Vilaverdense F.C. (known for four years as Länk FC Vilaverdense) is a Portuguese football club based in Vila Verde in the district of Braga. They currently play in the Campeonato de Portugal, the fourth tier of Portuguese football after relegation from Liga 3 in 2024–25.
The club is affiliated to Associação de Futebol de Braga and has competed in the AF Braga Taça. The club has also entered the national cup competition known as Taça de Portugal on occasion.
It also competes in women's football, with a more successful team playing in the first tier, Campeonato Nacional de Futebol Feminino, using the 3,000-seat Municipal Stadium.
History The club was founded in 1953 as Vilaverdense F.C. and play their home matches at Campo da Cruz do Reguengo in Vila Verde. The stadium is a 1,000 spectator all-seater.
In 2020, the club's name and crest was changed following an acquisition of 90% of the club's SAD (Anonymous Shareholder Sport Association) by Länk. These changes caused some controversy.
On 11 June 2023, In the 2022–23 season, following a strong season that had the team in the top half of the table for the majority of the time, they managed to jump to second place in Série A, in the promotion rounds finish in second place at Série 2 and qualified for the promotion play-off against B-SAD. They drew the first leg at home with 1–1 and won the second leg in Rio Maior with 0–1 and thus with an aggregate score of 1–2, secured promotion to the 2023–24 Liga Portugal 2 for the first time in history from next season. They were relegated after one season following a 17th finish.
In 2024–25, Vilaverdense secure relegation to Campeonato de Portugal from next season after second successive from Liga Portugal 2.
Involvement with Länk In 2020, a Canadian group named Länk acquired 90% of Vilaverdense's SAD, promising to improve the club's stadium. With this they changed the club's name to Länk Vilaverdense and its badge to one in black and white, removing the green used to represent Vila Verde ("Green Town"). The team's kits, however, are still green. Although the acquisition was approved by the club's associates, the changes made by Länk came under heavy fire by the club's supporters and caused controversy.
League history SeasonLevelDivisionSectionPlaceMovements1990–91Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – 1ª divisão B1991–92Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – 1ª divisão A1992–93Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – 1ª divisão B1993–94Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – 1ª divisão B1994–95Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – Honra1995–96Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – Honra1996–97Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – Honra1997–98Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – HonraPromoted1998–99Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A13th1999–2000Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A8th2000–01Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A5th2001–02Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A6th2002–03Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A5th2003–04Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A2ndPromoted2004–05Tier 3Segunda DivisãoSérie Norte6th2005–06Tier 3Segunda DivisãoSérie Norte13thRelegated2006–07Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A14thRelegated2007–08Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – Honra1stPromoted2008–09Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A – 1ª Fase12th Relegation GroupTier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A – Sub-Série A23rd Relegated2009–10Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – Honra9th2010–11Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – Honra1stPromoted2011–12Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A – 1ª Fase5th Promotion GroupTier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A Fase Final2nd Promoted2012–13Tier 3 Segunda Divisão Série Norte13th 2013–14Tier 3 Campeonato Nacional Série A3rd As Länk VilaverdenseSeasonLevelDivisionSectionPlaceMovements2021–22Tier 4 Campeonato de Portugal Série A – 1st stage1st Promotion Group North zone – 2nd stage2nd Promoted to Liga 32022–23Tier 3 Liga 3 Série A – 1st stage2nd 2nd stage Série 2 – 2nd stage2nd 3rd stage3rd stage3rd Promotion play-off and promoted to Liga Portugal 2 via play-off2023–24Tier 2 Liga Portugal 2 17th Relegated to Liga 32024–25Tier 3 Liga 3 Série A – 1st stage10th 2nd stage in Relegation stage Série 1 – 2nd stage6th Relegation to Campeonato de Portugal2025–26Tier 4 Campeonato de Portugal Série TBD – 1st stage
Players Current squad
Out on loan
Honours AF Braga Divisão de Honra: 2010–11 AF Braga Taça: 1988/89, 1990/91, 1992/93, 1997/98, 2009/10
References
External links
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