Surf Wiki
Save to docs
sports

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

RK Vardar

Macedonian handball team based in Skopje

RK Vardar
Summary

Macedonian handball team based in Skopje

FieldValue
clubnameРК Вардар 1961
RK Vardar 1961
imageRk-vardar-logo.png
fullnameRakometen klub
Vardar 1961
short nameVardar
foundedin Skopje
groundJane Sandanski Arena
capacity5.800
chairmanMihajlo Mihajlovski
managerIvan Čupić
leagueMacedonian Super League
season2024-25
positionMacedonian Super League,
2nd
websitehttp://www.rkvardar.com.mk/
colour1Redcolour2=Black
pattern_la1_vardar1718h
pattern_b1_vardar1718h
pattern_ra1_vardar1718h
pattern_sh1_southampton2122t
leftarm1FFFFFF
body1FF0000
rightarm1FFFFFF
shorts1000000
pattern_la2_hummelcoreXKwb
pattern_b2_hummelcoreXKSUw
pattern_ra2_hummelcoreXKwb
pattern_sh2_hummelcoreXKbw

the men's handball club

RK Vardar 1961 Vardar 1961 2nd RK Vardar 1961 () is a professional handball club from Skopje, North Macedonia. Vardar is the most successful handball team in the country, having won 15-fifteen national League titles and 17-seventeen League Cup titles. Vardar is also the most successful team in the regional SEHA League, having won five titles and two EHF Champions League titles.

History

RK Vardar was founded in 1961 as a part of the Vardar Sports Club in Skopje, which was founded in 1947.

The RK Grafichar Skopje club was established in 1948, and second only to HC Rabotnichki. In 1961, Grafichar was renamed Vardar, and almost all members of RK Partizan Skopje joined the team. The emergence of the ambitious Vardar team presented a challenge to HC Rabotnichki, which was no longer the strong first-league team from the past. Early members of Vardar include goalkeeper Jovanovski, as well as Atanasovski, Zdravkovski, Savevski and Bozinovski. Vardar joined the Yugoslav Handball Championship in 1976 where played for 2 seasons. In the 1980s they spent most of the time in the second division.

'''Stojan Stoilov''' the Captain goal machine

The handball team rose to power again in the late 1990s, becoming one of two clubs, alongside RK Pelister, to dominate the Macedonian handball scene after the independence of the country. Vardar has participated in the EHF Champions League eleven times and made it to the semifinals of the Cup Winner's Cup three times. The club achieved either championship or runner-up status in the Macedonian Super League every since 1999, with the exception of 2005, where they finished 4th. In 2018 they became the most winning team in the Macedonian handball championship by winning their twelfth title. They are also the record cup winner with thirteen titles. On April 15, 2012, Vardar defeated Metalurg at the Zagreb Arena to become the first SEHA League champion. The team has won five titles in the SEHA League. The club started the new 2013–14 season with a new management structure, with Sergey Samsonenko as the new proprietor and sports director of the club, and Mihajlo Mihajlovski as the honorary club chairman.

The welcoming ceremony after winning [[2016–17 EHF Champions League

The 2016–17 season was the most successful for the team, as they won the EHF Champions League and the regional SEHA League, the two main domestic championships, the national Handball Super League, and the national Handball Cup. Two days after winning the EHF Champions League, the team celebrated the victory with approximately 150,000 people in a ceremony in Macedonia Square in Skopje. Because of the huge success the currentPresident of the Republic of Macedonia, Gjorgje Ivanov awarded the members of the handball club Vardar a Medal of Merit for the Republic of North Macedonia for the results they achieved, especially for winning the Champions League title. The club was awarded the national charter of the country.

'''Legendary Winger Timur Dibirov'''

In the 2018–19 season, the team won the EHF Champions League, the regional SEHA League and the main domestic championship, the Handball Super League of North Macedonia. One day after winning the EHF Champions League, the team arrived in the country with a private jet and celebrated the victory with approximately 250,000 people in a central ceremony at Macedonia Square in Skopje.

