The Abkhaz Football Championship ( Russian Чемпионат Абхазии по футболу ) is the top division in football in the Republic of Abkhazia, which is internationally recognized by only a few countries . The league, which has existed since 1994, consists of seven clubs and is played by the national football association, the Federaziya futbola Abchasii .
Until 1991 Abkhazian football clubs took part in the Soviet football championship . When the Soviet Union disintegrated, Georgia became independent and also claimed the province of Abkhazia, as this had been added to the Georgian Soviet Republic by Josef Stalin in 1931 . As a result, Abkhazia proclaimed independence from Georgia in 1992, and the events ultimately culminated in the Abkhaz civil war . After the situation had calmed down, however, the first football championship of the now de facto independent Abkhazia was held in 1994. The first champion was Dinamo Sukhum , the record champion is Nart Suchum with eight titles . FK Gagra is also successful . The Abkhazian Football Association is not a member of FIFA , which is why Abkhaz clubs cannot take part in international football tournaments.
