2024 FK RFS season

FK RFS
2024 season
Chairman	Artjoms Milovs
Manager	Viktors Morozs
Stadium	LNK Sporta Parks
Latvian Higher League	1st
Latvian Cup	Semi-finals
Latvian Supercup	Winners
UEFA Champions League	Second qualifying round
UEFA Europa League	League phase
Top goalscorer	League: Ismaël Diomandé (11); All: Jānis Ikaunieks (16)
Home colours	Away colours
	← 2023

The 2024 season is the 8th season in the history of FK RFS, all of which have come in the Latvian Higher League. In addition to the domestic league, the team is competing in the Latvian Cup, the UEFA Champions League, and the UEFA Europa League.

On 29 August, RFS became the first Baltic club to reach the main stage of the UEFA Europa League.^[1]

Players

As of 15 August 2024^[2]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	LVA	Pāvels Šteinbors
2	DF	LVA	Daniels Balodis
3	FW	NGA	Victor Osuagwu
6	MF	GAM	Alfusainey Jatta
7	FW	CIV	Ismaël Diomandé
8	FW	GEO	Lasha Odisharia
9	MF	LVA	Jānis Ikaunieks
10	FW	BRA	Emerson Deocleciano
11	DF	LVA	Roberts Savaļnieks
13	GK	LVA	Jevgēņijs Ņerugals
15	FW	CMR	Rostand Ndjiki
16	GK	LVA	Sergejs Vilkovs
17	FW	CIV	Cedric Kouadio
18	MF	LVA	Dmitrijs Zelenkovs
21	DF	LVA	Elvis Stuglis
22	FW	SRB	Darko Lemajič
23	DF	ALB	Herdi Prenga


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
24	FW	JPN	Mikaze Nagasawa
25	DF	CZE	Petr Mareš
26	MF	SRB	Stefan Panić
27	MF	FIN	Adam Markhiyev
28	MF	LVA	Dāvis Sedols
30	MF	GAM	Rasid Njie
33	DF	LVA	Dāvis Cucurs
40	GK	CMR	Fabrice Ondoa
43	DF	SVN	Žiga Lipušček (captain)
49	MF	LVA	Mārtiņš Ķigurs
52	DF	LVA	Mārcis Ošs
70	FW	SRB	Dragoljub Savić
77	FW	GEO	Luka Silagadze
97	MF	LVA	Jevgeņijs Miņins
99	MF	LVA	Gļebs Žaleiko
—	MF	LVA	Efraims Valutadatils
—	MF	LVA	Dāvis Sedols

Competitions

Overall record

Competition	First match	Last match	Starting round	Final position	Record
Competition	First match	Last match	Starting round	Final position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
Latvian Higher League	8 March 2024	9 November 2024	Matchday 1		35	29	3	3	102	23	+79	082.86
Latvian Football Cup	13 July 2024	30 October 2024	Round of 16	Winner	4	4	0	0	12	7	+5	100.00
Latvian Super Cup	2 March 2024		Final	Runners-up	1	0	1	0	1	1	+0	000.00
UEFA Champions League	10 July 2024	31 July 2024	First Qualifying Round	Second Qualifying Round	4	2	0	2	8	7	+1	050.00
UEFA Europa League	27 September 2024	TBD	Third Qualifying Round		8	3	2	3	15	10	+5	037.50
Total					52	38	6	8	138	48	+90	073.08

Last updated: 30 October 2024
Source: Competitions

Latvian Higher League

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	RFS (C)	36	29	3	4	103	25	+78	90	Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round
2	Riga	36	27	6	3	99	23	+76	87	Qualification for the Conference League second qualifying round^[a]
3	Auda	36	18	6	12	63	34	+29	60	Qualification for the Conference League first qualifying round
4	Valmiera	36	19	7	10	75	39	+36	55^[b]
5	Daugavpils	36	11	9	16	43	60	−17	42

Source: LFF, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Goal difference; 5) Goals scored; 6) Fair-play ranking; 7) Play-off.^[5]
(C) Champions
Notes:

^ The 2024 Latvian Football Cup winners qualified for the Conference League second qualifying round. Since the cup winners (RFS) qualified based on league position, the Conference League spot was passed to the second-placed team, and the second Conference League first qualifying round spot was passed to the fourth-placed team.
^ On 19 April, Valmiera were deducted three points, with an additional six points and a suspended 25 points deduction being issued on 11 October due to licensing regulation breaches.^[3]^[4]

