in the 1958âÂÂ59 season, facing East German side Wismut Karl Marx Stadt in the preliminary round of the European Cup. Overall, it has participated in 12 European campaigns, eight of which were organised by UEFA.
Petrolul PloieÃÂti's traditional colours are yellow and dark blue, a combination that has earned its players and supporters the nickname "the Yellow Wolves". It plays its home matches at the 15,073-seat Ilie OanÃÂ Stadium, which was inaugurated in 2011. Its principal rivalry is with Rapid BucureÃÂti, a fixture known as the Primvs derby. The club also shared a short-lived local rivalry with Astra Giurgiu between 1998 and 2012, during the period in which Astra was based in PloieÃÂti.
The team was founded in Bucharest in late 1924, when Romcomit and Triumf merged into what would become one of the most notable clubs of the capital during the interwar period, Juventus BucureÃÂti. Its Latin identity was illustrated by the crest, which was based on the legend of the founding of Rome, where a she-wolf nursed Romulus and Remus. Juventus inherited the stadium and the red and blue colors of Romcomit. An article relating the event was published on 4 January 1925 in the Gazeta Sporturilor newspaper, under the title "Juventus â A sensational merger" (Juventus â O fuziune senzaÃÂionalÃÂ).
In their first season of existence being led by president Ettore Brunelli and player-coach Ion Motoroi, the team finished on the 4th place in the Bucharest championship, the first game taking place on 8 March 1925 in a 3âÂÂ0 victory against ColÃÂea BucureÃÂti with goals scored by Bebe Rollea, Antofiloiu (o.g.) and Török, the team used being: CÃÂpÃÂuneanu â Constantin VeÃÂianu, Sile Georgescu â Schaller, Ion Motoroi, Grigore Grigoriu, Sergiu Petrovici, Victor Block, Bebe Rollea, Török, Aurel Schei. Before the start of the new season, president Brunelli wanted to test the value of his squad, organizing the club's first matches at international level, friendlies which ended with victories against Slavia Prague (2âÂÂ1), Slavia Sofia (3âÂÂ0) and Vasas Budapest (5âÂÂ2). In the Bucharest regional championship, the team finished on the 1st place, qualifying for the 1925âÂÂ26 Divizia A where they lost the final in front of Chinezul TimiÃÂoara, being led in the first half of the season by coach Motoroi and in the second by György Hlavay who according to journalist Ioan ChirilÃÂ's book, "Zile ÃÂi nopÃÂi pe stadion" (Days and nights at the stadium) is considered by Romania's coach at the 1930 World Cup, Constantin RÃÂdulescu to be the first coach that brought modern training sessions on the fields of Bucharest.
Their first national title came six years after their establishment, being led in the first half of the season by coach Gyula Feldmann and in the second by Hlavay, as the team won another Bucharest regional championship, qualifying for the 1929âÂÂ30 Divizia A where they won the final with a 3âÂÂ0 victory against Gloria Arad with goals scored by László Raffinsky, Ion Maior and Carlo Melchior, the team used being: Dumitru Bacinschi â Constantin Deleanu, Sile Georgescu â ÃÂtefan Wetzer, Emerich Vogl, Tibor Remeny â Gyula Dobo, Carlo Melchior, Rudolf Wetzer, László Raffinsky, Ion Maior. After the reorganization of the Romanian division structure, the club played seven consecutive campaigns in the Divizia A, from 1933 to 1940. Following World War II, they were promoted once again to the top tier, having finished first in the final Divizia B season prior to the outbreak of war. The club played its last campaign as Juventus in 1946âÂÂ47, after which the name was changed numerous times to DistribuÃÂia, Petrolul, Competrol, Partizanul and FlacÃÂra respectively.
FlacÃÂra BucureÃÂti was moved to PloieÃÂti in 1952, and renamed accordingly. Coach Ilie Oanàtook charge of the team at the half of the 1952 season, but he couldn't manage to spare his team from relegation. He would, however, reach the cup final, lost against CCA BucureÃÂti 0âÂÂ2. In 1957âÂÂ58, the team became champion of Romania for the second time in its history, despite having the same number of points as CCA BucureÃÂti and ÃÂtiinÃÂa TimiÃÂoara. That was also the season when the present-day name of Petrolul PloieÃÂti was adopted.
