DFK Dainava

Dainava
Full nameDzūkija futbolo klubas Dainava
NicknamesAlytiškiai, Dzūkai
Founded1935[1][2]
2016 (last refounded)
GroundAlytus Stadium
Capacity3,790
ChairmanŽydrūnas Lukošiūnas
Head coachMikołaj Raczyński
LeagueI Lyga
2025A Lyga, 10th of 10 (relegated)
Websitehttp://www.dfkdainava.com/

Dzūkija Futbolo Klubas Dainava, also. Known as DFK Dainava, is a Lithuanian profesional football club from Alytus. The club was established in 2016 as a phoenix club after FK Dainava Alytus was dissolved in 2014.

History

The modern DFK Dainava was established after "Auska" and "Dzūkų tankai" were merged in 2016.

In 2015, FK Auska were playing in the Pirma Lyga. In 2016 the Lithuanian Football Federation allowed the club to change its name and allowed them to play in the Pirma Lyga (second tier).

In 2016, DFK Dainava came in ninth place[3] and in 2017 they came in fourth place in the Pirma Lyga.[4]

In the 2018 season, DFK Dainava were runners-up in the Pirma Lyga. In the relegation/promotion play-off match, they lost 0–3 to FK Palanga.[5][6][7][8] On 3 November 2018, they lost the second match in Gargždai 0–2. FK Palanga won 5–0 on aggregate and saved their place in the 2019 A Lyga.[9]

DFK Dainava sought promotion to the A Lyga in the 2019 season, but were unable to get sponsorship required for the league from the municipality of Alytus. As a result, the club remained in the I Lyga.[10][11] They have finished 2019 LFF I Lyga in fourth position, and attempted to obtain a licence for A Lyga again in the 2020 season. The application was again declined.

In March 2021 before the start of the football season in Lithuania, DFK Dainava applied for a licence to play in the highest Lithuanian league tier of A Lyga in the 2021 season. The application was declined by the Lithuanian Football Federation as the club could not find a solution with stable finance and organise a women's football team. At the time, A Lyga had nine qualified teams who got permits and were able to compete in the league. DFK Dainava's application was granted by the Lithuanian Football Federation to play and compete in Lithuania's top-tier league as a 10th team, as DFK Dainava subsequently fixed all of the issues regarding sponsorship and stable finance. For the first time in DFK Dainava club history since re-creation in 2016,[12] Alytus town will yet again have a men's football team competing in Lithuanian top-tier football league A Lyga. DFK Dainava started the season with -3 points as regulations and laws via the Lithuanian Football Federation. The first match for DFK Dainava in A Lyga was played on 6 March in Marijampolė against also newly promoted team FK Nevėžis, due to the city having a full sized indoor football ground and it is closest to Alytus.

In 2022, DFK Dainava were the league winners and were promoted to the 2023 A Lyga.

Turkmenistani coach Mergen Orazov was appointed on 24 June 2025.[13][14][15]

Recent seasons

Season Level Division Position Link Movements
2016 2. I Lyga 9. [16]
2017 2. I Lyga 4. [17]
2018 2. I Lyga 2. [18]
2019 2. I Lyga 4. [19]
2020 2. I Lyga 6. [20] Promoted to 2022 A Lyga
2021 1. A Lyga 9. [21] Relegated to I Lyga
2022 2. I Lyga 1. [22] Promoted to 2023 A Lyga
2023 1. A Lyga 8. [23]
2024 1. A Lyga 4. [24]
2025 1. A Lyga 10. [25] Relegated to I Lyga

Kit evolution

DFK Dainava DFK Dainava
Kits
2016–2018
Traditional
2016–2018
Alternative
2019–2020
Home
2019–2020
Away
2021–present
Home
2021–present
Away

Stadium

Main article: Alytus Stadium

DFK Dainava plays in the Alytus Stadium. It is a multi-use stadium in Alytus, Lithuania and holds 3,790 people. The stadium was renovated in 2010.

