History
New ownership and new hopes
At the end of the 2024/25 season, the Club was acquired by a new ownership group of Saudi investors led by Mohamed Al-Khereiji, who became the UD Almería owner and President, replacing Turki Al Alsheikh, who had led the Andalusian Club for 6 years and accomplished the project goals . However, the new leader announced in his official presentation that he is eager 'to create something very special for Almería.' Promotion to the Primera division, the Sports Complex, the second phase of the Stadium remodelling and strengthening the commercial area and the Club as an institution were all aspects to be addressed.
... BACK IN THE BIG TIME
UD Almería, under new management in August 2019, were third time lucky following two back-to-back seasons on the brink of promotion through the play-offs. The Rojiblancos managed to move up to the Spanish top flight on 29th May 2022 as second-tier champions. The race for promotion went down to the wire. In the event of a three-way tie on the last Matchday, promotion-hunting rivals Real Valladolid CF and SD Eibar would gain promotion. The Rojiblancos were away to CD Leganes and could only claim a 2-2 draw. It was the 90th minute and the fans could not bear the heart-pounding suspense a moment longer. However, in the 92nd minute, out of the blue, AD Alcorcón beat the Armeros [SD Eibar] 1-0, a result that together with the two-all recorded at the Butarque Stadium fired UD Almeria atop of the table as league champions.
Around 3,000 UD Almería travelling fans cheered on the team in the stands; among them Club owner Turki Alalshikh. After the final whistle, the news sparked a wave of euphoria: UD Almería are now a first-tier team…a goal set for three years was fulfilled at last! While the Club’s president celebrated it on the Madrid-based pitch with his players, coaches and managers, thousands of jubilant supporters took to the streets across Almeria straight after the end of the game. A few days later, the LaLiga SmartBank champs embarked on an open-top bus parade to showcase silverware as official celebrations were held with the entire city actively participating.
UD Almería completed a scintillating season after being in the top spots week after week and breaking records. Although the team had gone through a rough patch in January due to the Covid pandemic, the Indalicos knew how to pick themselves up from setbacks and again become one of the strongest candidates for promotion to the top flight.
A major remodelling of the Juegos Mediterraneos Stadium, which will also continue in the near future, has been carried out throughout the 2022/23 campaign.
Over the last years, Turki Alalshikh's UD Almería have been always giving hope to a crowd that has been showing up at the stadium in numbers to wholeheatedlysupport their team and now looks ahead with boundless optimism and great enthusiasm.
The same would not happen in the 2023/24 season, when the Rojiblancos failed to stay up in the top flight of Spanish football and were relegated to LaLiga Hypermotion. The Club relied on virtually the same squad to try for promotion in 2024/25. The team were on a 14-week unbeaten run, led the pack and were crowned Christmas champions but ultimately failed to advance. They secured a spot in the play-offs, losing in the semi-finals to Real Oviedo, who would eventually move up to the top tier.
NEW SAGE
On 2nd August 2019, UD Almeria entered a new stage when the Saudi magnate, Turki Alalshikh, acquired the shares of Alfonso García Gabarrón, thus becoming the new owner of the Club. Sixteen years after the Murcia-born businessman bought the club owned by Guillermo Blanes, this radical change took place since the minister of Saudi Arabia, with an impressive track record in the world of sports and business, was committed to an ambitious project in every way, unprecedented in Almeria. The expectation was enormous. At a sporting level, the UD Almeria first-team played their hearts out until the end after qualifying for the play-offs for promotion in the last two seasons (2019/20 and 2020/21); In the social sphere, the new owner made, among other initiatives launched, a generous donation of 1,200,000€ to help fight the coronavirus pandemic in Almeria; With regard to the infrastructures, the remodelling project for the Juegos Mediterraneos Stadium was presented to obtain the concession from the City Council... Exciting times ahead for UD Almería!
THAT'S A RELIEF!
It was such a relief to avoid the drop! In the 2018/19 season, Almería finally took a breather and after three consecutive campaigns struggling to avoid relegation until the last minute, this time Almeria even dreamed of having been able to play the play-off for promotion to First division. At times, the team was close to gaining promotion, but it could not be. It was a high-flying season, in which the Rojiblancos did not struggle at all and it was very much enjoyed with a committed, humble, hard-working and ambitious squad. The club changed its approaches and entered a new philosophy when planning its squad.
RELEGATION IN 2015
At the end of the 2014/15 campaign, Almería could not continue its good run in the First Division of the Spanish Football League. On the last fixture, the team were relegated to the Liga Adelante (Second Division). The Rojiblancos had chances to stay, but did not managed to remain in the First Division. Unfortunately, the 2-3 defeat against Valencia move them down to the Second Division. The fans said goodbye to a saddened team on the grass of the Juegos Mediterraneos Stadium, with a standing ovation.