In 2023 they won the Macedonian cup. The final match was a between the heavyweights Vardar and Eurofarm, held at Ohrids SRC Biljanini Izvori. In this great festive atmosphere, both teams gave an outstanding performance. The first half went to the Red Army, leaving the score at 15 to 10. In the second half, Eurofarm fought hard for a comeback, and the game went into overtime. In the end, due in large part to a brilliant performance by long-time goalkeeper Borko Ristovski, Vardar won 26 to 25, adding a 16th Cup Trophy to their rich collection. At the beginning of the 2023–24 season, the Red Black Army won the Super Cup 2023 against then-champions Eurofarm in Strumitsa Sports Center, a neutral ground chosen for the occasion. The first half finished in a 13–13 tie, but in the second half, Vardar made a resurgence and won the match 26 to 30. The Super Cup Trophy returned after 3 years to the home of the Red Black Jane Sandansky's trophy collection.

Kits

HOME
{{Football kit
AWAY
{{Football kit

Accomplishments

Domestic competitions

Macedonian League

  • **Macedonian Republic League ** :[[File:Gold medal with cup.svg|15px]] Winner:(3) 1959, 1960, 1975

  • Macedonian Handball Super League :[[File:Gold medal with cup.svg|15px]] Winner (15): 1998–99, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021-22

  • Macedonian Handball Cup :[[File:Gold medal with cup.svg|15px]] Winner (17): 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025

  • Macedonian Handball Super Cup :[[File:Gold medal with cup.svg|15px]] Winner (4): 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023

European competitions

  • EHF Champions League :[[File:Gold medal with cup.svg|15px]] Winner (2): 2016–17, 2018–19
  • EHF Cup Winners' Cup :[[File:Bronze medal with cup.svg|15px]] Third placed: 1998–99, 2004–05, 2010–11

Other competitions

Individual club awards

  • Double : Winners (9): 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21
  • Triple Crown : Winners (1): 2016–17

Arena

Sandanski Arena Hotel and Spa

RK Vardar is the owner of the Jane Sandanski Arena where they play all their home matches in the EHF Champions League, the regional SEHA League and in domestic competitions. It's a modern complex with a sports hall of 5,850 seats. It has its own hotel, spa center, hospital and swimming pool. The arena is named after the Macedonian revolutionary Jane Sandanski.

Team

Current squad

:Squad for the 2025–2026 season ;Goalkeepers

  • 1 MKD Marko Bogdanovski
  • 12 POR Miguel Espinha Ferreira [[Image:Injury icon 2.svg|15px]]
  • 25 POL Miłosz Wałach
  • 99 MKD Vasil Gogov ;Left Wingers
  • 2 MKD Mario Stojanovski
  • 10 FRA Mahamadou Keïta [[Image:Injury icon 2.svg|15px]]
  • 23 FRA Junior Tuzolana [[Image:Injury icon 2.svg|15px]] ;Right Wingers
  • 9 MKD Goce Georgievski (c)
  • 70 POR Miguel Pinto ;Line players
  • 18 MKD Milan Lazarevski [[Image:Injury icon 2.svg|15px]]
  • 27 MKD Kristijan Anastasovski
  • 78 POL Wiktor Jankowski ;Left Backs
  • 24 UKR Dmytro Horiha
  • 34 BRA João Pedro Silva ;Central Backs
  • 4 ARG Nicolás Bono
  • 14 MKD Mario Tankoski
  • 41 JPN Haruki Kawada
  • 66 SLO Jaka Malus ;Right Backs
  • 13 SRB Uroš Mitrović
  • 17 MKD Kristijan Stamenkovikj [[Image:Injury icon 2.svg|15px]]
  • 21 POL Marek Marciniak

