Unión Deportiva Melilla is a Spanish football team based in the autonomous city of Melilla. Founded in 1976, it currently plays in , holding home matches at Estadio Municipal Álvarez Claro, with an 8,000 capacity venue.
History Founded in 1976 as Gimnástico Melilla Club de Fútbol after a merger of Melilla CF and Club Gimnástico de Cabrerizas, the club immediately took Cabrerizas' place in Tercera División. Renamed Unión Deportiva Melilla (as an honour to the club founded in the 1940s) in 1980, it reached Segunda División B in 1987.
Melilla reached the last 32 of the Copa del Rey in 2012–13 where they were eliminated 4–2 on aggregate by La Liga side Levante UD, having won the first leg 1–0 at home via a Fernando Velasco penalty. Six years later, at the same stage, the team were beaten 10–1 on aggregate by Real Madrid.
Melilla's 34-year run in the third tier ended following the 2020–21 Segunda División B, when the team were put in the new fourth-level Segunda Federación after a league restructuring. In April 2023, following two years at that level, the team won automatic promotion as champions.
Club background Juventud Español — (1940–43) Melilla Fútbol Club — (1921–43) Unión Deportiva Melilla — (1943–56) Club Deportivo Tesorillo — (1940–56) Melilla Club de Fútbol – (1956–76) Club Gimnástico de Cabrerizas – (1973–76) Sociedad Deportiva Melilla – (1970–76) Gimnástico Melilla Club de Fútbol – (1976–80) Unión Deportiva Melilla – (1980–)
Other clubs from Melilla Club Deportivo Real Melilla — (1939–) Club de Fútbol Melilla Industrial – (1968–74) Club de Fútbol Industrial Melilla – (1975–85) Melilla Fútbol Club — (1985–91)
Rivalry The Ceuta-Melilla derby was between Melilla and AD Ceuta, who were dissolved in 2012. The two clubs travelled to face each other via the Spanish mainland to avoid entering Morocco.
Honours North Africa Championship: Winners (1): 1943–44 Runners-up (2): 1954–55, 1955–56
Season to season SeasonTierDivisionPlaceCopa del Rey1976–7733ª16th1st round1977–7843ª4th1st round1978–7943ª2nd1st round1979–8043ª10th1st round1980–8143ª3rd1st round1981–8243ª8th1st round1982–8343ª4th1983–8443ª10th1st round1984–8543ª3rd1985–8643ª8th1st round1986–8743ª3rd1987–8832ª B7th2nd round1988–8932ª B15th1st round1989–9032ª B2nd1990–9132ª B6th2nd round1991–9232ª B14th1st round1992–9332ª B15th3rd round1993–9432ª B15th2nd round1994–9532ª B12th1st round1995–9632ª B12thSeasonTierDivisionPlaceCopa del Rey1996–9732ª B11th1997–9832ª B5th1998–9932ª B1st1999–200032ª B9th1st round2000–0132ª B8th2001–0232ª B16th2002–0332ª B14th2003–0432ª B7th2004–0532ª B8thFirst round2005–0632ª B8th2006–0732ª B9th2007–0832ª B7th2008–0932ª B6thThird round2009–1032ª B2ndSecond round2010–1132ª B3rdThird round2011–1232ª B5thFirst round2012–1332ª B9thRound of 322013–1432ª B8th2014–1532ª B7th2015–1632ª B9thFirst round SeasonTierDivisionPlaceCopa del Rey2016–1732ª B6th2017–1832ª B5thFirst round2018–1932ª B3rdRound of 322019–2032ª B13thFirst round2020–2132ª B / 2021–2242ª RFEF9th2022–2342ª Fed.1st2023–2431ª Fed.18thSecond round2024–2542ª Fed.11th2025–2642ª Fed.16th2026–2753ª Fed.
1 season in Primera Federación 34 seasons in Segunda División B 4 seasons in Segunda Federación/Segunda División RFEF 11 seasons in Tercera División 1 season in Tercera Federación
Current squad
Notable players
Notable managers
Reserve team
Their reserve team, UD Melilla B, played for several years in Primera Autonómica Melilla and in Tercera División before ceasing activities in 2012. In 2013, Casino del Real CF became their reserve side, and was subsequently renamed to Melilla B in 2014.
References
External links
Futbolme team profile