Elche

Elche CF, founded in 1923, is a professional football club based in Elche, in the Valencian Community of Spain. The club plays its home matches at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero, a stadium with a capacity of 33,732 that was built for the 1982 FIFA World Cup. Elche has spent over 20 seasons in La Liga throughout its history, establishing itself as a club with a resilient identity despite frequent movements between the top two divisions. The club's most successful La Liga campaign came in the 1963-64 season when it finished fifth, its highest-ever top-flight placing. Elche reached the Copa del Rey semi-finals in 1969. The club faced significant financial difficulties in the 2010s, including a forced relegation from La Liga in 2015 due to unpaid tax debts. After years of rebuilding, Elche returned to La Liga in 2020 and maintained top-flight status for several seasons. The club's green-striped home kit is distinctive within Spanish football, and its fanbase is known for passionate support despite the city's relatively modest population of approximately 230,000.