Elche Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. () is a Spanish professional football club based in Elche, Province of Alicante, in the Valencian Community, Spain. Founded in 1923, the club competes in La Liga, holding home matches at the Estadio Martínez Valero, with a capacity of 33,732 seats.
Founded in 1923 as the result of a merger between all of the town's clubs, Elche entered the league system in 1929, reaching Segunda División in 1934 and La Liga in 1959, finishing fifth in the latter tournament in 1963–64. The club were runners-up in the Copa del Rey in 1969.
History
Foundation and early years Elche Club de Fútbol was founded in the winter of 1923, after the merger of all of the town's football teams. The club's first-ever game was against Monóvar, where they beat the home team 4–0, and its first official match was a 2–0 win over Crevillente. In its first years Elche, like many teams of the time, played in an all white uniform. The team played its first league season in 1929–30, in the Tercera División, achieving promotion to the Segunda División in 1934. However, Elche suffered relegation for the first time six years later, but were promoted back the following season.
In the late 1950s, Elche achieved two consecutive promotions from the third level to La Liga, securing the club's first promotion to the latter competition with a 3–0 success against Tenerife in 1959.
1959–78: La Liga
Elche opened its first season in the top level with a 1–1 draw against Real Oviedo, the first goal being scored by Vicente Pahuet. The club finished tenth out of 16 sides, nine points ahead of relegated Osasuna – the campaign included a 2–1 comeback home victory over Barcelona, but also a 2–11 loss at Real Madrid. The following season saw the team having to compete in the relegation/promotion play-off, where it overcame a 0–1 loss in the away leg against Atlético Ceuta with a 4–0 home victory.
Elche achieved their best-ever league finish in 1963–64, ranking in fifth position. The season also saw the club's reserve team, Elche Ilicitano, promote to Segunda División.Spain 1963/64 ; at RSSSF
In 1969 the club reached their first and only Copa del Rey final, following victories over Pontevedra, Valencia and Real Sociedad. The semi-final against the latter was won 2–0 in a replay in neutral Madrid, as the tie had finished 4–4 on aggregate; the final, played on 15 June at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in the same city, brought a 0–1 loss to Athletic Bilbao.Spain – Cup 1969 ; at RSSSF
After twelve seasons Elche were relegated to division two in 1971, having finished second from bottom.Spain 1970/71 ; at RSSSF Two years later the team returned to the main category, as champions. Its second spell in the top flight lasted five seasons, often immerse in relegation fights as the best campaign (1974–75) ended with the club in eighth position; at the end of 1977–78 the side returned to the second division after finishing 17th out of 18 clubs, the last game being a 4–4 draw with Atlético Madrid, which was led 2–4 with five minutes remaining.Spain 1977/78 ; at RSSSF
80s and 90s: severe financial crisis
After the relegation Elche suffered in 1978, they never managed to gain promotion to the top flight – in fact, in the first five years since their return to the second level, they were fourth on three occasions and fifth on two (and on a further two, even on points with the third-placed team but with a worse goal difference), often losing the chance of promotion on the last matchday. Especially traumatic was the finish of the 1980–81 season: with one game remaining, they were second two points ahead of Rayo Vallecano and Racing de Santander, only needing a draw against Cádiz at the Martínez Valero; the game ended however in a loss, and Elche finished with 45 points alongside Castellón, Cádiz, Racing and Rayo.
A promotion finally occurred at the end of 1983–84, even though Elche only finished fifth in the regular season – the first two positions were occupied by Real Madrid Castilla and Athletic Bilbao B, who could not promote as reserve sides. The whole of the top division campaign was spent in the relegation zone, and relegation consequently befell as 17th. In 1988 they were promoted again for another cameo appearance, as the side went on to finish dead last with eighteen points, dropping down a category alongside Real Murcia, who they trailed by nine points; the last match for years in the category was a 1–3 away loss against Real Zaragoza, the goal coming courtesy of Alfonso Fernández.
After the relegation in 1989, Elche started to suffer heavily in the financial department, and were relegated to Segunda División B – the new third level created in 1977 – at the end of 1990–91. During the better part of the 1990s the club reached the second division promotion playoffs, only to consecutively fall short.
