RK Vardar

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Macedonian handball team based in Skopje

title: "RK Vardar" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["rk-vardar", "handball-clubs-in-north-macedonia", "sport-in-skopje", "handball-clubs-established-in-1961", "1961-establishments-in-the-socialist-republic-of-macedonia"] description: "Macedonian handball team based in Skopje" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RK_Vardar" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Macedonian handball team based in Skopje ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox handball club"]

Field	Value
clubname	РК Вардар 1961
RK Vardar 1961
image	Rk-vardar-logo.png
fullname	Rakometen klub
Vardar 1961
short name	Vardar
founded	in Skopje
ground	Jane Sandanski Arena
capacity	5.800
chairman	Mihajlo Mihajlovski
manager	Ivan Čupić
league	Macedonian Super League
season	2024-25
position	Macedonian Super League,
2nd
website	http://www.rkvardar.com.mk/
colour1	Red
pattern_la1	_vardar1718h
pattern_b1	_vardar1718h
pattern_ra1	_vardar1718h
pattern_sh1	_southampton2122t
leftarm1	FFFFFF
body1	FF0000
rightarm1	FFFFFF
shorts1	000000
pattern_la2	_hummelcoreXKwb
pattern_b2	_hummelcoreXKSUw
pattern_ra2	_hummelcoreXKwb
pattern_sh2	_hummelcoreXKbw
::

::callout[type=note] the men's handball club ::

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. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Стојанче_Стоилов_(2).jpg" caption="'''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. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/HC_Vardar_in_Skopje.jpg" caption="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. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/TimurDibirovVardar.jpg" caption="'''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

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HOME
{{Football kit
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AWAY
{{Football kit
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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

SEHA League :[[File:Gold medal with cup.svg|15px]] Winner (5): 2011–12, 2013–14, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19 :[[File:Silver medal with cup.svg|15px]] Runner-up: 2012–13, 2015–16, 2019–20
IHF Super Globe :[[File:Bronze medal with cup.svg|15px]] Third placed: 2017, 2019

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

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Sportski_centar_Jane_Sandanski.jpg"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Спортски_центар_„Јане_Сандански“.jpg" caption="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

::data[format=table] | [[Image:Rk-vardar-logo.png|20x20px]] Transfers for the 2025–26 season | |---| | | ::

Staff

Professional staff

::data[format=table]

Position	Name
Head coach	CRO Ivan Čupić
Assistant coach	CRO Tomislav Čupić
Goalkeeper Coach	CRO Mario Kelentrić
Conditioning coach	MKD Matej Jovanovski
Physiotherapists	MKD Rubincho Srbinoski
MKD Nikolina Bojadjiska
::

Management

::data[format=table]

Position	Name
Owner	MKD Mihajlo Mihajlovski
President	MKD Mihajlo Mihajlovski
Executive director
Chairperson of the NEDs	MKD Emil Ugrinovski
::

Former club members

Notable former players

Notable former coaches

Notable former presidents

RUS Sergey Samsonenko
MKD Mihajlo Mihajlovski

European competitions record

EHF Champions League

::data[format=table]

Season	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate:

1999–00	1/16	SUI TV Suhr Handball	33–37	26–30	59–67

2001–02	R 2	TUR ASKI Ankara	37–31	27–28	64–59
GM
(Group D)	HUN Fotex KC Veszprém	24–27	22–27	3rd
GER Sportclub Magdeburg	27–27	19–33
FRA S. O. Chambery	32–30	28–31

2002–03	QR 1	BEL HC Eynatten G.o.E.	32–24	31–28	63–52
QR 2	NOR Sandefjord TIF	29–23	26–26	55–49
GM
(Group D)	CRO RK Zagreb	25–28	25–30	4th
GER THW Kiel	27–26	23–34
ROU "Fibrexnylon" Savinesti	26–25	26–38

2003–04
GM
(Group B)	GER Sportclub Magdeburg	28–30	24–38	4th
ESP FC Barcelona	27–35	19–41
ISL Haukar Hafnarfjördur	26–32	33–34

2004–05
GM
(Group A)	ESP FC Barcelona	12–26	22–31	3rd
HUN SC Pick Szeged	24–24	18–25
ROU HCM Constanta	22–22	26–25

2007–08	QR 1	EST Pölva Serviti	37–22	30–30	67–52
GM
(Group C)	SUI Kadetten Schaffhausen GCZ	27–26	30–36	4th
CRO HC Croatia Osiguranje-Zagreb	26–34	28–28
ESP C.BM. Ademar Leon	29–28	21–28

