page_title: Elche CF
section_title: 2010s: return to the top flight
hierarchical_section_title: Elche CF / History / 2010s: return to the top flight
caption_attribution_description: Elche a Primera
context_page_description: Elche Club de Fútbol, S.A.D., is a Spanish football team based in Elx, Province of Alacant, in the Valencian Community. Founded in 1923, the club plays in La Liga, holding home matches at Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero, with a capacity of 33,732 seats.
  Founded in 1923 as the result of a merger between all of the town's clubs, Elche entered the league system in 1929, reaching Segunda División in 1934 and La Liga in 1959, finishing fifth in the latter tournament in 1963–64. It was runner-up in the Copa del Rey in 1969. It has been the only team in the history of La Liga to be relegated due to unpaid tax debts in the 2014–15 season. Elche returned to La Liga 2020-21 after being promoted to Liga Smartbank and La Liga in the last three seasons.
context_section_description: In 2010–11, again in the "silver category", the team finished fourth and thus qualified for the play-offs: after disposing of Real Valladolid in the first round (3–2 on aggregate) the dream of top flight promotion ended at the hands of Granada, on the away goals rule.
  On May 18, 2013, following Barcelona B and Alcorcón's 1–1 draw, Elche was automatically promoted to the top level, returning to the competition after 24 years. In the meantime the team coached by Fran Escribá had broken a number of Segunda División records, being the only team to date able to lead the competition from the very first until the last match of the season, setting in the process a new record of both matches won and points scored to date as well as the best first round in the history of Segunda's championship.
  During the 2013–14 season, the team managed to keep in the top competition, with an average attendance to home matches estimated at 25,104 people.
  In the 2014–15 season, despite managing once again to keep in the top flight (the team was already safe from relegation four dates before the end of the competition) Elche became the first team ever in the history of the Spanish Primera División being relegated to Segunda following new regulations by the Spanish football league limiting excess debt and economic mismanagement.
  In the 2016–17 season, Elche were relegated to third level after defeated by Cádiz and played on between first and second division every 18 years.
  One year later, Elche promoted back to second level after defeated Villarreal B in the last play off promotion to second level.
  In the 2018–19 season, Elche finished right in the middle, on 11th place among 22 teams.
  In the 2019–20 season, Elche promoted to La Liga by beating Girona in final play off promotion, after five years in second and third category.
caption: Elche squad and fans celebrating the return to La Liga in 2013
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