In the autumn of 1958, Petrolul made its debut in the European Cup and faced Wismut Karl Marx Stadt of East Germany in the preliminary round. After a 4âÂÂ2 away loss in Aue, the club managed to level on aggregate with a 2âÂÂ0 victory in Romania. Wismut Karl Marx Stadt qualified further after winning the play-off 4âÂÂ0 in Kyiv. The first part of the 1958âÂÂ59 Divizia A saw Petrolul on the fourth place in the table, but with several good results which followed the team clinched its second consecutive league championship. They were once again unable to go further than the preliminary round of the European Cup, Austrian side Wiener Sport-Club defeating them 1âÂÂ2 on aggregate.
On 14 July 1963 Petrolul's player Constantin Tabarcea collapsed and died during a Divizia A match against Dinamo BacÃÂu. One week later after his death Petrolul won the 1962âÂÂ63 Cupa României with 6âÂÂ1 against Siderurgistul GalaÃÂi and before the game, at the team photo, the place from the down row in front of goalkeeper Mihai Ionescu was left free in the memory of Tabarcea. In 1965, head coach Ilie Oanàleft Petrolul for the Romania national team, and assistant Constantin CernÃÂianu took over the vacant place. At his first season, CernÃÂianu achieved the club's fourth Divizia A trophy after finishing six points ahead of Rapid BucureÃÂti. 12 October 1966 has remained an important date in the history of the team; after a 0âÂÂ2 away defeat, Petrolul won 3âÂÂ1 at home against the champions of England, Liverpool. The third match in Brussels was difficult, and "the Reds" went ahead in the European Cup.
After that period of great form, Petrolul began a period of decline and although the club remained in the first division for many years later, only the 1995 Romanian Cup final reminded their supporters about the years of glory. In 1970, the oilmen finished the first part of the championship on the 2nd place, but it lost that place until the end of the season. 1969âÂÂ70, 1971âÂÂ72 were seasons in which Petrolul was at only one step from relegation. After a "resuscitation" (1972âÂÂ73, 15th place occupied after five rounds, the 4th place at the beginning of the winter break), 1973 was quite weak year. In 1974, the people from PloieÃÂti suspected a match fixed between Argeà  PiteÃÂti and CFR Cluj, in favor of the team from Cluj-Napoca, it was supposed that Petrolul officials have tried to financially stimulate the host, but the authorities discovered the plan and the team has discreetly relegated to Divizia B, this happened in the conditions in which in 1963 Prahova PloieÃÂti and CarpaÃÂi Sinaia, other two teams from Prahova County were relegated by the Romanian Football Federation to Divizia B due to match-fixing.
Arrived in the second division, the most valuable footballers of the club, Crângaà Âu and RÃÂmureanu left and after 3 rounds the team was the last. The yellow wolves recovered later, but the local coaches did not have the value of Ilie OanÃÂ, who also went to Politehnica IaÃÂi, then to Universitatea Craiova, Petrolul remaining in some kind of mediocrity. In January 1976, the club brought in Valentin StÃÂnescu to be the coach, and the team tried to promote but lost a home game against FC BrÃÂila. After the game, the supporters showed their dissatisfaction with Dinulescu's refereeing, throwing various objects from the stands. FCM Galaà £i then strengthened its nickname as an "ABBA" team (a nickname used in Romania for clubs that frequently alternated between the first and second divisions), promoting in front of Petrolul that year and relegating after only one season in the top flight of Romanian football.
Instead, Petrolul had an exceptional 1976âÂÂ77 season, with 15 wins and 2 draws in the first part of the campaign, finishing in 1st place, far ahead of 2nd place Gloria BuzÃÂu. The squad included Gh. Constantin, Mîrzea, Gh. Dumitrescu, Sotir, Ene, Butufei, I. Constantin, Ionescu, Angelescu, N. Florian, Simaciu, NegoiÃÂÃÂ, D. Georgescu, Fl. Dumitrescu, Pantea, Toporan, State, PisÃÂu, MînÃÂstire, and Manolache.
Unfortunately, the players born in the Prahova County did not have enough experience and at the end of the 1977âÂÂ78 Divizia A season it was ranked only 17th and relegated back. The immediate promotion was forbidden by Viitorul Scorniceà Âti, the football club from the native town of Nicolae CeauÃÂescu, which was strongly pushed forward to Divizia A by the communist authorities, in power at the time, a concrete proof being that FC Olt promoted from Divizia C after an 18âÂÂ0 victory against the team ranked 15th, while FlacÃÂra Moreni won only 2âÂÂ1, in a match played at the same hour, against ROVA RoÃÂiori.
