Historical Overview of the Club
THE BEGINNINGS
As early as the beginning of 1904, the first initiatives to introduce football to Kispest emerged. A team of students from the newly formed sports club called Kispesti Sport Club was entered into the Youth Football Association (Ifjúsági Labdarúgó Szövetség), but little else is known about the club's fate. Following the initiative of an enthusiastic teacher, Dr. Bálint Varga, Kispesti Athletikai Club was founded at the Éder restaurant on August 10, 1908.
Alongside athletics, gymnastics, and fencing, football was also included among the club's disciplines after a brief debate. Dr. Bálint Varga became president, with István Bede representing the fencers and Béla Mayer representing the footballers as club managers. However, the club statutes were rejected by the members, leading a slighted Varga to resign. For a year, the club's affairs were managed by István Bede, who favored indoor sports. Disputes intensified between the two factions, compounded by financial difficulties. To alleviate the crisis, a KAC ball was organized on February 1, 1909, but the distribution of its proceeds (100 korona) sparked further contention.
In the spring of 1909, football life took off on the Katona meadow (a vacant lot between Fő Street and Batthyány Street). The first unofficial matches were played against teams from Erzsébetfalva, Lőrinc, Rákosliget, and Rákoscsaba. Two patrons, Károly Schmoch and László Szűcs, attempted to resolve the internal conflicts, with little success. By July 1909, KAC faced the threat of dissolution. Weary of internal strife, vice-president László Szűcs and football section leader Jenő Krausz both left the club.
On August 3, 1909, almost a year after the initial initiative, Kispesti Atlétikai Club was permanently established at an electoral assembly with eight sections (athletics, wrestling, cycling, boxing, tennis, gymnastics, fencing, and football). At the general assembly, veteran figures were elected to the board, while the presidential seat remained vacant. The first leadership of KAC was formed as follows:
Vice-presidents: Károly Schmoch and Jenő Krausz
Secretary: Jenő Tihanyi
Treasurer: Simon Hartman
Auditors: Béla Mayer and Sándor Reiner
Recorder: Ferenc Kurserka
Kit manager: Ignác Schiller
Committee members: Ödön Ács, Győző Kollarik, József Müller, Sándor Pintér, Béla Ries, Károly Steinhauser, Vilmos Steinhauser, Ferenc Tárnok, Jenő Taigiszer, Nándor Tordy
On December 10, 1909, the Hungarian Football Federation (MLSZ) admitted KAC as a member. Kispest played its first friendly match against MAC Reserves, losing 5–0. The MLSZ placed the team into the Pest County Championship (Pestvidéki Bajnokság), which began in mid-September 1909 over two rounds. This was Kispest’s first official championship. The very first match ended in victory: on September 19, 1909, the team won 3–1 in Monor. The next match in Pesterzsébet was won 4–1 by eventual champions Erzsébetfalvai TC.
In the autumn of 1910, the MLSZ established the fourth tier (Division IV). After Kispest was annexed to the Budapest district, it entered the league. The registration arrived late because Kispest had previously belonged to the provincial divisions. KAC was not at fault for the delay, and as no rival clubs opposed their participation, the federation accepted the entry. In the 1910–11 season, the team surprisingly finished second, behind Budapesti Testgyakorlók Köre.
The year 1911 brought major changes to the life of the club. One of Kispest's wealthiest citizens, architect Károly Csimár, became president of KAC and immediately donated 1,000 korona to the club. This was an extraordinary boon for the impoverished club at the time. In the 1911–12 third-division championship, Kispest finished 8th. That same year, the team played its first international match in Brno, defeating FC Brünn 2–1.
In 1913, the team celebrated its first league title in the third division. In the same year, the club's own ground on Sárkány Street was inaugurated—aptly nicknamed the "Dragon’s Den" by opponents later on.