Latvian Cup

UEFA Champions League

First qualifying round

10 July 2024 (2024-07-10) First leg	RFS	3–0	Larne	LNK Sporta Parks, Riga
19:00 (20:00 EEST)	Ķigurs 30' Balodis 49' Panić 60'	Report^[7]		Attendance: 1,700^[6] Referee: Ondřej Berka (Czech Republic)

17 July 2024 (2024-07-17) Second leg	Larne	0–4 (0–7 agg.)	RFS	Inver Park, Larne
21:00 (20:00 BST)		Report^[9]	Emerson 38' Lemajić 44' Ikaunieks 45+3' Diomandé 56'	Attendance: 2,030^[8] Referee: Gustavo Correia (Portugal)

Second qualifying round

23 July 2024 (2024-07-23) First leg	Bodø/Glimt	4–0	RFS	Aspmyra Stadion, Bodø
17:00	Mikkelsen 2', 76' Saltnes 18' Kapskarmo 40'	Report^[11]		Attendance: 5,427^[10] Referee: Don Robertson (Scotland)

31 July 2024 (2024-07-31) Second leg	RFS	1–3 (1–7 agg.)	Bodø/Glimt	LNK Sporta Parks, Riga
19:00 (20:00 EEST)	Ikaunieks 14'	Report^[13]	Hauge 40' (pen.) Saltnes 82' Høgh 88'	Attendance: 1,678^[12] Referee: Jakob Sundberg (Denmark)

UEFA Europa League

Third qualifying round

8 August 2024 (2024-08-08) First leg	UE Santa Coloma	0–2	RFS	Estadi Nacional, Andorra la Vella
20:00		Report^[15]	Ikaunieks 13' Osuagwu 37'	Attendance: 369^[14] Referee: Yigal Frid (Israel)

14 August 2024 (2024-08-14) Second leg	RFS	7–0 (9–0 agg.)	UE Santa Coloma	LNK Sporta Parks, Riga
18:00 (19:00 EEST)	Ikaunieks 2', 10', 22' Lipušček 17' Osuagwu 44' Ķigurs 67' Mareš 77' (pen.)	Report^[17]		Attendance: 1,614^[16] Referee: Juxhin Xhaja (Albania)

Play-off round

22 August 2024 (2024-08-22) First leg	RFS	2–1	APOEL	LNK Sporta Parks, Riga
19:00 (20:00 EEST)	Kouadio 31' Ikaunieks 45+1' (pen.)	Report^[19]	El-Arabi 52'	Attendance: 1,678^[18] Referee: Aliyar Aghayev (Azerbaijan)

29 August 2024 (2024-08-29) Second leg	APOEL	2–1 (a.e.t.) (3–3 agg.) (2–4 p)	RFS	GSP Stadium, Nicosia
19:00 (20:00 EEST)	Sušić 75' Donis 90+5'	Report^[21]	Ikaunieks 40'	Attendance: 12,988^[20] Referee: Georgi Kabakov (Bulgaria)
	Penalties
	El-Arabi Sarfo Quintillà Dvali		Ikaunieks Lipušček Prenga Panić

League phase

26 September 2024 1	FCSB	v	RFS	Bucharest, Romania
22:00 UTC+3		Report		Stadium: Arena Națională

3 October 2024 2	RFS	v	Galatasaray	Riga, Latvia
19:45 UTC+3		Report		Stadium: Daugava Stadium
Note: RFS will play their home matches at Daugava Stadium, Riga, instead of their regular stadium, LNK Sporta Parks, Riga, which did not meet UEFA requirements.

24 October 2024 3	Eintracht Frankfurt	v	RFS	Frankfurt, Germany
18:45 UTC+2		Report		Stadium: Waldstadion

7 November 2024 4	RFS	v	Anderlecht	Riga, Latvia
22:00 UTC+2		Report		Stadium: Daugava Stadium
Note: RFS will play their home matches at Daugava Stadium, Riga, instead of their regular stadium, LNK Sporta Parks, Riga, which did not meet UEFA requirements.

28 November 2024 5	RFS	v	PAOK	Riga, Latvia
19:45 UTC+2		Report		Stadium: Daugava Stadium
Note: RFS will play their home matches at Daugava Stadium, Riga, instead of their regular stadium, LNK Sporta Parks, Riga, which did not meet UEFA requirements.