2009–10	Q
(Group 1)	TUR Besiktas JK	33–30	1st
MNE HC Buducnost Podgorica	35–28
BLR HC Dinamo-Minsk	34–24
GP
(Group D)	DEN KIF Kolding	25–32	21–28	5th
ESP Reale Ademar	24–31	28–37
GER THW Kiel	23–33	23–39
SUI GC Amicitia Zürich	22–22	31–24
ESP F.C. Barcelona Borges	28–35	28–35

2013–14	GP
(Group C)	ESP FC Barcelona	29–29	23–30	4th
BLR HC Dinamo Minsk	30–22	24–26
FRA PSG Handball	24–24	25–35
SUI Wacker Thun	32–25	37–24
MKD HC Metalurg	18–26	27–22
L16	GER HSV Hamburg	28–28	30–29	58–57
QF	GER SG Flensburg-Handewitt	27–25	22–24	49–49

2014–15	GP
(Group C)	SLO RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko	34–32	27–26	2nd
RUS Chekhovskie Medvedi	39–28	39–34
GER Rhein-Neckar Löwen	28–25	35–28
FRA Montpellier Agglomération Handball	30–26	34–34
HUN MKB-MVM Veszprém	23–24	24–32
L16	POL Orlen Wisla Plock	31–20	26–32	57–52
QF	POL KS Vive Tauron Kielce	20–22	31–33	51–55

2015–16	GP
(Group B)	FRA Montpellier HB	34–26	30–25	3rd
HUN MOL-Pick Szeged	27–23	31–29
SWE IFK Kristianstad	38–36	30–25
GER Rhein-Neckar Löwen	25–19	27–28
DEN KIF Kolding Kobenhavn	34–24	31–33
POL KS Vive Tauron Kielce	34–24	20–23
ESP FC Barcelona Lassa	25–27	30–31
L16	POL Orlen Wisla Plock	25–24	30–30	55–54
QF	HUN MVM Veszprém	26–29	30–30	56–59

2016–17	GP
(Group B)	SWE IFK Kristianstad	32–29	28–23	1st
BLR HC Meshkov Brest	31–27	26–30
SLO RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko	35–30	32–26
HUN MOL-Pick Szeged	30–27	23–21
CRO PPD Zagreb	25–20	27–28
POL KS Vive Tauron Kielce	40–34	24–27
GER Rhein-Neckar Löwen	26–29	33–27
QF	GER SG Flensburg-Handewitt	35–27	26–24	61–51
SF (F4)	ESP FC Barcelona Handbol	26–25
F (F4)	FRA PSG Handball	24–23

2017–18	GP
(Group A)	POL Orlen Wisla Plock	31–31	26–22	1st
FRA HBC Nantes	27–23	26–27
CRO PPD Zagreb	28–21	29–23
HUN MOL-Pick Szeged	34–30	26–26
ESP FC Barcelona Handbol	27–24	28–29
SWE IFK Kristianstad	31–15	26–23
GER Rhein-Neckar Löwen	30–26	21–21
QF	GER THW Kiel	27–28	29–28	56–56
SF (F4)	FRA Montpellier HB	27–28
3rd (F4)	FRA PSG Handball	28–29

2018–19	GP
(Group A)	FRA Montpellier HB	33–27	27–24	3rd
SWE IFK Kristianstad	33–25	32–30
HUN Telekom Veszprém	27–29	27–25
GER Rhein-Neckar Löwen	29–27	30–27
POL PGE Vive Kielce	28–27	27–31
BLR HC Meshkov Brest	30–23	31–31
ESP Barça Lassa	26–30	26–34
L16	CRO PPD Zagreb	32–30	27–18	59–48
QF	HUN MOL-Pick Szeged	31–23	25–29	56–52
SF (F4)	ESP Barça Lassa	29–27
F (F4)	HUN Telekom Veszprém	27–24

2019–20	GP
(Group B)	FRA Montpellier HB	27–31	33–31	6th
POR FC Porto Sofarma	32–27	22–30
UKR HC Motor Zaporizhzhia	38–28	31–30
GER THW Kiel	20–31	23–34
HUN Telekom Veszprém	29–38	30–39
BLR HC Meshkov Brest	36–31	22–31
POL PGE Vive Kielce	28–28	25–35

2020–21	GP
(Group A)	BLR HC Meshkov Brest	32–36	22–24	7th
NOR Elverum Håndball	34–34	35–32
HUN MOL-Pick Szeged	26–28	33–34
GER SG Flensburg-Handewitt	31–26	10-0
POR FC Porto	25–25	24–27
FRA PSG Handball	0-10	5-5
POL Łomża Vive Kielce	29–33	29–36
Playoffs	HUN Veszprém KC	27–41	30–39	57–80

