FC RFS

FC RFS (not to be confused with the very similarly named Rīgas Futbola Skola, the city of Rīga school of football, founded in 1962) is a professional Latvian football competing in Virslīga since 2016. They are the second most valuable club in Virslīga as per Transfermakt data, three-time Latvian Champions and three-time Latvian Cup winners. FC RFS are the first club from Latvia to play in UEFA Conference League group stages (in 2022), the second Latvian club to play in the Europa league (2024), and the only club from the Baltics to play in the main stages of a major European club competition more than once.

The origins of FC RFS can be traced back to the junior team (JFC) of the legendary Skonto FC. In 2003, the then head coach of JFC Skonto, Vladimirs Beļajevs, took his youngsters and left Skonto to start his own academy called Daugava. Two years later, they founded a professional football club “FSK Daugava 90”. In 2008, FSK Daugava 90 earned promotion to the Virslīga and rebranded to “FK Daugava” but did not manage to stay up and got relegated in 2009. In 2011, FK Daugava changed name again, this time to “Rīgas Futbola Skola”, successfully competing in the second tier of Latvian football until 2015, when they finished third but were given promotion to the Virslīga because Skonto FC had gone bankrupt and dropped out, thus vacating an extra slot.

Owing to these fortunes, the club was acquired by a major Latvian construction and development company, LNK Industries, and rebranded once more to emerge as “FC RFS”, the club we know and love today. RFS debut in the Virslīga in 2016, finishing 6th, and gradually grew from there to secure their first title, the Latvian Cup, in 2019 and their first Virslīga two years later. On the back of their first Championship, RFS qualified for the group stages of the Conference League the following year, thus bringing an end to a 13 year wait since a club from Latvia last player in the group stages of a European tournament (FK Ventspils in 09/10 Europa League).

RFS are known for their patient and gradual approach to club development. They are conservative on the transfer market, prioritise financial sustainability by maintaining a significant positive balance of trade, do not change coaches very often (Viktors Morozs is in charge since 2020), and generally take a long, strategic approach to growth.

This philosophy is also echoed in their fan club, the Riverside Lions, who emphasise quality over quantity and actively work with the local community to build momentum around what is, by all accounts, a very young club.

The club is owned by a Latvian businessman Artjoms Milovs and one of the most legendary Latvian players of all time, Māris Verpakovskis, is the general director since 2018.