The 1979âÂÂ80 season had also been disappointing for Petrolul. Rapid BucureÃÂti and Progresul BucureÃÂti battled for first place, while Metalul Plopeni, the kingmaker, defeated Rapid in Bucharest but lost to Progresul. In 1980, Petrolul appointed Traian Ionescu as their new coach, a highly experienced manager who had previously led clubs like Dinamo BucureÃÂti and Fenerbahçe. However, another challenge threatened Petrolul's promotion dreams. That year, CS TârgoviÃÂte made a sensational signing: Nicolae Dobrin, nicknamed "The Gander" or "The Prince of Trivale," one of the most important figures in Romanian football, joined TârgoviÃÂte after spending 19 years in PiteÃÂti. Dobrin played a decisive role in his team's promotion, thwarting the plans of the Yellow Wolves. In 1982, after spending most of the previous eight seasonsâÂÂincluding four consecutive yearsâÂÂin the second league, Petrolul finally surpassed their great rival Rapid and returned to Divizia A.
The 1982âÂÂ83 Divizia A season, was a one full of emotions, avoiding the relegation was the target in the mind of everyone at each of the games played by the team. 1983âÂÂ84 season send Petrolul back to Divizia B again, but promotion came after a victory at GalaÃÂi against DunÃÂrea, former FCM, the team which forbidding the promotion of the oilmen, ten years earlier. In 1987, the yellow and blues signed another coach, a former team player from years of glory, Constantin Moldoveanu. But Moldoveanu did not have in the squad the players who won against Steaua BucureÃÂti or Liverpool in the glory times and Petrolul relegated back to the second league. September 1988 brought Ion Radu as the new chairman, helped by Mihai Cristache. The two were often criticized of the post-revolutionary press, but they did some performances like in the times of Mircea Dridea and Mihai Ionescu. Petrolul promoted in 1989 and finished on the 4th place in its first season, helped also by the dissolution (in the winter of 1990) of Victoria BucureÃÂti, club sponsored by the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs (the "MiliÃÂia", Police), institution under the former Communist regime.
Petrolul finished the 1989âÂÂ90 Divizia A on the fourth place, after having just returned from the second division in 1989. Therefore, it qualified for the UEFA Cup along with Universitatea Craiova and Politehnica TimiÃÂoara. "The Yellow Wolves" played against Belgian club Anderlecht, which won both legs. At the end of the 1990âÂÂ91 season, Petrolul finished 7th and in the Romanian Cup they were eliminated in the second round proper by their bitter rivals Steaua BucureÃÂti.
In the summer of 1991 the club changed its name to FC PloieÃÂti, but made a very weak season, finishing only 10th in the top flight and in the Romanian Cup, the squad was eliminated again in the second round proper, this time by FC U Craiova. At the end of the season FC PloieÃÂti changed its name back to Petrolul PloieÃÂti. "The Oilmen" saved from relegation in the last moment at the end of the 1992âÂÂ93 season, finishing 16th out of 18, with two points over Selena BacÃÂu and four over CSM ReÃÂiÃÂa. Next season, coach Marin Ion and his players made a very good season and finished in the top 5, more exactly on the 5th place, one point over Farul ConstanÃÂa, at the same number of points with 4th place (Rapid BucureÃÂti), two points behind 3rd place (Dinamo BucureÃÂti) and three points behind 2nd place (FC U Craiova). In the Romanian Cup, "the Yellow Wolves" were eliminated in the second round proper by Inter Sibiu.
In the 1994âÂÂ95 season, despite a mediocre league result (10th place), coached by the same Marin Ion, Petrolul won the 1994âÂÂ95 Cupa României after defeating their rivals, Rapid BucureÃÂti, at the penalty shootout and qualified for the 1995âÂÂ96 UEFA Cup. The team included the following players: Preda â D.ChiriÃÂÃÂ, Grigore, RÃÂchità(C), BÃÂlÃÂceanu â Leahu, Grama, Pârlog, AbÃÂluà £Ã â Zmoleanu, Zafiris. 1995âÂÂ96 season was started by "the Yellow and Blues" on 3 fronts, League, Cup and UEFA Cup. In the European competition they eliminated Welsh side Wrexham, in the first round, after a 0âÂÂ0 on the Racecourse Ground and 1âÂÂ0 victory on the Ilie OanàStadium, goal scored by Pârlog in the 60th minute. The slow start would announce the early elimination, in the second round, when Austrian side Rapid Wien won 3âÂÂ1 on aggregate after a 3âÂÂ1 on the Gerhard Hanappi Stadium and a 0âÂÂ0 draw in PloieÃÂti. In the league Petrolul ended again in the top half of the table, on the 6th place and in the cup, was eliminated in the quarter-finals, by NaÃÂional BucureÃÂti, at the penalty shootout.
