CFR ClujFounded in 1907, CFR Cluj has a history that reflects the transformation of Romanian football from a railway workers’ sport into a modern professional game. The club was established in Cluj-Napoca as Kolozsvári Vasutas Sport Club and retained a strong connection with the railway tradition, which is also reflected in the initials CFR and the club’s traditional nickname, the Railwaymen. Its colours are burgundy and white, while the home ground is the Dr. Constantin Rădulescu Stadium, named after the former club player, coach and doctor who became an important figure in its history.
For much of the 20th century, CFR Cluj remained outside the group of Romania’s leading clubs. Its breakthrough came in the 2000s, when a rapid rise through the domestic divisions was followed by a place among the country’s elite. The 2007–08 season marked a decisive turning point: CFR won its first Romanian championship and also lifted the Romanian Cup. The club then established itself as one of the dominant forces in Romanian football. By 2025, CFR had won eight Romanian championships: in 2008, 2010, 2012 and in five consecutive seasons from 2018 through 2022. The club had also collected five Romanian Cups, most recently in 2025, as well as four Romanian Super Cups.
The first league title immediately opened the door to a remarkable European adventure. In the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League, CFR Cluj defeated Roma 2–1 in Rome in its group-stage debut, a result that became one of the most memorable victories in Romanian club football. The team also drew 0–0 with Chelsea in Cluj-Napoca. CFR returned to the Champions League group stage in 2010 and 2012, with the latter campaign producing another historic result: a 2–1 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford. In 2012–13, the Romanian club finished third in its Champions League group and continued in the Europa League.
European competition remained an important part of CFR’s identity. In the 2019–20 Europa League, the club reached the round of 32 and pushed Sevilla to the limit, drawing 1–1 at home and 0–0 away before being eliminated on the away-goals rule. CFR again reached the Europa League group stage in 2020–21, underlining the club’s ability to remain competitive beyond Romania.
Several figures are closely associated with the modern rise of CFR. Iuliu Mureșan was president during the period in which the club transformed itself into a domestic power, while Dan Petrescu became one of the most important coaches of the modern era, leading CFR to several championship titles. Among the players, Ciprian Deac became a symbol of the club’s long-term continuity and one of its most recognisable figures.
Today, CFR Cluj remains one of the most successful Romanian clubs of the 21st century. Its combination of railway heritage, burgundy-and-white identity, domestic dominance and memorable European nights has made the club an important part of the modern history of Romanian football.
