ÃÂaykur Rizespor Kulübü is a Turkish professional football club based in Rize, a city on the eastern Black Sea coast. The team competes in the Süper Lig, the top tier of Turkish football. The club was originally founded on 19 May 1953, with its initial colors being green and yellow, representing the regionâÂÂs connection to tea and citrus farming. Later the colors changed to green and blue.
In 1968, Rizespor merged with two other local clubs, Fener Gençlik and Güneà Âspor, leading to a reorganization of the club and the adoption of green and blue as its official colorsâÂÂgreen representing the hills of Rize and blue symbolizing the Black Sea. The club has maintained these colors ever since.
Since 1990, Rizespor has been sponsored by the Turkish state-owned tea company ÃÂaykur, leading to the official name change to ÃÂaykur Rizespor Kulübü. This partnership also influenced the clubâÂÂs visual identity, with a tea leaf becoming the central element of the clubâÂÂs crest.
ÃÂaykur Rizespor plays its home matches at Rize City Stadium, a newer facility located near the coast.
Modern football in the city predates ÃÂaykur Rizespor and grew out of two neighbourhood clubs formed in the immediate aftermath of World War I. Rize ðdman Yurdu was the first organised sports club in Rize. It was established by local youths still recovering from the war years and was officially inaugurated on the first anniversary of the cityâÂÂs liberation from occupation.
Guidance from officials such as Suphi Bey (then stationed in Rize) and senior security officer ðsmail Kentay helped the group to secure a small two-room clubhouse next to the Rize Municipality building. In addition to football and gymnastics, the club maintained a music branch that later evolved into the Rize City Band; the instruments were donated by deputy Süleyman Sudi SofoÃÂlu, Member of Parliament for Lazistan.
A second club, à Âark ðdman OcaÃÂñ, began activities on 25 June 1923 out of the venue known as BarÃ±à  Oteli. Its founding council included Ali Kemal KavrakoÃÂlu, Rñfkñ TuzcuoÃÂlu, ðshak TurnaoÃÂlu, Hamdullah à ÂadoÃÂlu, Hasan Biber, Riyazi Diren and Kamil Karadeniz. Despite the cityâÂÂs conservative social climate at the time, à Âark ðdman OcaÃÂñ quickly built a loyal following and became a focal point for RizeâÂÂs growing sports culture.
The rivalry between the two clubs produced the cityâÂÂs first regular derbies. Contemporary press records note an early meeting on 7 November 1923, when à Âark ðdman OcaÃÂñ defeated Rize ðdman Yurdu 1âÂÂ0; the referee was Captain ðsmet Bey of the 7th Regiment, then stationed in Rize. These community teams laid the organisational and cultural groundwork from which the cityâÂÂs later professional structure and ultimately ÃÂaykur Rizespor emerged.
In the early years, à Âark ðdman OcaÃÂñ and Rize ðdman Yurdu shaped the cityâÂÂs game and its first local rivalry. Contemporary reports show the sides meeting regularly and arranging exhibition trips to neighbouring football centres such as Trabzon and Samsun, helping spread the sport along the eastern Black Sea coast.
Beyond football, both associations promoted gymnastics and general physical education; prominent organisers included Suphi Bey, who devoted particular energy to this branch. à Âark ðdman OcaÃÂñ maintained its activities for roughly two years, while Rize ðdman Yurdu evolved through several stages of reorganisation and later provided the platform for the cityâÂÂs subsequent club structures (including what would become Rize Fener Gençlik Kulübü), thereby preserving the footballing continuity that ultimately led to the foundation of ÃÂaykur Rizespor.
Rizespor were founded in Rize on 19 May 1953 the 34th anniversary of the Independence Day âÂÂto enhance the physical and cultural abilities of local youthâÂÂ. The founding committee included Yakup Temizel, Atñf TaviloÃÂlu, Bilsel, Yaà Âar TümbeçkioÃÂlu and Muharrem Kürkçü; Yaà Âar DömekçioÃÂlu served as the first president. The original club colours were yellow and green: âÂÂyellowâ for the oranges and lemons then plentiful in the city, and âÂÂgreenâ symbolising tea, which remains the emblem of Rize today.