Transfers

:Transfers for the 2026–27 season ;[[File:Arrow-up.gif]] Joining

  • SRB Milan Bomaštar (GK) (from FRA C' Chartres MHB) ?
  • CRO Leon Ljevar (LB) (from SLO RD LL Grosist Slovan)
  • CRO Ivano Pavlović (CB) (from CRO RK Zagreb) ?
  • SRB Vukašin Vorkapić (RW) (from SRB RK Vojvodina) ?
  • MKD Boban Popovski (RW) (from MKD RK Multi Essens) ;[[File:Arrow-down.gif]] Leaving

Transfer History

[[Image:Rk-vardar-logo.png20x20px]] Transfers for the 2025–26 season

Staff

Professional staff

PositionName
Head coachCRO Ivan Čupić
Assistant coachCRO Tomislav Čupić
Goalkeeper CoachCRO Mario Kelentrić
Conditioning coachMKD Matej Jovanovski
PhysiotherapistsMKD Rubincho Srbinoski
MKD Nikolina Bojadjiska

Management

PositionName
OwnerMKD Mihajlo Mihajlovski
PresidentMKD Mihajlo Mihajlovski
Executive director
Chairperson of the NEDsMKD Emil Ugrinovski

Former club members

Notable former players

  • MKD Stojanče Stoilov
  • MKD Pepi Manaskov
  • MKD Stevče Aluševski
  • MKD Petar Misovski
  • MKD Branislav Angelovski
  • MKD Kiril Kolev
  • MKD Vančo Dimovski
  • MKD Lazo Majnov
  • MKD Naumče Mojsovski
  • MKD Zlatko Mojsovski
  • MKD Goran Kuzmanoski
  • MKD Dejan Pecakovski
  • MKD Radoslav Stojanović
  • MKD Aco Jonovski
  • MKD Marjan Kolev
  • MKD Mitko Stoilov
  • MKD Vlado Nedanovski
  • MKD Martin Popovski
  • MKD Marko Kizikj
  • MKD Dimitar Dimitrioski
  • MKD Zlatko Daskalovski
  • MKD Nemanja Pribak
  • MKD Filip Lazarov
  • MKD Velko Markoski
  • MKD Milorad Kukoski
  • MKD Gradimir Čanevski
  • MKD Petar Angelov
  • MKD Goce Ojleski
  • MKD Nikola Markoski
  • MKD Milan Levov
  • MKD Nikola Mitrevski
  • MKD Daniel Gjorgjeski
  • MKD Nikola Stojčevski
  • MKD Dejan Manaskov
  • MKD Borko Ristovski
  • MKD Filip Taleski
  • MKD Martin Tomovski
  • MKD Tomislav Jagurinovski
  • MKD Mihail Alarov
  • RUS Alexey Rastvortsev
  • RUS Mikhail Chipurin
  • RUS Alexander Dereven
  • RUS Dmitrii Kiselev
  • RUS Pavel Atman
  • RUS Daniil Shishkarev
  • RUS Sergei Gorbok
  • RUS Gleb Kalarash
  • RUS Timur Dibirov
  • SRB Strahinja Milić
  • SRB Ilija Abutović
  • SRB Mijajlo Marsenić
  • SRB Dejan Milosavljev
  • SRB Marko Vujin
  • SRB Vladimir Petrić
  • SRB Alem Toskić
  • SRB Marko Srdanović
  • SRB Stefan Petrić
  • SRB Mladen Krsmančić
  • SRB Matija Nikolić
  • ESP Iñaki Malumbres Aldave
  • ESP Alex Dujshebaev
  • ESP Arpad Šterbik
  • ESP Joan Cañellas
  • ESP Jorge Maqueda
  • CRO Blaženko Lacković
  • CRO Luka Cindrić
  • CRO Igor Karačić
  • CRO Ivan Čupić
  • CRO Lovro Jotić
  • CRO Ante Gadža
  • MNE Mladen Rakčević
  • MNE Stevan Vujović
  • MNE Vuk Lazović
  • MNE Vasko Ševaljević
  • MNE Andrej Dobrković
  • MNE Vuko Borozan
  • SLO Miladin Kozlina
  • SLO Matjaž Brumen
  • SLO Gregor Ocvirk
  • SLO Staš Skube
  • SLO Domen Sikošek Pelko
  • ROU Ante Kuduz
  • GEO Revaz Chanturia
  • CZE Jan Sobol
  • BRA Rogerio Moraes Ferreira
  • BRA José Toledo
  • BRA Leonardo Dutra
  • LAT Dainis Krištopāns
  • LAT Artūrs Kuģis
  • ALG Khalifa Ghedbane
  • KUW Ali Safar
  • FRA Robin Cantegrel
  • FRA Bakary Diallo
  • FRA Jérémy Toto
  • GER Christian Dissinger
  • POL Patryk Walczak
  • POL Jan Czuwara
  • NED Lars Kooij
  • CUB Yoel Cuni Morales
  • CUB Hanser Rodriguez
  • POR Nilton Melo
  • COD Olivier Nyokas
  • COD Kévynn Nyokas
  • TUN Tawfik Baccar
  • TUN Achraf Margheli
  • JPN Kosuke Yasuhira

