History

Rio Ave Futebol Clube was founded in 1939. The story leads us to a barber shop, known as “Zé Tapioca”, where the 5 founders, José Maria Amaro, João Saraiva Dias, Ernesto Espírito Santo Braga, Albino Cunha and João Raposo, used to meet and discuss about football. One day, they decided to create a Club to represent their home town, Vila do Conde, they choose the city river and in the same year, 1939, Rio Ave Futebol Clube played his first match.

From then to now, the Club met two Stadiums, “Campo da Avenida” and “Rio Ave Futebol Clube Stadium”, won the Portuguese Second League for two times, in 95/96 and 02/03, has 21 participations in the Portuguese First Division and reached the Portuguese Cup Final in 83/84 for the first time.

2014 has been a glory year for Rio Ave FC, the Club celebrated the 75 Years of his birth, the 30th anniversary of the Rio Ave FC Stadium. These ephemerides were celebrated with our associates and members, with the city of Vila do Conde, but also in the pitch with the presence in the two Portuguese Cup Finals, and, for the first time in history, the UEFA Europa League Group Stage.

Now we are always looking for new challenges, facing them all always with the same courage that identify our history, our fans and our players.

Useful Links

Câmara Municipal de Vila do Conde

Federação Portuguesa de Futebol

Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional

UEFA – União das Associações Europeias de Futebol

FIFA – Federação Internacional de Futebol