From 1953 to 1968 the team competed as amateurs, with many of the provinceâÂÂs leading players wearing the clubâÂÂs shirt. In 1968, a revised statute brought professional status through a merger with Rize Güneà Âspor, Rizegücü and Fener Gençlik; the restructured club adopted the blue-green (mavi-yeà Âil) colours to reflect the Black Sea and the tea fields, and were admitted to the TFF 2. Lig.
In their first professional campaign Rizespor missed out on promotion after a disciplinary ruling that awarded a 3âÂÂ0 forfeit to Sivasspor and deducted two points from Rizespor, with Tarsus ðdman Yurdu promoted instead. After a brief return to the amateur ranks they won the TFF 2. Lig in 1978âÂÂ79 and earned the clubâÂÂs first promotion to the TFF 1. Lig.
On 9 February 1991 an extraordinary general assembly approved a merger with the state tea company ÃÂaykur, after which the professional football section continued as âÂÂÃÂaykur RizesporâÂÂ.
Rizespor were relegated from the Süper Lig in 2001âÂÂ02, but returned at the first attempt the following season via the TFF First League (then 1. Lig). They remained at the top level through 2003âÂÂ04, but dropped again at the end of 2007âÂÂ08.
Between 2008 and 2013 the club competed in the First League, finishing runners-up in 2012âÂÂ13 to secure promotion back to the Süper Lig after five seasons away. Relegation followed in 2016âÂÂ17, but Rizespor immediately won the 2017âÂÂ18 First League title and returned once more to the top flight.
The 2020âÂÂ21 campaign brought significant coaching changes: the club parted with Stjepan Tomas in November, appointed Marius ÃÂumudicàbriefly, and closed the season under Bülent Uygun, finishing 13th on 48 points; in the Turkish Cup they exited in the round of 16 against Beà Âiktaà Â. Relegation came in 2021âÂÂ22 after a 17th-place finish, but the team finished second in 2022âÂÂ23 to win immediate promotion.
On 13 June 2023 the club appointed ðlhan Palut as head coach after the departure of Bülent Korkmaz. PalutâÂÂs first season (2023âÂÂ24) ended with a 9th-place finish on 50 points, the clubâÂÂs best Süper Lig tally since their 2018âÂÂ19 campaign. In May 2024 the board confirmed PalutâÂÂs continuation into 2024âÂÂ25 with a medium-term sporting plan centred on academy development and targeted free-transfer acquisitions.
Beyond football, in February 2015 the club announced a multi-branch programme adding womenâÂÂs football and 19 other disciplines (including basketball, handball, volleyball, rowing and athletics) to its structure as part of a broader community strategy.
RizesporâÂÂs principal rivalry is with Trabzonspor, and meetings between the sides are commonly billed in the Turkish press as the Karadeniz derbisi (Black Sea derby). The pairing draws on geographic proximity on the eastern Black Sea coast, regular league meetings since the 1970s and extensive away support travelling along the coastal highway. Local and national media routinely frame the match as a regional showcase fixture and note the heightened match-day security measures that accompany it.
A second traditional rivalry links Rizespor with Giresunspor and is often referred to as the DoÃÂu Karadeniz derbisi. The two coastal neighbours have contested promotions and relegations across the First and Second League eras, and both clubsâ supporter groupsâÂÂRizesporâÂÂs Yeà Âil-Mavililer and GiresunsporâÂÂs ÃÂotanaklar treat the fixture as a regional supremacy match.
Rizespor also share competitive, travel-friendly rivalries with fellow Black Sea clubs Samsunspor and with inland neighbours Erzurumspor, borne out of frequent clashes in the First League and high away followings on both sides.
For most of their professional history Rizespor played at the old Rize Atatürk Stadium, a compact, seaside ground close to the city centre. Opened in the 1950s and repeatedly refurbished, it served as the clubâÂÂs home through promotions and relegations alike and was a regular venue for Black Sea derbies until it was decommissioned in the late 2000s as part of a wider urban renewal scheme.
Since the 2009âÂÂ10 season the club have hosted home matches at the new Rize City Stadium on the cityâÂÂs western outskirts. The venue initially known as New Rize City Stadium was inaugurated on 12 August 2009 with an opening match against Fenerbahçe. The all-seater stadium has a capacity of about 15,500, modern hospitality areas and full roof coverage; the playing surface is a hybrid natural grass system designed to cope with the regionâÂÂs heavy rainfall.