In 1997 Elche finally managed to return to the second division, being immediately relegated but subsequently gaining another promotion .
2010s: return to the top flight
In 2010–11, again in the "silver category", the team finished fourth and thus qualified for the play-offs: after disposing of Real Valladolid in the first round (3–2 on aggregate)El Elche está en la final contra el Granada (3–1) (Elche is in the final against Granada (3–1)) ; Info Expres, June 12, 2011 the dream of top flight promotion ended at the hands of Granada, on the away goals rule.El Granada asciende a Primera a costa del Elche (Granada promotes to Primera at Elche's expense) ; RTVE, June 18, 2011
On 18 May 2013, following Barcelona B and Alcorcón's 1–1 draw, Elche was automatically promoted to the top level, returning to the competition after 24 years. In the meantime the team coached by Fran Escribá had broken a number of Segunda División records, being the only team to date able to lead the competition from the first until the last match of the season, setting in the process a new record of both matches won and points scored to date as well as the best first round in the history of Segunda's championship.
During the 2013–14 season, the team managed to stay in the top competition, with an average attendance for home matches estimated at 25,104 people.
In the 2014–15 season, despite managing once again to stay in the top flight (the team was already safe from relegation four matches before the end of the competition). Elche became the first team ever in the history of the Spanish Primera División being relegated to the Segunda following new regulations by the Spanish football league limiting excess debt and economic mismanagement.
In the 2016–17 season, Elche were relegated to the third division after 18 years in the professional league. One year later, Elche was promoted back to the second division after defeating Villarreal B in the final play-off promotion.
In the 2018–19 season, Elche finished right in the middle, in 11th place out of 22 teams.
In the 2019–20 season, Elche were promoted to La Liga by beating Girona in the promotion play-off final 1–0 on aggregate. They were promoted back to La Liga after five years in the second and third divisions.
In the 2022–23 season, Elche were relegated to the second division after three years in La Liga.
In the 2024–25 season, Elche were promoted to La Liga.
Seasons
Season-by-season As Elche Football Club SeasonTierDivisionPlaceCopa del Rey1929–3033ª2ndDid Not Play1931–3233ª5thDNP1932–3333ª2ndDNP1933–3433ª2ndDNP1934–3522ª4thSixth round1935–3622ª8thFirst round1939–4022ª7thDNP As Elche Club de Fútbol SeasonTierDivisionPlaceCopa del Rey1940–4133ª1stSecond round1941–4222ª6thFirst round1942–4322ª6thDNP1943–4433ª1stDNP1944–4533ª1stDNP1945–4633ª2ndDNP1946–4733ª2ndDNP1947–4833ª1stThird round1948–4933ª2ndSecond round1949–5022ª14thFirst round1950–5133ª6thDNP1951–5233ª13thDNP1952–5333ª16thDNP1953–5433ª3rdDNP1954–5533ª1stDNP1955–5633ª3rdDNP1956–5733ª1stDNP1957–5833ª1stDNP1958–5922ª1stRound of 321959–6011ª10thSemi-finalsSeasonTierDivisionPlaceCopa del Rey1960–6111ª14thRound of 321961–6211ª8thRound of 161962–6311ª8thRound of 161963–6411ª5thRound of 321964–6511ª8thRound of 321965–6611ª6thQuarter-finals1966–6711ª9thSemi-finals1967–6811ª11thQuarter-finals1968–6911ª9thRunner-up1969–7011ª11thRound of 321970–7111ª15thRound of 161971–7222ª4thFourth round1972–7322ª2ndFourth round1973–7411ª14thRound of 321974–7511ª8thFourth round1975–7611ª15thRound