Moldova — Football

Football in Moldova gained worldwide attention when Sheriff Tiraspol defeated Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League in 2021. The Super Liga features 48 clubs across 3 organised competitions.

While Moldova remains a developing football nation, Sheriff Tiraspol's Champions League campaign put Moldovan club football on the global map. The domestic league is dominated by a small number of clubs, and development of football infrastructure continues.

Football in Moldova developed during the Soviet era, with Moldovan clubs competing in the lower tiers of Soviet football. After independence in 1991, the Football Association of Moldova was established and the country joined FIFA and UEFA in 1994.

Sheriff Tiraspol's 2-1 victory over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in October 2021 was one of the greatest upsets in Champions League history, bringing unprecedented attention to Moldovan football.

The Football Association of Moldova (FMF) governs football in the country. Founded in 1990, it became a member of UEFA and FIFA in 1994. The FMF oversees the National Division and national team programmes.

The Moldovan football system has two main tiers. The National Division (Super Liga) is the top flight, with a small number of clubs competing. Sheriff Tiraspol has dominated the league, winning the vast majority of titles since the league's inception.

Sheriff Tiraspol is the most successful club in Moldovan football, with an overwhelming number of league titles. Based in Tiraspol in the breakaway region of Transnistria, the club boasts modern facilities funded by the Sheriff corporation.

Zimbru Chisinau was the dominant force in early Moldovan football and remains a historically significant club. Milsami Orhei and Petrocub Hincesti have also competed for domestic honours in recent seasons.

Moldova has never qualified for a major tournament. The national team's most notable results have been individual qualifying match victories against higher-ranked opponents. At club level, Sheriff Tiraspol's Champions League group stage appearance in 2021-22, including the victory over Real Madrid, represents the peak of Moldovan football achievement.