During the 1913–14 season, the soaring popularity of football led to a rapid increase in the number of clubs in Budapest, expanding from 55 to 71. Consequently, the MLSZ was forced to restructure the league system. Due to wartime mobilizations and simmering disputes among clubs, the MLSZ had to temporarily suspend regular league championships, entrusting individual clubs to organize various cup tournaments. The bloc led by MTK played for the Hungária Cup, while the peace faction around FTC competed for the Auguszta Cup. In the spring of 1915—following reconciliation between the two camps—a single-round Amateur League tournament was launched with 14 participants. Kispest was due to play in the second division, yet bafflingly, the federation placed them into the "Pest County Cup" competition, where they finished second. As the MLSZ was operating somewhat erratically at the time and continuously restructuring competitions, it came as little surprise that the following year KAC was promoted straight to the first division without ever playing a single match in the second tier.
In the autumn of 1914, World War I broke out, halting regular league football. In its stead, the MLSZ launched the "Auguszta Cup" for top teams, in which KAC finished 4th. During general mobilization, KAC lost its entire first team to military service: Novák, Kollarik, Simon, Szabó, Kincs, Kiliti, Boldog, Jurcsó II, Schiller II, Kónya, and Papek were all called up. It was solely thanks to the tireless efforts of manager Jenő Krausz that the club did not disintegrate.
In the autumn of 1915, the Kispest side finished 4th.
Finally, on September 13, 1916, KAC played its first-ever top-flight (NB I) league match in Kispest, on Sárkány Street, resulting in a 3–0 defeat to III. Kerületi TVE.
THE FIRST GREAT TEAM AND THE FIRST MAJOR TRIUMPH
1919–20. A sensational start! KAC maintained a 100% record through Round 7, until champions MTK halted the run with a 5–2 defeat. In the very next round, Kispest rebounded brilliantly to snatch a point away at Üllői út. At the end of the championship, the team finished as surprise runners-up. The silver-medal squad: Varga, Saguly (Krebsz), Túri, Budai, Blasnik (Tóth), Stallmach, Boldog (Norik), Kiszely (Csontos), Jeszmás, Eisenhoffer, Rudolf Jeny.
At the end of 1921, the infamous Kispest "professionalism trial" erupted. Amid dire poverty, players had accepted clothing, boots, and minor necessities—deemed illicit at the time. Following an official report—even though virtually every club engaged in the same practice—the trial was launched, dismantling a team destined for greatness. Our best players were suspended and subsequently poached by wealthier clubs. As a result, players like Csontos, Jeszmás, Jeny, and Eisenhoffer all departed Kispest.
Yet—serving as an inspiring lesson to this day—the club proved it could not be crushed; the "spirit of Kispest" remained indomitable!
December 1926 is inscribed in golden letters in the club's history. In a cup final replay—the first clash having ended 1–1—the Kispest boys overcame BEAC 3–2 in a fierce 160-minute battle to lift the Hungarian Cup. The cup-winning lineup: Balla, Cesznák, Grohmusz, Mádi, Gregor, Marton, Borsos, Juhász, Jurácska, Hecktl, Mátéffy.
The conclusion of the 1926 season closed a chapter in Hungarian football history, marking the end of the amateur—or rather, pseudo-amateur—era. The economic downturn of the early 1930s exacerbated conditions, bringing new taxes and fostering hazardous forms of sham amateurism. This transition was accelerated by neighboring Austria introducing professionalism in the autumn of 1925—the first in Europe to do so. After studying the Austrian model, the MLSZ decreed that Hungarian football would be restructured and professionalism officially introduced. In the summer of 1926, the division occurred, reshaping Hungarian football: professional clubs formed two professional leagues, while amateur teams competed in regional Budapest and provincial leagues.
In 1938, Kispest entered the Mitropa Cup (Central European Cup) for the first time, drawn against Internazionale (then known as Ambrosiana).
In Milan: AS Ambrosiana Inter 4–2 Kispest FC (0–2); in Budapest: Kispest FC 1–1 AS Ambrosiana Inter (0–1).