Current squad

As of 28 January 2026

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
3 DF  UKR Maksym Maksymenko
7 MF  UKR Artem Baftalovskyi
13 DF  SEN Cheikh Faye
14 FW  NGA Obi Jeremiah Chinonso
21 MF  UKR Artem Sukhotskyi
22 DF  GEO Nikoloz Nakashidze
No. Pos. Nation Player
27 MF  LTU Lukas Šiaudvytis
29 DF  LTU Gustas Zabita
30 DF  LTU Oskaras Lukošiūnas
55 DF  MDA Artiom Litveacov
77 GK  LTU Airidas Mickevičius
95 FW  UKR Anton Dudik
99 FW  BRA Lucas Moura Martins

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF  BRA Emanuel Santos (at Aparecidense)
— MF  NGA Peter Ademo (at Sheriff)

Managers

References

  1. ^ "Po pergalingo sezono DFK "Dainava" klubas apžvelgė visus metus ir ateities planus". 13 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Legendinio Alytaus futbolo klubo "Dainava" pradžia: 1935-ieji". 18 October 2015.
  3. ^ "Lithuania 2016". RSSSF. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  4. ^ "Lithuania 2017". RSSSF. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  5. ^ "A lygos link: "Dainava" namuose mes iššūkį "Palangos" futbolininkams – DFK Dainava". dfkdainava.com. 27 October 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  6. ^ "Dainava Alytus - Palanga 0:3". www.flashscore.com. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  7. ^ "Pereinamosiose rungtynėse – užtikrinta "Palangos" pergalė - A Lyga - Aukščiausia Lietuvos futbolo lyga". alyga.lt. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  8. ^ "Pereinamosios rungtynės: DFK "Dainava" – "Palanga"". A lyga TV. 28 October 2018. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2018 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ "Palanga - Dainava Alytus 2:0". flashscore.com. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  10. ^ "2019 m. LFF A lygos sezono licencijų sieks 10 futbolo klubų". LFF.lt. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  11. ^ "Ketvirtą sezoną iš eilės "Dainava" startuos LFF I lygoje – DFK Dainava". 28 January 2019.
  12. ^ DFK Dainava was established after "Auska" and "Dzūkų tankai" merged in 2016
  13. ^ Vitols, Janis (24 June 2025). "Official: DFK Dainava names Mergen Orazov as new manager - Baltic Football News". Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  14. ^ Vitols, Janis (24 June 2025). "New era begins in Alytus: Dainava claim first win of the season under coach Orazov - Baltic Football News". Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  15. ^ "DFK "Dainava" pristato naująjį vyriausiąjį trenerį – Mergen Orazov – DFK Dainava".
  16. ^ "Lithuania 2016".
  17. ^ "Lithuania 2017".
  18. ^ "Lithuania 2018".
  19. ^ "Lithuania 2019".
  20. ^ "Lithuania 2020".
  21. ^ "Lithuania 2021".
  22. ^ "Lithuania 2022".
  23. ^ "Lithuania 2023". RSSSF.
  24. ^ "Lithuania 2024".
  25. ^ http://www.rsssf.com/tablesl/lito2025.html#alyga
  26. ^ "DFK "Dainavą" treniruos norvegas K. Rønningstad – DFK Dainava". 7 February 2019.
  27. ^ ""Dainavos" naujuoju treneriu paskirtas italas F.Mazzone".
  28. ^ ""Dainavos" vairą perėmė T. Ražanauskas | A Lyga | Aukščiausia Lietuvos futbolo lyga".
  29. ^ "DFK "Dainavą" treniruos portugalas". 11 February 2022.
  30. ^ sportas.lt; traukiasi treneriai
  31. ^ "Trenerių pasikeitimų pasiutpolkė – po G.Stahlio pasitraukimo traukiasi ir "Jonavos" bei "Dainavos" strategai".
  32. ^ „Dainavos“ vairą perima strategas iš Turkmėnistano
  33. ^ "Mikołaj Raczyński trenerem Dainavy Alytus". 90minut.pl (in Polish). 19 March 2026. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
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