Notable former coaches

  • MKD Ljubomir Savevski
  • MKD Andon Boškovski
  • MKD Zoran Kastratović
  • MKD Stevče Aluševski
  • MKD Vlado Nedanovski
  • SRB Dragan Đukić
  • SRB Dejan Perić
  • MNE Veselin Vujović
  • ESP Raúl González Gutiérrez
  • ESP David Davis
  • ESP Roberto García Parrondo
  • ESP David Pisonero
  • ARG Guillermo Milano

Notable former presidents

  • RUS Sergey Samsonenko
  • MKD Mihajlo Mihajlovski

European competitions record

EHF Champions League

SeasonRoundClubHomeAwayAggregate:
1999–001/16SUI TV Suhr Handball33–3726–3059–67
2001–02R 2TUR ASKI Ankara37–3127–2864–59
GM
(Group D)HUN Fotex KC Veszprém24–2722–273rd
GER Sportclub Magdeburg27–2719–33
FRA S. O. Chambery32–3028–31
2002–03QR 1BEL HC Eynatten G.o.E.32–2431–2863–52
QR 2NOR Sandefjord TIF29–2326–2655–49
GM
(Group D)CRO RK Zagreb25–2825–304th
GER THW Kiel27–2623–34
ROU "Fibrexnylon" Savinesti26–2526–38
2003–04
GM
(Group B)GER Sportclub Magdeburg28–3024–384th
ESP FC Barcelona27–3519–41
ISL Haukar Hafnarfjördur26–3233–34
2004–05
GM
(Group A)ESP FC Barcelona12–2622–313rd
HUN SC Pick Szeged24–2418–25
ROU HCM Constanta22–2226–25
2007–08QR 1EST Pölva Serviti37–2230–3067–52
GM
(Group C)SUI Kadetten Schaffhausen GCZ27–2630–364th
CRO HC Croatia Osiguranje-Zagreb26–3428–28
ESP C.BM. Ademar Leon29–2821–28
2009–10Q
(Group 1)TUR Besiktas JK33–301st
MNE HC Buducnost Podgorica35–28
BLR HC Dinamo-Minsk34–24
GP
(Group D)DEN KIF Kolding25–3221–285th
ESP Reale Ademar24–3128–37
GER THW Kiel23–3323–39
SUI GC Amicitia Zürich22–2231–24
ESP F.C. Barcelona Borges28–3528–35
2013–14GP
(Group C)ESP FC Barcelona29–2923–304th
BLR HC Dinamo Minsk30–2224–26
FRA PSG Handball24–2425–35
SUI Wacker Thun32–2537–24
MKD HC Metalurg18–2627–22
L16GER HSV Hamburg28–2830–2958–57
QFGER SG Flensburg-Handewitt27–2522–2449–49
2014–15GP
(Group C)SLO RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko34–3227–262nd
RUS Chekhovskie Medvedi39–2839–34
GER Rhein-Neckar Löwen28–2535–28
FRA Montpellier Agglomération Handball30–2634–34
HUN MKB-MVM Veszprém23–2424–32
L16POL Orlen Wisla Plock31–2026–3257–52
QFPOL KS Vive Tauron Kielce20–2231–3351–55
2015–16GP