Although our side was eliminated, their valiant performance earned widespread acclaim.
1940–41. We reached the semi-finals of the Hungarian Cup.
In 1944, after knocking out Nagyvárad and Gamma, not even Ferencváros could halt Kispest in the final of the Szent László Cup! The triumph was all the sweeter as we defeated the Greens on their own turf at Üllői út! The cup-winning team: Mindszenti, Olajkár I, Perjési, Bozsik, Gazdag, Zalai, Egresi, Béres, Nemes, Mészáros, Puskás. Coach: Ferenc Puskás Sr.
THE BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD
In 1946–47, the backbone of the legendary future Honvéd team was formed: the lineup of Mihály Kiss – István Szalay (Sipos I), Herédi (Rákóczi) – Bozsik, Patyi, Bányai (Simonyi) – Béres (Cserjés), Budai I, Mészáros, Puskás, Babolcsay finished in 2nd place.
1949–50. The era of the Golden Team (Aranycsapat) dawned, as the club dominated the league to capture its first-ever championship title. Midway through the season, on December 18, 1949, the Ministry of Defence annexed Kispesti AC, creating Budapesti Honvéd SE. We celebrated our first title already sporting red and white. The team won the league using virtually the same eleven, with only 15 players featuring across the entire campaign. Öcsi Puskás finished as top scorer. "Today is one of the happiest days of my life. For a coach, there is no greater gift than seeing his team win the championship," stated Puskás Sr.
Autumn 1950. Now competing as Bp. Honvéd, the team swept all before them: another league title, Puskás was top scorer once more with 25 goals, and Player of the Year went to none other than Öcsi. The lineup had been bolstered by László Budai II and Sándor Kocsis. The only blemish was the Esti Cup final, where Textiles edged us 3–2.
1951. "Only" silver in the league, but the top scorer title stayed in Kispest, courtesy of Kocsis.
In 1952, for the first time in 18 years, a team won the championship undefeated—a historic feat accomplished by Bp. Honvéd, who concluded the campaign with just five draws! With dynamic team play and fighting spirit, they outmatched Bástya. The squad consistently found another gear in the second half, repeatedly turning deficits into victories. Coach Jenő Kalmár used 18 players. Sándor Kocsis finished as top scorer once again. Honvéd players formed the core of the Olympic champion national team, and the legendary József "Cucu" Bozsik was voted Player of the Year.
1953. Once more "only" silver, but Puskás took the top scorer crown again, joined by new signing Zoltán Czibor. Another triumph followed as Honvéd won the Easter Tournament, beating both Austria Wien and Rapid Wien. On August 20 of that year, the Népstadion was inaugurated, where we defeated Spartak Moscow 3–2.
The domestic championship was somewhat overshadowed by numerous tours and national team commitments (World Cup). Consequently, the 1954 championship only concluded in 1955. With the Kispest ground under reconstruction that year, Honvéd played home fixtures at Vasas's ground in Népliget, at Üllői út, or at the Népstadion. The legendary 9–7 thriller carried over into the following year. The Kispest side scored over 100 league goals for the first time and duly clinched the championship. Sándor Kocsis swept individual honors, claiming both the top scorer crown and the Player of the Year award.
In 1955, alongside the league title, the club boasted joint top scorers (both Czibor and Machos netting 20 goals). However, we fell 3–2 to Vasas in the Hungarian Cup final.
1956–57. We won the Easter Tournament once more, but the championship was halted by the Hungarian Revolution. Although our team was in first place and poised to win, no champion was declared. During the revolutionary days, the club reclaimed its original name (Kispesti AC), but unlike other clubs, was not permitted to keep it following the Soviet crackdown.
The European Cup campaign brought disappointment, as Athletic Bilbao knocked out Honvéd. Due to events in Budapest, both legs were played away from home (2–3 in Bilbao, 3–3 in Brussels). The squad subsequently embarked on an international tour, a milestone that spread the club's fame across the globe.
