Budapest Honvéd Football Club (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈbudɒpɛʃt ˈhonveːd ˈɛft͡seː]), commonly known as Budapest Honvéd or simply Honvéd, is a Hungarian sports club based in Kispest, Budapest, with the colours of red and black. The club is best known for its football team. Honvéd means the Homeland Defence. Originally formed as Kispest AC, they became Kispest FC in 1926 before reverting to their original name in 1944.
The team enjoyed a golden age during the 1950s when it was renamed Budapesti Honvéd SE and became the Hungarian Army team. The club's top players from this era, Ferenc Puskás, Sándor Kocsis, József Bozsik, Zoltán Czibor, and Gyula Grosics helped the club win the Hungarian League four times during the 1950s and also formed the nucleus of the legendary Hungary national team popularly known as the Mighty Magyars.
During the 1980s and early 1990s, the club enjoyed another successful period, winning a further eight Hungarian League titles. They also won league and cup doubles in 1985 and 1989. In 1991, the club was renamed Kispest Honvéd FC and adopted its current name in 2003.[1]
When the club was originally formed in 1909, it also organised teams that competed in fencing, cycling, gymnastics, wrestling, athletics, boxing, and tennis. Later, the Honvéd family was extended to include a water polo team, now known as Groupama Honvéd, a 33-times basketball-champion team and a handball team that were European Champions in 1982.
Budapest Honvéd FC were founded in 1909 as Kispesti AC.[2] At domestic level they first entered the Nemzeti Bajnokság I in the 1916–17 season. Their first success came in the 1926 Magyar Kupa season when they beat Budapesti EAC in the final. The club had played in the first division since 1916, until the club got relegated to the second division in 2003. [3]
Budapest Honvéd's first stadium was opened in 1913. On 5 August 2018, the last match was played at the stadium. The match was won by Honvéd against Paksi FC on the 3rd match day of the 2018–19 Nemzeti Bajnokság I. The only goal was scored by Danilo in the 48th minute. The referee was Viktor Kassai.[4] The stadium was demolished in 2019.[citation needed]
The new stadium of the club was opened in 2021.[5] The first match was played between Budapest Honvéd FC II and Szekszárdi UFC in the 2020–21 Nemzeti Bajnokság III season. The stadium was selected to host the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.[6]
The following table shows in detail Budapest Honvéd FC kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors by year:
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 1990–1992 | Adidas | Fiat |
| 1992–1994 | Matchwinner | Epson |
| 1994–1996 | Diadora | Gösser |
| 1996–1997 | Joma | |
| 1997–1998 | Faragó és Fiai Mystery | |
| 1998–2000 | Umbro | IBUSZ alapítása 1902 |
| 2000–2003 | Jako | Wilkinson Sword |
| 2003–2005 | Gems | – |
| 2005–2006 | Macron | |
| 2006–2008 | hummel | |
| 2008–2012 | Nike | |
| 2012–2013 | Givova | |
| 2014 | Ideasport | |
| 2014–2015 | – | |
| 2015–18 | Macron | |
| 2018– | Tippmix |
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
10 – 
Ferenc Puskás, Forward (1949–56). Number retired in July 2000.
Had senior international cap(s) for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed in bold represented their countries while playing for Budapest Honvéd FC.
Abraham József Andrusch Benjamin Angoua Zsolt Bárányos Balázs Bérczy Bertalan Bicskei János Biri
Igor Bogdanović József Bozsik
Kris Bright István Brockhauser László Budai Gábor Bukrán
Alfi Conteh-Lacalle Aurél Csertői Zoltán Czibor László Dajka András Debreceni Lajos Détári
Mamadou Diakité László Disztl Péter Disztl
Cristian Dulca József Duró József Eisenhoffer Gábor Egressy Márton Esterházy
Emeka Ezeugo László Farkasházy Pál Fischer Imre Garaba
Genito
Ivo Georgiev Gyula Grosics Sándor Gujdár
Emir Hadžić Gábor Halmai István Hamar Zoltán Hercegfalvi Ádám Hrepka János Hrutka Harmony Ikande Béla Illés Péter Kabát Mihály Kincses István Kocsis Lajos Kocsis Sándor Kocsis Imre Komora Antal Kotász Béla Kovács Ervin Kovács Kálmán Kovács Mihály Kozma László Kuti
Davide Lanzafame Almiro Lobo Gyula Lóránt
Misheck Lungu Ferenc Machos János Marozsán Gábor Márton János Mátyus József Mészáros Vasile Miriuță Hélder Muianga Antal Nagy (1944) Antal Nagy (1956) Norbert Németh István Nyers Sándor Pintér István Pisont Attila Plókai Ferenc Puskás László Pusztai István Sallói Ferenc Sipos Lajos Szűcs Ákos Takács Zoltán Takács Lajos Tichy Sándor Torghelle Mihály Tóth József Varga Gábor Vincze István Vincze
Paulo Albarracín Bruno Enríquez César Mayuri
Dragan Vukmir
Lukáš Zelenka Zalán Zombori
Philip Tarlue[9]As of 15 September 2024[10]
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Proprietor | Tamás Leisztinger
|
| Managing Director | Árpád Séllei
|
| Director of Sports | Sándor Fórizs
|
| Director of Facility | Dávid Szabó
|
| Director of Finance | Mária Takács
|
| Director of Communications | Benedek Rác
|
As of 6 June 2025
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Tamás Feczkó
|
| Assistant coach | István Márton
|
| Assistant coach | István Paulik
|
| Goalkeeping coach | István Brockhauser
|
| Fitness coach | Péter Tepliczky
|
| Physiotherapist | Fanni Máriás
|
In 2022, Chris Docherty was appointed as the new sport director of the club.[11][12][13][14]
Chris Docherty said in an interview that the club cannot sign any new players for financial problems in the middle of the 2022-23 Nemzeti Bajnokság I season.[15]
On 22 May 2023, Chris Docherty resigned as sports director.[16][17] In an article published by Nemzeti Sport, George F. Hemingway, former owner of the club, heavily criticized the management of the club for their relegation to the Nemzeti Bajnokság II after finishing 11th in the 2022–23 Nemzeti Bajnokság I season.[18] Hemingway said that the solid financial background is not enough if there is no expertise.
On 27 April 2024, it was revealed that a Tamás Lisztinger-led business showed interest in purchasing the club.[19]
Quinex America LLC (George F. Hemingway) Reditus Equity (Zoltán Bozó) ARAGO-SPORT Kft. (Tamás Leisztinger)