In the following years Petrolul occupied the following positions at the end of the championship: 1996âÂÂ97 â 9th, 1997âÂÂ98 â 14th, 1998âÂÂ99 â 8th and 1999âÂÂ2000 â 11th. The late 1990s have been marked by the fierce rivalry with Astra PloieÃÂti, a team that promoted in the first league in 1998.
In the early 2000s, Petrolul entered under the ownership of Petrom's trade union president, Liviu Luca, and ploieÃÂtenii have a peak at the end of the 2000âÂÂ01 Divizia A, when the team finished on the 2nd place. But the collapse followed. In 2002, the yellow and blues relegated to Divizia B and the city of PloieÃÂti, which had 2 teams in Divizia A between 1998 and 2002, remained in the first league only with Astra, a club which had no presence in the top-flight of the Romanian football until 1998. The oilmen promoted back to Divizia A in 2003, after only one season in the second league, but only at one month after promotion, the club's management announced that the funding of the club is under question. In less than 30 days supporters have been announced that there will be a merger between Petrolul Ploieà Âti and Astra Ploieà Âti.
Astra Ploieà Âti changed its name to Petrolul Ploieà Âti and in July 2003 Petrolul PloieÃÂti was unaffiliated from the Romanian Football Federation, leaving a vacant place in the first league, which was finally occupied by OÃÂelul GalaÃÂi, team that lost in that summer a relegation play-out against the second league team FC Oradea. On 28 July 2003, Astra Ploieà Âti changed its name to FC Petrolul Ploieà Âti, with Florin Bercea and Ioan Niculae as the owners of the newly formed entity and also the new home becoming Astra Stadium. This alternative was chosen because at that time Petrolul Ploieà Âti was a nonprofit association and according to the Law of Sport it should have been transformed into SA and a merger with Astra Ploieà Âti in order to create a new company would have lasted at least seven months. These legal formalities have sometimes been interpreted as a proof of the dissolution of Petrolul, but such an interpretation is wrong because this club took over, according to FRF, Petrolul brand and record.
At the end of the 2003âÂÂ04 Divizia A season, Petrolul relegated to Divizia B, and due to some differences in the ownership, Ioan Niculae gives up the 50% that he held within the club, these were split between Liviu Luca, Florin Bercea and Eduard Alexandru. Subsequently, Ioan Niculae refounded Astra and the new club is considered by LPF as the legal successor of the club before the 2003 merger, strengthening the idea that the 2003 merger result is the successor of the old Petrolul, not Astra. Petrolul also moved back to its old ground, Ilie OanàStadium, in the summer of 2004. The 2004 relegation was followed by a black period for the yellow wolves, with seven consecutive Liga II season. In the 2004âÂÂ05 season the club finished on the 4th place at 7 points from the promotion place, occupied at that time by Pandurii Târgu Jiu. 2005âÂÂ06 season brought an extra chance, as a result of the restructuring of the first league from 16 to 18 teams, from the second league could also promote the 2nd place via a play-off tournament, but Petrolul finished only on the 3rd place at 3 points from the 2nd place, occupied by Unirea Urziceni, team that would promote and write history in the Romanian football.
In 2006, Petrolul ownership decided that the home games should be played on FlacÃÂra Stadium from Moreni or MogoÃÂoaia Stadium, motivating the move by the fact that the old Ilie OanàStadium required repair and modernization work. On 12 October 2006, the supporters organized a protest in the city center of PloieÃÂti, asking for the team to be transferred from the private ownership to the PloieÃÂti Municipality and to return on its own home ground. Despite these internal problems Petrolul made a good season, but ended again just below the promotion line, on the 3rd place. The end of the 2007âÂÂ08 season found the yellow and blues on the 3rd place again, increasing the frustration among supporters and players, 5 points split the team from the 2nd place, a promotable one. Next season, 2008âÂÂ09 was a disastrous one, Petrolul finished on 4th place, but at great distance from the 2nd (Astra, named FC PloieÃÂti at that time) and 1st place (CeahlÃÂul Piatra NeamÃÂ), 22 points respectively 23 points, also with a tense situation at the administrative level and with not many options on the horizon.