The regime that crushed the revolution imposed harsh penalties on the Honvéd players who joined the tour. Tichy, Machos, Solti, and Palicskó had not travelled to South America and were exempted. Töröcsik I and Dudás returned earlier and were banned until April 7; Bozsik, Bányai, Rákóczi, Faragó, Budai II, and Kotász, who returned later, were suspended until June 7. On May 1, however, all bans were lifted. Disruptions and absences demoralized the squad, leading to an 11th-place finish. The heaviest blow, however, was that Puskás, Kocsis, and Czibor chose not to return to Hungary, going on to achieve stellar careers at Real Madrid and Barcelona.
In the 1957–58 season, the team once again played before massive crowds at the Népstadion (45,000 in spring and 80,000 in autumn against Vasas; 65,000 against MTK). Honvéd rallied to finish just a single point behind champions MTK. In 1959, the league's top scorer was Lajos Tichy, who went on to claim the award four more times ('61, '62, autumn '63, '64). Honvéd also won the Mitropa Cup final.
In 1962, one of Hungary's all-time greatest players, József Bozsik, bid farewell to active play. "I am not saying goodbye forever; everything ties me to Kispest. Without football and without Kispest, I simply could not live!" Bozsik said with tears in his eyes.
In autumn 1963, the team narrowly missed out on the title, finishing second on goal difference. The following year, BHSE lifted the Hungarian Cup for the first time since 1926. The cup-winning lineup: Takács, Dudás, Sipos, Marosi, Nógrádi, Vági, Nagy A., Komora, Tichy, Tóth K., Katona. Coach: Mihály Kispéter. It was an impressive campaign overall: runners-up in the league, with Lajos Tichy once again crowned top scorer.
In 1965, an Easter Tournament victory was the solitary addition to the honors roll.
In 1969, a new squad was forged: led by Lajos Kocsis and the prolific goals of Misi Kozma, the team charged to a silver medal. In both league and cup competitions, only Újpesti Dózsa could halt Honvéd.
In 1971, Kozma finished as top scorer—repeating the feat in 1974 and 1975 —while the Player of the Year award went to Kispest’s lionhearted Lajos Szűcs. The club secured runners-up finishes in both 1972 and 1975.
In 1977, the team won the Tournament of Champions against old rivals Újpest, though the Purples went on to snatch the next league championship by a single point ahead of Honvéd...
In 1980, the long-awaited league title finally arrived! A 25-year wait came to an end. The team was managed by the legendary Lajos Tichy, whose foundational work paved the way for subsequent glories.
The 1980s marked the second golden era in the club's history : following 1980, no Hungarian team proved superior in 1984, 1985, or 1986. Under Imre Komora, the team also captured the Hungarian Cup in 1985 against Tatabánya. Lajos Détári was crowned Hungarian top scorer three consecutive times between 1985 and 1987.
From 1988–89 under Bertalan Bicskei, we celebrated two league championships and a cup triumph; our most recent domestic double was completed in 1989 against Ferencváros courtesy of Imre Fodor’s strike.
A difficult period followed, and at the end of the 1989/90 season, the team flirted with relegation, barely surviving the top flight through a play-off. By 1991, however, we returned to the summit with György Mezey at the helm. József Gregor brought the top scorer crown back to Kispest after four years. That summer, the football section separated from Budapesti Honvéd, becoming the country's first club operated as a limited company (Kft.), continuing under the name Kispest-Honvéd Football Club and restoring the traditional red-and-black colors.
In autumn 1991, our European Cup run was ended by eventual finalists Sampdoria. We defeated the Italian champions 2–1 in Kispest, but fell 3–1 in the return leg in Genoa. If only that Negrau header had found the top corner...
