FK Metta
ClubnameMetta
Upright0.7
FullnameFutbola klubs METTA
(Football Club METTA)
Founded2006 (age 20)
GroundFutbola centrs Rūpnīca, Sarkandaugava, Riga
Capacity10,461
ChairmanĢirts Mihelsons
ManagerAndris Riherts
LeagueVirslīga
Season2025
PositionVirslīga, 10th of 10 (Relegated)
Websitehttp://www.fsmetta.lv/
Pattern b 1_metta24h
Leftarm 1008000
Body 1008000
Rightarm 1008000
Shorts 1008000
Socks 1008000
Pattern la 2_nikeprecision7w
Pattern b 2_nikeprecision7w
Pattern ra 2_nikeprecision7w
Leftarm 2ffffff
Body 2ffffff
Rightarm 2ffffff
Shorts 2ffffff
Socks 2ffffff
Pattern b 3_nikepark7jg
Leftarm 3dbaf2d
Body 3dbaf2d
Rightarm 3dbaf2d
Shorts 3ffffff
Socks 3ffffff

FK Metta (also called FS Metta/Latvijas Universitāte from 2007 to 2018) is a professional Latvian football club based in Riga. As of 2012 they play in the Latvian Higher League. Metta plays its home games at Daugava Stadium. Until June 2018, their home venue was the Riga Hanza Secondary School Stadium.

History

FS Metta (Latvian: Futbola skola Metta) was officially founded on May 2, 2006, though the club had been active in youth tournaments since 2000. In 2007 FS Metta and University of Latvia (Latvijas Universitāte) merged as a senior professional team and participated in the Latvian Championship first division (Traffic 1. līga). They finished the season in the fourth position.

The club remained at the same level for the next four seasons. Though a professional club, Metta initially retained the prefix FS (Futbola Skola), since their policy was to invest in youth players. In 2011 Metta won the Latvian First League championship and was automatically promoted to the Latvian Higher League – the top tier of Latvian football.[1]

The affiliation with the university provides the club with a greater financial backing and the players with the opportunity to study at the most prestigious Latvian university. The club was created with the aim to gather the greatest youth talents from across the country and surrounding areas to build and shape them into expensive players for sale to bigger clubs.[2]

In 2019, the partnership with the University of Latvia expired, and the club was renamed from FS Metta to FK Metta.

In 2020 FK Metta was the youngest top-tier team in Europe.[3] At the end of the season, the team's average age was 19,5.[4] In September 2020, FK Metta forward Raimonds Krollis made his debut for the Latvia national football team.[5] He became the first-ever player that has gone through the whole FK Metta academy and played for the senior national team.

In the 2025 Latvian Higher League season, Metta placed last and was relegated to the Latvian First League. Prior to the start of the 2026 season, the club unveiled its new sports complex at Sāremas iela in Sarkandaugava, Riga - the Futbola centrs Rūpnīca ('Factory Football Center'). The center was built on the location of the former Energoautomātika Stadium (Latvian: "Energoautomātikas" stadions) which was demolished around 2024.[6][7]

Patron of the University of Latvia

Football school "Metta" is a silver patron of the University of Latvia Foundation. They have supported the University of Latvia since 2016, donating to the football system and scholarships.[8]

Participation in Latvian Championships

SeasonDivisionPos./TeamsPl.WDLGSGAPLatvian Football Cup
20072nd (1.līga)4/(16)3018756723611/8 finals
20082nd (1.līga)5/(15)2813964327481/8 finals
20092nd (1.līga)align=center bgcolor=|6/(14)261367471945Not Held
20102nd (1.līga)align=center bgcolor=|5/(12)2210664225361/8 finals
20112nd (1.līga)1/(13)2417526114561/8 finals
20121st (Virslīga)align=center bgcolor=|8(10)3678213982291/8 finals
20131st (Virslīga)align=center bgcolor=|9(10)2747161547191/16 finals
20141st (Virslīga)align=center bgcolor=|9(10)3637262669161/16 finals
20151st (Virslīga)align=center bgcolor=|7(8)2433181956121/4 finals
20161st (Virslīga)align=center bgcolor=|7(8)2886143247301/4 finals
20171st (Virslīga)align=center bgcolor=|7(8)2436152146151/4 finals
20181st (Virslīga)align=center bgcolor=|7(8)2854192452191/2 finals
20191st (Virslīga)align=center bgcolor=|9(9)3268183560261/8 finals
20201st (Virslīga)align=center bgcolor=|9(10)2744192255161/8 finals
20211st (Virslīga)align=center bgcolor=|7(10)2855183355201/8 finals
20221st (Virslīga)align=center bgcolor=|9(10)3657244186221/4 finals
20231st (Virslīga)align=center bgcolor=|9(10)3689194163331/8 finals
20241st (Virslīga)align=center bgcolor=|7(10)36106203476361/8 finals
20251st (Virslīga)align=center bgcolor=|10(10)3687213974311/8 finals
2026TBD (LVBET līga)TBDTBD

Managers

  • Andris Riherts (May 2006 – June 2021)
  • Andrejs Gluščuks (June 2021 – present)

Current players

First-team squad

As of 6 April, 2026[9]

Player of the year

SeasonPlayer
2006Jānis Kauss
2007Vladimirs Cīmanis
2008Ivars Gailis
2009Marsels Vapne
2010Juris Skābardis
2011Rūdolfs Puķītis
2012Mārtiņš Milašēvičs
2013Gatis Kalniņš
2014Edgars Vardanjans
2015Eduards Emsis
2016Roberts Uldriķis
2017Dāvis Indrāns
2019Dāvis Ošs
2019Kgotso Masangane
2020Raimonds Krollis
2021Lūkass Vapne
2022Jānis Beks

Club officials

Board of directors

  • General secretary: Ģirts Mihelsons
  • Executive Director: Maira Mihelsone

Coaching staff

Staff

  • Press Officer: Miks Vilkaplāters
  • Technical manager: Harijs Toms

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

PeriodKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
2007NikeDeac
2008Elko
2009Deac
2010
2011
2012SMScredit.lv
2013
2014none
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026

Honours

References

  1. ^ "Metta" uzvar 1. līgā un nākamgad spēlēs Virslīgā Archived 2012-12-05 at the Wayback Machine (Latvian)
  2. ^ Komanda Archived 2016-07-27 at the Wayback Machine (Latvian)
  3. ^ "FK Metta - the youngest team in European football highest leagues". 25 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Sezonas apskats - Andris Riherts: Paši sevi nolikām uz izkrišanas sliekšņa, kas nebija patīkami.". 6 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Atskats METTAs vēsturē: Zīmīgākie notikumi septembrī". 9 September 2020.
  6. ^ "FS Metta attīstīs savu treniņu bāzi Energoautomātikas stadiona teritorijā" (in Latvian). FS Metta. 2021-06-10. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  7. ^ "Futbola kluba FS Metta kluba treniņu centrs - sports field or court". citify.eu. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  8. ^ "Futbola skola "METTA""
  9. ^ "Players"