2021–22	GP
(Group A)	NOR Elverum Håndball	39–30	27–27	5th
BLR Meshkov Brest	35–27	0–10
DEN Aalborg Håndbold	30–28	29–33
FRA Montpellier Handball	25–31	28–25
GER THW Kiel	26–29	30–32
HUN Pick Szeged	27–30	31–34
CRO PPD Zagreb	20–19	22–23
Playoffs	HUN Telekom Veszprém	22–30	31–31	53–61

::

EHF Cup/European League

::data[format=table]

Season	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
1994–95	1/16	ESP BM Granollers	35–31	23–34	58–65
1995–96	ER	BUL HC Shoumen	29–24	30–26	59–50
1/16	CRO Zadar Gortan	31–31	24–33	55–64
2011–12	R2	BIH HC Izvidac	27–25	26–29	53–54
2012–13	R2	CZE Lovosice	36–19	24–25	60–44
R3	GER SC Magdeburg	28–26	27–30	55–56
2023–24	QR	GER Rhein-Neckar Löwen	25–34	33–37	58–71
2024–25	GS	ISL Valur	33–26	34–34	3rd
GER MT Melsungen	32–30	18–34
POR FC Porto	22–26	24–37
::

EHF Cup Winners' Cup

::data[format=table]

Season	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
1997–98	1/16	SWE IF Guif Eskilstuna	29–28	25–28	54–56
1998–99	1/16	SWE IFK Skövde HK	10–0	22–23	32–23
1/8	SLO Gorenje Velenje	29–23	24–28	53–51
1/4	FRA Sporting Toulouse 31	26–19	24–27	50–46
1/2	ESP Prosesa Ademar León	27–29	20–35	47–64
2004–05	1/8	DEN FCK Handbold Kopenhagen	27–23	29–28	56–51
1/4	CRO Medvescak Infosistem Zagreb	36–20	31–26	67–46
1/2	CRO RK Zagreb	23–21	26–34	49–55
2006–07	R2	GRE PAOK	43–29	34–29	77–58
R3	FRA US Ivry Handball	32–20	29–36	61–56
1/8	GRE Panellinios AC Athens	28–19	25–22	53–41
1/4	BIH RK Bosna Sarajevo	32–31	24–33	56–64
2008–09	R2	EST Chocolate Boys	36–27	30–32	66–59
R3	SUI Kadetten Schaffhausen	33–27	25–33	58–60
2010–11	R3	LUX HC Berchem	42–23	29–19	71–42
L16	DEN FIF Copenhagen	33–20	27–23	60–43
QF	ROU UCM Sport RESITA	28–22	18–23	46–45
SF	GER VfL Gummersbach	29–38	21–33	50–71
::

Statistics

All–time Top 10 Scorers in the EHF Champions League

:As of 2021–22 season ::data[format=table]

Rank	Name	Seasons
RUS Timur Dibirov	9	660
CRO Igor Karačić	6	351
CRO Ivan Čupić	5	295
ESP Alex Dujshebaev	4	261
MKD Stojanče Stoilov	9	206
RUS Daniil Shishkarev	6	194
LAT Dainis Krištopāns	3	190
CRO Luka Cindrić	3	176
MNE Vuko Borozan	3	156
MKD Stevče Aluševski	5	121
::

Most appearances in the EHF Champions League

:As of 2021–22 season ::data[format=table]

Rank	Name	Seasons
RUS Timur Dibirov	9	143
MKD Stojanče Stoilov	9	128
RUS Daniil Shishkarev	6	101
CRO Igor Karačić	6	95
CRO Ivan Čupić	5	80
SRB Ilija Abutović	5	79
ESP Arpad Šterbik	4	65
ESP Alex Dujshebaev	4	60
SRB Strahinja Milić	5	59
CRO Luka Cindrić	3	53
ESP Jorge Maqueda	3	53
SRB Mijajlo Marsenić	3	53
::

Individual awards in the EHF Champions League

::data[format=table]

Season	Player	Award	2013–14	2014–15	2016–17	2017–18	2018–19
RUS Timur Dibirov	All–Star Team (Best Left Wing)
ESP Alex Dujshebaev	Best Young Player
ESP Alex Dujshebaev	All–Star Team (Best Right Back)
ESP Raúl González	Best Coach
ESP Arpad Šterbik	Final Four MVP
ESP Arpad Šterbik	All–Star Team (Best Goalkeeper)
SRB Dejan Milosavljev	All–Star Team (Best Goalkeeper)
CRO Ivan Čupić	All–Star Team (Best Right Wing)
LAT Dainis Krištopāns	All–Star Team (Best Right Back)
RUS Timur Dibirov	All–Star Team (Best Left Wing)
ESP Roberto García Parrondo	Best Coach
CRO Igor Karačić	Final Four MVP
::

References

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

::callout[type=info title="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. ::