FC Nizhny Novgorod (Russian: ФК «Нижний Новгород»), also known as simply Nizhny Novgorod, is a Russian professional football club from Nizhny Novgorod, founded in 2015. It returned to the second-tier Russian First League for the 2026–27 season after 5 years in the Russian Premier League.
Contents
History
The club has been known under different names:
2015–2016: FC Volga-Olimpiyets Nizhny Novgorod
2016–2018: FC Olimpiyets Nizhny Novgorod
2018–2022: FC Nizhny Novgorod
2022–2026: FC Pari Nizhny Novgorod
2026– : FC Nizhny Novgorod
In the 2015–16 season, it began to play in the third-tier Russian Professional Football League. It was founded as a farm club for FC Volga Nizhny Novgorod. On 15 June 2016, the parent club Volga was dissolved, with Olimpiyets becoming the top club in Nizhny Novgorod. At the end of the 2016–17, Olimpiyets won their PFL zone and were promoted to the second-level Russian Football National League. At the end of the 2018–19 season, they qualified for the Russian Premier League promotion play-offs, but lost to PFC Krylia Sovetov Samara with an aggregate score of 2–3.
In the 2020–21 season, the club finished 3rd in FNL. As the second-placed club FC Orenburg failed to receive a Premier League license due to issues with their stadium, Nizhny Novgorod was promoted to the RPL for the first time for the 2021–22 season.
Former Nigeria striker Sylvester Igboun suspended his contract with the team because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
On 10 June 2022, the club announced that the name of the club will be changed to FC Pari Nizhny Novgorod (or Pari NN for short) due to a sponsorship deal with a bookmaker Pari, previously known as Paribet. The name change was approved by the Russian Football Union on the same day. Pari NN finished the 2022–23 season in 14th place, qualifying for relegation play-offs against FC Rodina Moscow. After winning the first leg of the play-offs away with the score of 3–0, Pari lost 0–2 at home and won 3–2 on aggregate, retaining their Premier League spot.
In the 2023–24 season, Pari NN finished 14th once again, qualifying for the relegation play-offs. Pari defeated Arsenal Tula with the aggregate score of 3–2 and remained in the Premier League.
On 26 December 2024, four players of Pari's Under-19 squad have been punished by the Russian Football Union for match fixing games of the Under-19 Russian Championship. Nikita Milyukov has been banned from football for life, Zakhar Mozin, Maksim Galochkin and Pavel Shalimov were banned for one year (with an additional four years suspended sentence and a two years probation), and Denis Chuprunov received a three-year suspended sentence ban with a two-year probation. None of the club management or staff were punished.
In the 2024–25 season, Pari finished 13th and qualified for relegation play-offs. However, as 12th-placed Khimki was denied the 2025–26 RPL license, Pari was not expected be relegated even if they lost in the play-offs, as they would be the priority replacement for Khimki in that case. Pari lost to Sochi in the playoffs with an aggregate score of 3–4. On 16 June 2025, Russian Football Union confirmed that Pari will remain in the Premier League.
On 17 May 2026, Pari NN was relegated back to Russian First League after five seasons in the top level.
Edgardo Fariña was selected to represent Panama at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The club was renamed back to FC Nizhny Novgorod in July 2026.
Players
Current squad
As of 11 September 2026, according to the First League website.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Other players under contract
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Club officials
As of 16 June 2022