of 321976–7711ª11thRound of 161977–7811ª17thThird round1978–7922ª5thRound of 161979–8022ª4thFifth round SeasonTierDivisionPlaceCopa del Rey1980–8122ª4thThird round1981–8222ª4thRound of 161982–8322ª7thThird round1983–8422ª5thSecond round1984–8511ª17thSecond round1985–8622ª4thSecond round1986–8722ª4thFirst round1987–8822ª2ndRound of 321988–8911ª20thRound of 321989–9022ª14thSecond round1990–9122ª17thRound of 161991–9232ª B4thSecond round1992–9332ª B3rdSecond round1993–9432ª B12thFourth round1994–9532ª B6thFirst round1995–9632ª B3rdFirst round1996–9732ª B2ndFirst round1997–9822ª19thSecond round1998–9932ª B3rdSecond round1999–200022ª15thPrelim. roundSeasonTierDivisionPlaceCopa del Rey2000–0122ª18thRound of 642001–0222ª5thRound of 642002–0322ª16thRound of 642003–0422ª14thRound of 642004–0522ª10thRound of 162005–0622ª14thFirst round2006–0722ª10thThird round2007–0822ª10thRound of 322008–0922ª12thRound of 322009–1022ª6thSecond round2010–1122ª4thThird round2011–1222ª11thThird round2012–1322ª1stSecond round2013–1411ª16thRound of 322014–1511ª13th Round of 162015–1622ª11thSecond round2016–1722ª21stThird round2017–1832ª B3rdRound of 322018–1922ª11thThird round2019–2022ª6thRound of 32 SeasonTierDivisionPlaceCopa del Rey2020–2111ª17thRound of 322021–2211ª13thRound of 162022–2311ª20thRound of 322023–2422ª11thRound of 322024–2522ª2ndRound of 162025–2611ª15thRound of 162026–2711ªTBD
26 seasons in La Liga 41 seasons in Segunda División 8 seasons in Segunda División B 19 seasons in Tercera División
Current squad
Reserve team
Out on loan
Coaching staff
Honours Segunda División Winners (2): 1958–59, 2012–13
International players
Marc Bernaus Juan Carlos Heredia Marcelo Trobbiani Willy Caballero Fernand Goyvaerts Garry Rodrigues Enzo Roco Dominique Malonga Mario Pašalić Tommy Christensen Nicki Bille Nielsen Rodolfo Bodipo Iván Bolado Richmond Boakye Wakaso Sory Kaba José Cardona Gilberto Yearwood Balázs Molnár Elbasan Rashani Moha Benedict Iroha Francis Uzoho Jan Berg Roberto Acuña Florencio Amarilla José Aveiro Juan Casco Ramón Hicks Juan Carlos Lezcano Cayetano Ré Derlis Soto Germán Leguía Juan Carlos Oblitas Tomasz Frankowski Antoni Łukasiewicz Przemysław Tytoń Silas Ioan Andone Cristian Săpunaru Dennis Şerban Albert Nadj Saša Petrović Juan Manuel Asensi Rubén Cano Chancho Fidel Gonzalo Verdú Josan Carlos Muñoz Javi Navarro Nino Jorge Otero Marcial Pina César Rodríguez Hilario Eulogio Martínez Fabián Coelho Dagoberto Moll Mario Saralegui Tabaré Silva Juan Carlos Socorro Andrés Túñez Goran Đorović Carlos Sánchez
Coaches
César (1959 – 30 June 1960) Antonio Barrios (1 July 1960 – 6 February 1961) Otto Bumbel (1962–63) Heriberto Herrera (1 July 1963 – 30 June 1964) Rosendo Hernández (1964) Martim Francisco (1964–65) Otto Bumbel (1965–67) Alfredo Di Stéfano (1 July 1967 – 8 January 1968) Ferdinand Daučík (1968) Roque Máspoli (1 July 1968 – 31 December 1969) Salvador Artigas (1970) Otto Bumbel (1970–71) Roque Olsen (1971–74) Néstor Rossi (1974–75) Marcel Domingo (1975–76) Felipe Mesones (1976–77) Roque Olsen (1977–78) Heriberto Herrera (1 July 1978 – 30 June 1979) Arsenio Iglesias (1979–80) Héctor Rial (1980) Felipe Mesones (1981–82) Luis Cid (1982–83) Cayetano Ré (1983–84) Antonio Ruiz (1984) Roque Olsen (1984–85) Delfín Álvarez (1986–87) Felipe Mesones (1987–88) László Kubala (1988–89) Luis Costa (1989) Tomeu Llompart (1991–92) Julián Rubio (1 July 1993 – 30 June 1994) Quique Hernández (19 July 1994 – 30 June 1995) Felipe Mesones (1995–96) Fabri (1996)