Almería tried to return to the top flight in the 2015/16 season, but things did not go as planned, to such an extent that the Almeria were struggling to avoid the drop. In the end, they managed to stay in Liga Adelante in the last match week of the championship after drawing in Córdoba. The same happened in the 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons in the League 1 | 2 | 3. The Rojiblancos would also guarantee salvation on the last matchday after beating Reus at Mediterraneo and tying in Lugo, respectively.
PERMANENCE
A year later, on 18th May 2014, the Juegos Mediterraneos Stadium continued to party, and it was no wonder. UD Almería, with the help of a young head coach, Francisco Javier Rodríguez Vílchez, managed to stay in the Spanish top flight, something that was lived in a tremendous way after the last four Matchweeks of truly spectacular and epic league in which the Rojiblancos clinched three back-to-back wins against Espanyol, Betis and Granada, and a draw against Athletic Club de Bilbao. This winning streak ensured continuity in the highest tier of Spanish football. For the sixth year, UD Almería would be competing in the Primera Division. Without a doubt, an impressive achievement.
BACK IN THE TOP FLIGHT
The Rojiblancos would soon return to the First Division eventually. Two years after the relegation, they gained promotion to Liga BBVA again after a stunning campaign in Liga Adelante. The team ended sitting third in the table and the promotion would be played in the play-offs, in which they beat Las Palmas and later Girona. On 22nd June 2013, Almería became a top football club, and as it did in 2007, in the Juegos Mediterraneos Stadium. Fans and supporters celebrated the promotion with a huge party all around the city.
THE BRIGHTEST STAGE IN HISTORY
On 27th August 2007 Almería made their brilliant debut in the ‘La Liga de las Estrellas’. Almeria won by four goals to one against Deportivo de La Coruña at the Riazor stadium. From that moment, Almería reached the brightest stage in its history. Almeria was a great entertainer of the competition in the First Division. Sometimes the club stood out, especially during the first three seasons. Proof of that is that the red and white side never set foot in the relegation positions until the 2010/11 season, in which after four years in the top flight, they regrettably returned to Second Division. In any case, Almería also made history by qualifying for the semi-finals of Copa del Rey as never seen before.
PROMOTION
Since then, the new management of the UD Almería has not only managed to consolidate this project but also set the bar higher and higher. Almeria was promoted to the First Division in 28 years AD Almeria achieved it in the past. The team led by Unai Emery won 3-1 against Ponferradina at Juegos Mediterraneos on 17th May 2017. The promotion, which until then was ‘virtual’, was confirmed with four match weeks to go before the end of the championship. Almería will compete in the First Division!
A YOUNG CLUB
Unión Deportiva Almería SAD is a young club, but with a bright future ahead in Spanish football League. The entity has managed to consolidate itself in the Professional Football League, in the national elite, through its management from a sport, economic and social point of view. Despite being a modest and humble club, Almeria have accomplished important goals, such as promotions to the First Division in the 2006/2007 and 2012/13 seasons, and reaching the Copa del Rey semi-finals in the 2010/11 campaign. Six years competing in the First Division and seven in Second Division.
CONSTITUTION OF THE NEW CLUB
In any case, UD Almería would not be official until 28th June 2001, when Almería CF approved the name change at its General Shareholders' Meeting. The new club, based on the former corporation of Almería CF, was created. Successes would not be long in coming. In the 2001-2002 season, the team achieved promotion to the Second Division A. Almería were once again in the Professional Football League, among the national elite, something difficult to attain and which managed to consolidate. In July 2003, the new club took a major turn and entered a new stage in its short history. Businessman Alfonso García Gabarrón acquired the majority of the entity's shares from Guillermo Blanes becoming the main shareholder. Moreover, he became the club president, replacing Manuel García in office.
THE FOUNDATION
The UD Almería was unofficially born on 10th January 2001. On that date, the Mayor of Almería, Santiago Martínez Cabrejas, announced in the City Council Plenary Hall that the new club was a reality after the two teams in the city, ‘Polideportivo Almería’ and ‘Almería CF’ have merged. A few days later the club used its new acronym for the first time in an official match against Cádiz, corresponding to the IV group of Second Division B. More than eight thousand people gathered in the stands of the Juan Rojas football ground, hence showing the identification of the fans with the new entity. The high aspiration of Almería football to have a representative club of the city that would bring together all the fans and supporters, was fulfilled.