In 2015 the facilityâÂÂs naming rights were acquired by the state tea producer ÃÂAYKUR and the ground has since been marketed as the ÃÂaykur Didi Stadyumu in league publications.
Rizespor supporters are commonly known as the Atmacalar (âÂÂHawksâÂÂ), a nickname that reflects the club crescent. On match days at the ÃÂaykur Didi Stadium, groups traditionally gather behind each goalâÂÂone end facing the sea and the other the mountain sideâÂÂwhile families and season-ticket holders occupy the lateral stands.
Formed in 2006, Rotasñzlar is one of the most visible ultra groups. After initially spreading across several sections, the group settled behind the goal at the sea-side end of the new stadium. Rotasñzlar are associated with the Askoroz area of the city and are known for continual, 90-minute vocal support, drums and large choreographies.
Established in 2013 as an umbrella platform bringing together newly created sub-groups, the Atmacalar tribün unites younger supporters behind common songs and visual displays. The initiative aimed to coordinate away-day travel and stadium choreography and to reduce inter-group rivalry within the home stands.
Founded in 1999, Mekansñzlar traditionally occupy the goal end on the mountain side of the ground. Composed largely of experienced names from the clubâÂÂs supporter culture, they are noted for disciplined capo-led chants and for the banner âÂÂDaÃÂdibi Cehennemiâ (âÂÂHell of DaÃÂdibiâÂÂ), a reference to the neighbourhood below the hillside stand.
Together these groups shape the clubâÂÂs home atmosphere: coordinated tifos for key fixtures, continuous call-and-response songs, and corteos through the city centre on match days. While each maintains its own identity, they typically cooperate for major derbies and relegation or promotion deciders to present a single, unified end.
Before the 1968 merger, RizesporâÂÂs colors were green and yellow, while Fener Gençlik wore yellow and navy blue, and Güneà Âspor used yellow and red. When the three clubs united to form a single team, new colors were chosen to represent their shared identity. Inspired by nature, green was chosen to symbolize RizeâÂÂs rich greenery, and blue to represent the Black Sea. Since then, Rizespor has used green and blue (yeà Âil-mavi) as its official colors.
RizesporâÂÂs crest has changed several times over the years, reflecting both the clubâÂÂs development and its strong connection to the Rize region. The earliest logos featured the initials âÂÂRSKâ (Rize Spor Kulübü) with the colors green and yellow, representing two of the areaâÂÂs most well-known products: tea and citrus. Later designs replaced the initials with the full name âÂÂRizesporâ and adopted the green and blue color scheme.
A key element that has remained in every version of the crest is the tea leaf, which symbolizes the regionâÂÂs deep ties to tea production. Over time, the design of the crest became more modern and simple, with cleaner lines and updated fonts. After the club merged with ÃÂaykur, the name was changed to âÂÂÃÂaykur Rizespor KulübüâÂÂ, and this was reflected in the crest. The tea leaf became more stylized, and red lettering was added to give the design a fresh and recognizable look.
Despite changes in design over the years, the core identity of the crestâÂÂthe tea leaf and the green-blue color combinationâÂÂhas stayed the same, showing RizesporâÂÂs strong link to the culture, nature, and people of Rize.
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In February 2015 the club announced that it would operate as a multi-branch sports organisation attached to the ÃÂaykur Rizespor association, adding womenâÂÂs football and 19 additional amateur and semi-professional sections to its structure as part of a broader community strategy.
The programme formally opened or revived teams in basketball, handball, volleyball, athletics, rowing, swimming, wrestling, judo, boxing, table tennis, badminton, tennis, sailing, canoeing, mountaineering, cycling and selected school-age indoor sports, alongside community fitness classes and girlsâ football schools in the city and districts.
Within the same framework the club expanded its youth-academy network through cooperation protocols with local education authorities and municipal sports directorates, prioritising talent identification in RizeâÂÂs coastal and highland towns and offering coaching-education seminars to PE teachers. The multi-sport structure is overseen by the club association rather than the professional football company and is financed through a combination of municipal support, federation grants and club sponsorship income, with the stated aim of broadening participation and creating a pathway from school sport to elite teams representing the province in national leagues.