In 2009 the team was taken over by PloieÃÂti Municipality and Valeriu RÃÂchitÃÂ, former player of the team, was reconfirmed as the head coach, the squad being also restructured with many young players and after a great campaign in which the hope of promotion was alive until the last second, Petrolul finished 3rd, at only 1 point from the promotion spot, occupied by Sportul StudenÃÂesc, which led to a terrible disappointment, making the PloieÃÂti people to wonder whether the team was followed by bad luck. Petrolul started the 2010âÂÂ11 season with important changes, the young squad has been completed with some experienced players as Pompiliu Stoica, Florentin Dumitru or Daniel OpriÃÂa and moved for its home matches on Conpet Stadium from Strejnicu, near PloieÃÂti, facilitating easier access for the supporters, new Ilie OanàStadium, being still in construction, also the team was moved from the first to the second series of the second league and after a heavy fight in 3 teams, against FC Bihor Oradea and CS Mioveni, Petrolul promoted from the 1st place, 1 point ahead FC Bihor, team that also occupied a promotable place after 7 consecutive Liga II seasons and 2 points ahead CS Mioveni, which subsequently promoted by taking advantage of the financial problems of FC Bihor. The promotion coincided with the inauguration of the new stadium, all of these brought a great enthusiasm among the Petrolul supporters, players and staff.
Under the management of Cosmin Contra, their second season since return saw them finishing third in the league table, as well as claiming the national cup for the third time in their history. Consequently, Petrolul earned a spot in the second qualifying round of the 2013âÂÂ14 UEFA Europa League, with the club playing its first European match since 1995. After defeating VÃÂkingur Gøta and Vitesse Arnhem, they were eliminated in the play-off round by Swansea City.
The team received consistent media attention after signing former Romanian internationals Adrian Mutu and Ianis Zicu in January 2014, a move which would later be considered a "failure". During the same month, it was announced that German automobile manufacturer Opel would become Petrolul's shirt sponsor. PetroliÃÂtii had the chance to qualify for their second consecutive Cupa României final, but lost the semi-final against rivals Astra Giurgiu 2âÂÂ1 on aggregate. Petrolul came third in the Liga I once more, while the fans challenged RÃÂzvan Lucescu, considering that he wasn't a suitable replacement for Contra, who left Petrolul in March to join Spanish side Getafe.
In the next season's European participation, "the Yellow Wolves" confronted Czech club Viktoria Plzeà  in the Europa League third qualifying round. After a draw in PloieÃÂti, Petrolul impressively beat Viktoria scoring four goals and conceding only one. However, Petrolul yet again missed the chance of advancing to the group stage after losing the play-off against Dinamo Zagreb. In September 2014, head coach Lucescu was sacked and Mutu left the club as a free agent. On 25 November, president Daniel CaprÃÂ, general director Marius Bucuroiu and five other persons faced preventive detention for 24 hours, being suspected of tax evasion and money laundering. The criminal offences made by the club's officials caused Petrolul to lose important players and face a period of instability. In February 2015, the club went into administration and eventually finished the season on the sixth place in Liga I.
More players left the club in the summer of 2015 and coach changes became frequent. Petrolul quickly landed on the last place in the league table, where it stayed until the last game of the season. Finally, in the summer of 2016 the team was declared bankrupt.
After the team was dissolved in 2016 as a result of the SC FC Petrolul SA joint-stock company bankruptcy, club legends and supporter groups associated to promptly reestablish it under the name of ACS Petrolul 52 PloieÃÂti and enroll it in the Liga A Prahova (Liga IV), the fourth tier of the Romanian league system. During early 2017, French transnational company Veolia became the financial partner of the club by joining the association.
In June 2017, ACS Petrolul 52 leased the club brand identity from the Municipality of PloieÃÂti for â¬30,000 and began using the former name of FC Petrolul PloieÃÂti. The team managed back-to-back promotions and reached the second division in the summer of 2018. After three failed attempts to return to the Liga I and with worsening competitive results each year, Veolia stopped fully financing Petrolul and only offered to become a sponsor from the 2021âÂÂ22 season, a position from which it also withdrew at the start of 2022.
In spite of the economic issues that arose from Veolia's departure, the squad led by head coach Nicolae Constantin managed to end the Liga II campaign as champions. Petrolul finished on the eighth place in the regular season of the 2022âÂÂ23 Liga I, and thus started the relegation play-outs from the second place. In March 2023, the association of former players which controlled the club stepped down and former CFR Cluj and Universitatea Craiova president Marian Copilu was announced as the new owner. Petrolul also finished the 2022âÂÂ23 season on the eighth place overall.
