FC Stahl Linz (2013)

FC Stahl Linz is an Austrian football club, based in Linz, Upper Austria. They currently play in 2. Klasse Mitte, the eighth tier of Austrian football.

FC Stahl Linz

Full name	Fußball-Club Stahl Linz
Founded	1946; 78 years ago (1946) 2013; 11 years ago (2013) (refounded)
Dissolved	1997; 27 years ago (1997)
Ground	ASKÖ Neue Heimat
League	2. Klasse Mitte

History edit

SV Eisen und Stahl, SK VÖEST Linz and SK VOEST Linz edit

It was founded on 30 June 1946 as SV Eisen und Stahl 1946 Linz, a factory squad of the public VÖEST steel company (present-day Voestalpine). In 1949, the team was renamed SK VÖEST Linz.

Historical chart of league performance of FC Linz and their successor Blau-Weiß Linz

In 1969, SK VÖEST won the championship of the Regional League Central and was promoted to the Nationalliga, the predecessor of the Bundesliga. In the summer of 1972, the club colors were changed from black and white to blue and white to distinguish themselves from city rivals LASK. The club reached its peak in the 1973–74 season, when they became Austrian champion. Its decline began in 1988, when SK VOEST (without umlaut since 1978) was relegated to the First League (II).

FC VOEST Linz, FC Stahl Linz and FC Linz edit

While the club managed re-entry into the Bundesliga in 1991, the steel company withdrew funds and the team was again renamed, as FC Stahl Linz in 1991 and FC Linz in 1993. In 1997, due to financial difficulties, the club finally had to dissolve, by merger with its long-time rival LASK.

FC Blau Weiß Linz edit

In the same year, FC Blau-Weiß Linz was founded by former FC Linz fans, which took over the traditions of the disbanded club, but is not the official successor club of FC Linz. Blau Weiß Linz was promoted to the Austrian Bundesliga 26 years after its foundation, in 2023. They will play in the highest Austrian football league for the first time in the 2023–24 season.