Our thirteenth league championship was celebrated in 1993 under Finnish head coach Martti Kuusela. In the European Cup, another giant awaited: Manchester United blocked our path. The momentum continued the following year with silver medals in both league and cup, and Béla Illés finished as the league's top scorer with 17 goals. Over the next few years, however, the club entered a downward spiral as top players departed for domestic rivals and abroad.
In 1996, a memorable Hungarian Cup victory enriched our honors list , as late goals from Piroska and Argyelán in the final five minutes of the second leg sealed a comeback over BVSC. Thereafter, Kispest endured a steady decline, battling relegation season after season while unable to retain key talent. Compounded by financial and political pressures, the club soon headed toward the darkest chapter in its history.
In 2003, the unthinkable happened: for the first time in our history, we were relegated from NB I, and bankruptcy led to the loss of our club name and crest. The legendary Kispest club stood on the brink of extinction. The playing squad underwent a near-total overhaul. György Gálhidi took over managerial duties and worked wonders in short order. We won the second division from start to finish and reached the Hungarian Cup final. Although we lost the final to FTC, we still qualified for the UEFA Cup.
After bouncing back from the nadir of second-tier football, Kispest re-established itself in the top flight, finishing 11th in 2005 and 13th in 2006. In the summer of 2006, seismic changes took place: majority owner Piero Pini, who had threatened to relocate the club outside Budapest, was bought out by the Hemingway Group. Under George F. Hemingway, Attila Supka replaced Aldo Dolcetti after a six-month transition period. The squad underwent thorough rejuvenation, while the neglected Bozsik Stadium was comprehensively modernized in record time. A sparkling spring campaign commenced with the inauguration of the upgraded stadium in a 6–0 rout of Vác. Financial stability, professional infrastructure, and quality coaching propelled a formerly relegation-threatened side into top form. The season culminated on May 9 in the Hungarian Cup final, where Kispest triumphed for the first time in 11 years, defeating Debrecen on penalties!
In 2009, Kispest supporters celebrated another Hungarian Cup triumph, with the players lifting the trophy on home soil at Bozsik Stadium following the second leg. The key figure in the final against Győri ETO was Abraham, whose first-leg winner settled the tie.
In 2013, Bp. Honvéd returned to the league podium after a long absence, securing third place under manager Marco Rossi.
In 2017, following his return, the Italian tactician went one better. Defying the odds, the team clinched the league championship on the final matchday by defeating direct title rivals, securing the 14th league title in club history. Márton Eppel took the top scorer crown with 15 goals. (In Champions League qualifying, we bowed out against Israeli side Hapoel Beer-Sheva.)
In 2018, the team finished fourth, qualifying for the Europa League, while Davide Lanzafame claimed the top scorer award with 18 goals.
In 2019, a late surge secured another fourth-place finish, and after a ten-year hiatus, we reached the Hungarian Cup final once again. Although the final was lost, Honvéd supplied the league's top scorer for another season in Filip Holender, a product of the Magyar Futball Akadémia. In the spring of that year, Reditus Equity Zrt. acquired 100% ownership of the club.
During the 2019/2020 campaign, disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, the team reached the Hungarian Cup final once again. Thanks to a brace from Djordje Kamber, we claimed a 2–1 victory over Mezőkövesd, capturing the 8th Hungarian Cup in club history. We finished fifth in the championship.
In the Europa League across these seasons, the team successfully advanced past the first qualifying round before exiting in the second round.
On July 24, 2021, an unforgettable milestone was celebrated with the inauguration of the brand-new Bozsik Aréna in a friendly against Villarreal. The modern venue holds UEFA Category 4 and MLSZ Class I Category A ratings, with a capacity of 8,200 spectators.
The three seasons following the 2020 cup win proved challenging. Although Kispest players regularly featured at the top of the scoring charts (first Dániel Gazdag, then Nenad Lukić twice), survival in NB I was secured only in the penultimate round in 2020/2021 and on the final day in 2021/2022. At the conclusion of the 2022/2023 campaign, Honvéd suffered relegation from the top flight for only the second time in club history.