(Group B)FRA Montpellier HB34–2630–253rd
HUN MOL-Pick Szeged27–2331–29
SWE IFK Kristianstad38–3630–25
GER Rhein-Neckar Löwen25–1927–28
DEN KIF Kolding Kobenhavn34–2431–33
POL KS Vive Tauron Kielce34–2420–23
ESP FC Barcelona Lassa25–2730–31
L16POL Orlen Wisla Plock25–2430–3055–54
QFHUN MVM Veszprém26–2930–3056–59
2016–17GP
(Group B)SWE IFK Kristianstad32–2928–231st
BLR HC Meshkov Brest31–2726–30
SLO RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko35–3032–26
HUN MOL-Pick Szeged30–2723–21
CRO PPD Zagreb25–2027–28
POL KS Vive Tauron Kielce40–3424–27
GER Rhein-Neckar Löwen26–2933–27
QFGER SG Flensburg-Handewitt35–2726–2461–51
SF (F4)ESP FC Barcelona Handbol26–25
F (F4)FRA PSG Handball24–23
2017–18GP
(Group A)POL Orlen Wisla Plock31–3126–221st
FRA HBC Nantes27–2326–27
CRO PPD Zagreb28–2129–23
HUN MOL-Pick Szeged34–3026–26
ESP FC Barcelona Handbol27–2428–29
SWE IFK Kristianstad31–1526–23
GER Rhein-Neckar Löwen30–2621–21
QFGER THW Kiel27–2829–2856–56
SF (F4)FRA Montpellier HB27–28
3rd (F4)FRA PSG Handball28–29
2018–19GP
(Group A)FRA Montpellier HB33–2727–243rd
SWE IFK Kristianstad33–2532–30
HUN Telekom Veszprém27–2927–25
GER Rhein-Neckar Löwen29–2730–27
POL PGE Vive Kielce28–2727–31
BLR HC Meshkov Brest30–2331–31
ESP Barça Lassa26–3026–34
L16CRO PPD Zagreb32–3027–1859–48
QFHUN MOL-Pick Szeged31–2325–2956–52
SF (F4)ESP Barça Lassa29–27
F (F4)HUN Telekom Veszprém27–24
2019–20GP
(Group B)FRA Montpellier HB27–3133–316th
POR FC Porto Sofarma32–2722–30
UKR HC Motor Zaporizhzhia38–2831–30
GER THW Kiel20–3123–34
HUN Telekom Veszprém29–3830–39
BLR HC Meshkov Brest36–3122–31
POL PGE Vive Kielce28–2825–35
2020–21GP
(Group A)BLR HC Meshkov Brest32–3622–247th
NOR Elverum Håndball34–3435–32
HUN MOL-Pick Szeged26–2833–34
GER SG Flensburg-Handewitt31–2610-0
POR FC Porto25–2524–27
FRA PSG Handball0-105-5
POL Łomża Vive Kielce29–3329–36
PlayoffsHUN Veszprém KC27–4130–3957–80
2021–22GP
(Group A)NOR Elverum Håndball39–3027–275th
BLR Meshkov Brest35–270–10
DEN Aalborg Håndbold30–2829–33
FRA Montpellier Handball25–3128–25
GER THW Kiel26–2930–32
HUN Pick Szeged27–3031–34
CRO PPD Zagreb20–1922–23
PlayoffsHUN Telekom Veszprém22–3031–3153–61