From the 2024âÂÂ25 season, Petrolul re-established a reserve team through a partnership with Daniel ChiriÃÂÃÂ, owner of Liga IV club Petrolul 95 PloieÃÂti. The squad was enrolled in the third league and plays at the Stadionul Conpet in Strejnic.
Petrolul PloieÃÂti plays its home matches at the Ilie OanÃÂ Stadium. Ranked as a UEFA Category 4 stadium, it can host UEFA Europa League semi-finals and UEFA Champions League group stage matches. It was inaugurated in September 2011 and has a current capacity of 15,073 spectators. The construction was raised on the site of the former Ilie OanÃÂ Stadium, which was completed in 1937, and is named after Ilie OanÃÂ, the most important coach in Petrolul's history.
Petrolul PloieÃÂti has a large and steady fan base in Prahova County and its attachment to the team is renowned in Romania, in spite of the ups and downs.
The biggest ultras group is called Lupii Galbeni ("the Yellow Wolves") since 1996, and there are two stands with groups like Peluza LatinÃÂ ("The Latin Stand"), with subgroups like Knot04, United or Maniacs, and the Peluza 1 Ilie OanÃÂ ("Peluza 1 Ilie OanÃÂ stand") with subgroups like Hooligans, Young Hooligans, Contrasens, Lethalgang or Zona Vest. Other supporter associations, such as Liga Suporterilor Constantin Tabarcea (LSCT), AsociaÃÂia Diaspora Galben AlbastrÃÂ (ADGA), T2 or Young Wolves are located in the Second Stand of the stadium. Before and during matches, they sing the club's chant, whose lyrics were written by George Nicolescu.
Petrolul PloieÃÂti fans have recently established close friendships with the supporters of fellow league club OÃÂelul GalaÃÂi, as well as with the ones of foreign clubs Vitesse, Salernitana, and Genk.
Petrolul PloieÃÂti's traditional rival is Rapid BucureÃÂti. They faced for the first time on 11 November 1931, when Juventus BucureÃÂti tied CFR BucureÃÂti 3âÂÂ3 at home, on the Stadionul Romcomit, and have maintained a strong rivalry despite long periods of not meeting when one or the other were playing in the second division. In the 1965âÂÂ66 season, Petrolul won the Liga I while Rapid finished second. The following year, Rapid won its first national title after a match played on the old Ilie OanàStadium; these events are believed to have ignited the rivalry further. Due to the fact that this rivalry is the oldest for Romanian teams still active, it entered into the collective consciousness as the Primvs derby (Latin for "first" or "foremost").
Petrolul maintained a milder rivalry with the defunct Astra Giurgiu, its former local enemy. Astra promoted for the first time to the Liga I in 1998 and played in PloieÃÂti until September 2012, when it was moved to Giurgiu. Even after relocation, the rivalry continued between the governances of the clubs, until Astra folded in October 2022.
Petrolul fans also hold grudges against the other historically prosperous Bucharest teams, namely FCSB, Dinamo, and CSA Steaua. They sometimes chant against them even outside of direct matches.
Petrolul PloieÃÂti has participated in eight editions of the club competitions governed by UEFA, the chief authority for football across Europe, and 12 editions of European competitions overall.
Notable wins
The footballers enlisted below have had international caps for their respective countries at junior and/or senior level and/or more than 100 caps for FC Petrolul PloieÃÂti.
From the 2020âÂÂ21 season, Romanian first league clubs have been required to field women's football teams to secure a licence from the Romanian Football Federation (FRF), including registering at least 20 players for the U15 Women's National Championship. Since the 2021âÂÂ22 season, clubs must also enter a women's team in a senior championship (1st, 2nd, or 3rd league). From 2022âÂÂ23, this mandate expanded to include 20 U15 players, 15 U13 players, and a senior team. In 2022âÂÂ23, Petrolul PloieÃÂti partnered with ACS Student Sport Alba Iulia to compete in the women's third league under Petrolul's name, while its PloieÃÂti-based junior and senior teams played only friendly matches.
In 2023âÂÂ24, Petrolul ended this partnership and established its first official women's team in the Women's third League, playing at the Vega, Soceram PleaÃÂa, and Chimia Brazi stadiums in PloieÃÂti. After the FRF restructured the women's leagues, Petrolul was invited to join the women's second league for the 2024âÂÂ25 season.