First Vienna FC
ClubnameFirst Vienna FC
Upright0.8
FullnameFirst Vienna Football Club 1894
Founded22 August 1894 (age 132)
GroundHohe Warte Stadium
Capacity5,500
ManagerHans Kleer
League2. Liga
Season2024–25
Position2. Liga, 5th of 16
Websitehttps://www.firstviennafc.at/
Current2025–26 First Vienna FC Season
Pattern b 1_firstvienna2425h
Leftarm 1FFFF00
Body 1FFFF00
Rightarm 1FFFF00
Shorts 10000FF
Socks 1FFFF00
Pattern b 2_firstvienna2425a
Leftarm 2000055
Body 2000055
Rightarm 2000055
Shorts 2FFFF00
Socks 2000055

First Vienna Football Club 1894 is an Austrian football club based in the Döbling district of Vienna. Established on 22 August 1894, it is the country's oldest team and has played a notable role in the history of the game there. It is familiarly known to Austrians by the English name Vienna.

History

Foundation and early years

First Vienna FC was founded on 22 August 1894 in Döbling, making it the oldest football club in Austria.[1] The club’s colours blue and yellow derived from Rothschild racing uniforms, while the triskelion logo was designed by Manx player William Beale.[2] On 15 November 1894, Vienna played its first official match, a 0–4 loss to Vienna Cricket and Football-Club.[3]

The club captured the Challenge Cup in 1899 and 1900, one of the first international tournaments in Central Europe.[4]

Golden era

Vienna enjoyed major success between the late 1920s and 1930s, winning the Austrian Cup in 1929 and 1930, the Austrian Championship in 1931 and 1933, and the Mitropa Cup in 1931, unbeaten across all matches.[5] The team added another Austrian Cup in 1937.

Gauliga and World War II

Following the Anschluss in 1938, Vienna played in the Gauliga Ostmark. They won divisional titles in 1942, 1943 and 1944, reaching the German Championship Final in 1942 (losing 0–2 to Schalke 04). In 1943, the club became the Tschammerpokal (German Cup) winner, defeating Luftwaffen-SV Hamburg 3–2 after extra time.[6]

Postwar period

After Austria regained independence, Vienna claimed the Austrian Championship in 1955, edging Wiener Sport-Club on goal quotient.[7]

Decline and fluctuating fortunes

From the 1960s, Vienna faced several relegations. They returned to the top flight in 1986, and highlights included two UEFA Cup appearances (1988–89, 1989–90).[4]

Vienna reached the Austrian Cup Final in 1997 (losing 1–2 to Sturm Graz), but financial difficulties deepened. By 2000, the club was relegated to the Regionalliga Ost (third tier). In 2017, after sponsor Care-Energy went bankrupt, the club entered insolvency proceedings, and by court order was demoted to the fifth division.[8]

Following the announcement in May 2017 Vienna FC secured sponsorship from UNIQA enabling a conclusion of the insolvency proceedings and avoidance of bankruptcy. [9]

Vienna FC secured an additional sponsor in September 2020 from Immounited, who became the main partner for the youth academy of First Vienna FC 1894.[10]

Revival

Despite financial setbacks, Vienna began climbing back up: champions of the 2. Landesliga Wien in 2019, they later secured promotion to the Regionalliga Ost (2021) and the Austrian Second League in 2022.[11]

First Vienna FC in Europe

SeasonCompetitionRoundCountryClubHomeAwayAggregate
1988–89UEFA Cup1Ikast FS1–01–22–2 (a)
2TPS Turku2–10–12–2 (a)
1989–90UEFA Cup1Valletta3–04–17–1
2Olympiacos Piraeus2–21–13–3 (a)

Current squad

[12]

Notable players

Honours

References

  1. ^ "Milestones". First Vienna FC. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  2. ^ "13 Dinge über die Vienna" (in German). Kicker. 22 August 2024.
  3. ^ "130 Jahre First Vienna FC – ein Blick auf die Geschichte" (in German). Die Nachrichten. 22 August 2024.
  4. ^ "First Vienna FC". Ganz Wien. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  5. ^ "Mitropa Cup 1931". RSSSF. 13 December 1999.
  6. ^ "Club history". First Vienna FC. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  7. ^ "Milestones in First Vienna FC's history". First Vienna FC.
  8. ^ "Vienna muss Insolvenz anmelden" (in German). ORF. 2 March 2017.
  9. ^ "Milestones" (in German). First Vienna FC 1894. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  10. ^ Redaktion (2020-09-10). "ImmoUnited und First Vienna FC 1894 starten Partnerschaft" (in German). sportsbusiness.at. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  11. ^ "First Vienna FC steigt in die 2. Liga auf!" (in German). laola1.at. 20 May 2022.
  12. ^ "First Vienna FC–Squad". First Vienna FC. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
  13. ^ "Tournoi de l'Exposition Coloniale (Paris-Vincennes, May-Nov 1931)". Archived 22 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  14. ^ "Tournoi de l'Exposition Coloniale (Paris-Vincennes, May-Nov 1931)". Archived 22 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  15. ^ "Tournoi de l'Exposition Coloniale (Paris-Vincennes, May-Nov 1931)". Archived 22 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2 February 2023.