EHF Cup/European League

SeasonRoundClubHomeAwayAggregate
1994–951/16ESP BM Granollers35–3123–3458–65
1995–96ERBUL HC Shoumen29–2430–2659–50
1/16CRO Zadar Gortan31–3124–3355–64
2011–12R2BIH HC Izvidac27–2526–2953–54
2012–13R2CZE Lovosice36–1924–2560–44
R3GER SC Magdeburg28–2627–3055–56
2023–24QRGER Rhein-Neckar Löwen25–3433–3758–71
2024–25GSISL Valur33–2634–343rd
GER MT Melsungen32–3018–34
POR FC Porto22–2624–37

EHF Cup Winners' Cup

SeasonRoundClubHomeAwayAggregate
1997–981/16SWE IF Guif Eskilstuna29–2825–2854–56
1998–991/16SWE IFK Skövde HK10–022–2332–23
1/8SLO Gorenje Velenje29–2324–2853–51
1/4FRA Sporting Toulouse 3126–1924–2750–46
1/2ESP Prosesa Ademar León27–2920–3547–64
2004–051/8DEN FCK Handbold Kopenhagen27–2329–2856–51
1/4CRO Medvescak Infosistem Zagreb36–2031–2667–46
1/2CRO RK Zagreb23–2126–3449–55
2006–07R2GRE PAOK43–2934–2977–58
R3FRA US Ivry Handball32–2029–3661–56
1/8GRE Panellinios AC Athens28–1925–2253–41
1/4BIH RK Bosna Sarajevo32–3124–3356–64
2008–09R2EST Chocolate Boys36–2730–3266–59
R3SUI Kadetten Schaffhausen33–2725–3358–60
2010–11R3LUX HC Berchem42–2329–1971–42
L16DEN FIF Copenhagen33–2027–2360–43
QFROU UCM Sport RESITA28–2218–2346–45
SFGER VfL Gummersbach29–3821–3350–71

Statistics

All–time Top 10 Scorers in the EHF Champions League

:As of 2021–22 season

RankNameSeasonsGoals12345678910
RUS Timur Dibirov9660
CRO Igor Karačić6351
CRO Ivan Čupić5295
ESP Alex Dujshebaev4261
MKD Stojanče Stoilov9206
RUS Daniil Shishkarev6194
LAT Dainis Krištopāns3190
CRO Luka Cindrić3176
MNE Vuko Borozan3156
MKD Stevče Aluševski5121

Most appearances in the EHF Champions League

:As of 2021–22 season

RankNameSeasonsAppearances12345678910
RUS Timur Dibirov9143
MKD Stojanče Stoilov9128
RUS Daniil Shishkarev6101
CRO Igor Karačić695
CRO Ivan Čupić580
SRB Ilija Abutović579
ESP Arpad Šterbik465
ESP Alex Dujshebaev460
SRB Strahinja Milić559
CRO Luka Cindrić353
ESP Jorge Maqueda353
SRB Mijajlo Marsenić353

Individual awards in the EHF Champions League

SeasonPlayerAward2013–142014–152016–172017–182018–19
RUS Timur DibirovAll–Star Team (Best Left Wing)
ESP Alex DujshebaevBest Young Player
ESP Alex DujshebaevAll–Star Team (Best Right Back)
ESP Raúl GonzálezBest Coach
ESP Arpad ŠterbikFinal Four MVP
ESP Arpad ŠterbikAll–Star Team (Best Goalkeeper)
SRB Dejan MilosavljevAll–Star Team (Best Goalkeeper)
CRO Ivan ČupićAll–Star Team (Best Right Wing)
LAT Dainis KrištopānsAll–Star Team (Best Right Back)
RUS Timur DibirovAll–Star Team (Best Left Wing)
ESP Roberto García ParrondoBest Coach
CRO Igor KaračićFinal Four MVP

References

References

  1. "Vardar is the SEHA League champion!". Borjan Zafirovski.
  2. "Вардар ПРО победник СЕХА лигата". МИА.
Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

rk-vardar handball-clubs-in-north-macedonia sport-in-skopje handball-clubs-established-in-1961 1961-establishments-in-the-socialist-republic-of-macedonia
Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about RK Vardar — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report