FK Vardar - Rivalries

Rivalries

• FK Vardar Skopje vs. Pelister Bitola used to be the biggest and most violent match in Macedonia. An important aspect of this match-up is the intense rivalry in the Macedonian Tifo scene between the clubs supporters Komiti Skopje and Čkembari Bitola. The rivalry began in the season 1989/1990 at a match in Skopje, between FK Vardar Skopje and Red Star Belgrade. A conflict occurred between the "Skopje fans" and a few Bitola fans who went to cheer for Vardar, who at that time was the most popular Macedonian football club in the former Yugoslavia. On 8 March 1991 in Bitola, Pelister and Vardar met in the Yugoslav second league and the first incident occurred. From that day forward, started the big rivalry between Komiti and Čkembari along with the Vardar-Pelister match becoming the Eternal derby of Macedonia. At the moment the Bitola club isn't very successful and therefore the biggest match has now become the Skopje city derby between FK Vardar Skopje and Rabotnički. This is only a football rivalry on the pitch because Rabotnički does not have organized supporters.
• Other big matches are: FK Vardar Skopje and Sloga Jugomagnat in the Skopje local derby. FK Vardar Skopje vs. Shkëndija Tetovo in the ethnic derby (Majority of Vardar Skopje fans are Macedonians and Orthodox Christians, while most Shkëndija fans are Albanians and Muslims). The brotherhood derby is between FK Vardar Skopje and Teteks Tetovo (The fans of this two clubs have been dubbed as "Orthodox Brothers").