12 December 2024 6	Maccabi Tel Aviv	v	RFS	TBD
21:00		Report		Stadium: TBD
Note: Due to the Israel–Hamas war, Israeli teams are required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.

23 January 2025 7	RFS	v	Ajax	Riga, Latvia
22:00 UTC+2		Report		Stadium: Daugava Stadium
Note: RFS will play their home matches at Daugava Stadium, Riga, instead of their regular stadium, LNK Sporta Parks, Riga, which did not meet UEFA requirements.

30 January 2025 8	Dynamo Kyiv	v	RFS	Hamburg, Germany
21:00 UTC+1		Report		Stadium: Volksparkstadion
Note: Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian teams are required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice. Therefore, Dynamo Kyiv will play their home matches at Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, Germany, instead of their regular stadium, Olympic Stadium, Kyiv.

Refences

^ "Historic moment: Riga RFS - the first team from the Baltic states to advance to the main stage of the Europa League". Euro Football. 29 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
^ "Komanda – FK RFS". FK RFS. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
^ "LFF DK 19. aprīļa lēmumi" (in Latvian). Latvian Football Federation. 19 April 2024. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
^ ""Valmiera FC" piemērots sešu punktu sods un 25 punktu nosacīts sods" (in Latvian). Latvian Football Federation. 11 October 2024. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
^ "2024.gada Latvijas Virslīgas futbola čempionāta reglaments" (PDF) (in Latvian). Latvian Football Federation. 27 December 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
^ "RFS vs. Larne" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
^ "RFS vs Larne". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
^ "Larne vs. RFS" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
^ "Larne vs RFS". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
^ "Bodø/Glimt vs. RFS" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 23 July 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
^ "Bodø/Glimt vs RFS". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
^ "RFS vs. Bodø/Glimt" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 31 July 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
^ "RFS vs Bodø/Glimt". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
^ "UE Santa Coloma vs. RFS" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
^ "UE Santa Coloma vs RFS". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
^ "RFS vs. UE Santa Coloma" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
^ "RFS vs UE Santa Coloma". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
^ "RFS vs. APOEL" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 22 August 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
^ "RFS vs APOEL". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
^ "APOEL vs. RFS" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 29 August 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
^ "APOEL vs RFS". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 16 August 2024.

[table_note_res_ECL2Q0.35392166923449-3] The 2024 Latvian Football Cup winners qualified for the Conference League second qualifying round. Since the cup winners (RFS) qualified based on league position, the Conference League spot was passed to the second-placed team, and the second Conference League first qualifying round spot was passed to the fourth-placed team.

[table_hth_VAL0.35392166923449-6] On 19 April, Valmiera were deducted three points, with an additional six points and a suspended 25 points deduction being issued on 11 October due to licensing regulation breaches.^[3]^[4]

[1] "Historic moment: Riga RFS - the first team from the Baltic states to advance to the main stage of the Europa League". Euro Football. 29 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.

[2] "Komanda – FK RFS". FK RFS. Retrieved 30 January 2019.

[4] "LFF DK 19. aprīļa lēmumi" (in Latvian). Latvian Football Federation. 19 April 2024. Retrieved 12 October 2024.

[5] ""Valmiera FC" piemērots sešu punktu sods un 25 punktu nosacīts sods" (in Latvian). Latvian Football Federation. 11 October 2024. Retrieved 12 October 2024.

[7] "2024.gada Latvijas Virslīgas futbola čempionāta reglaments" (PDF) (in Latvian). Latvian Football Federation. 27 December 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2024.

[8] "RFS vs. Larne" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.

[9] "RFS vs Larne". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 25 June 2024.

[10] "Larne vs. RFS" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.

[11] "Larne vs RFS". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 25 June 2024.

[12] "Bodø/Glimt vs. RFS" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 23 July 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.

[13] "Bodø/Glimt vs RFS". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 18 July 2024.

[14] "RFS vs. Bodø/Glimt" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 31 July 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.

[15] "RFS vs Bodø/Glimt". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 18 July 2024.

[16] "UE Santa Coloma vs. RFS" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.

[17] "UE Santa Coloma vs RFS". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 1 August 2024.

[18] "RFS vs. UE Santa Coloma" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.

[19] "RFS vs UE Santa Coloma". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 1 August 2024.

[20] "RFS vs. APOEL" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 22 August 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024.

[21] "RFS vs APOEL". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 16 August 2024.

[22] "APOEL vs. RFS" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 29 August 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.

[23] "APOEL vs RFS". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 16 August 2024.

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