History of Alianza Lima in Timeline

Alianza Lima is a Peruvian professional sports club founded in 1901, based in the La Victoria District of Lima. Known for its historical significance and success, it has won 25 league titles in the Peruvian Primera División, making it the oldest team currently playing in the competition. Considered the most popular club in Peru and the 6th most popular in South America, Alianza Lima boasts a large fanbase of over 12 million people.

February 1901: Club Foundation

In February 1901, Club Alianza Lima was founded under the name Sport Alianza by working-class youth in the Chacaritas neighborhood of Lima. The name referenced the Alianza Racing Horse Stud, where their first matches occurred.

1912: Peruvian Football League Founding Member

In 1912, Alianza Lima became a founding member of the Peruvian Football League, established as an amateur-level league.

1918: First Title Win

In 1918, Alianza Lima won its first title in the amateur era of the Peruvian football league.

1920: Name Change

In 1920, the club officially changed its name to Alianza Lima.

1928: First Clásico Between Universitario and Alianza Lima

In 1928, the first match of the Peruvian Clásico took place between Universitario and Alianza Lima, with Universitario unexpectedly defeating the league champions.

1928: Settling in La Victoria District

In 1928, under the new name Alianza Lima, the club permanently settled at the third block of the Manco Capac avenue in the La Victoria District, establishing an emotional home-base for the club and fans.

1931: National Championship Win

In 1931, Alianza Lima won the National Championship, marking the beginning of a successful decade.

1932: National Championship Win

In 1932, Alianza Lima secured another National Championship, continuing their winning streak.

1933: National Championship Win

In 1933, Alianza Lima triumphed again, winning their third consecutive National Championship.

1934: Disputed National Championship

In 1934, although Alianza Lima won the National Championship for the fourth time in a row, the Peruvian Football Federation did not recognize the win, awarding the championship to Universitario.

1938: Relegation to Lima Provincial League

In 1938, Alianza Lima faced a setback with relegation to the Lima Provincial League.

February 1951: Estadio Alejandro Villanueva Construction Announcement

On February 15, 1951, Alianza Lima announced the construction of the Estadio Alejandro Villanueva, also known as Matute, on the club's 50th anniversary.

1951: League Turns Professional

In 1951, the Peruvian Football League officially turned professional.

1956: First Match Against Sporting Cristal

In 1956, Alianza Lima and Sporting Cristal met for the first time in the championship.

May 1969: Estadio Alejandro Villanueva Construction Commenced

On May 30, 1969, the construction of Estadio Alejandro Villanueva commenced, after delays caused by financial problems.

December 1974: Stadium Inauguration

On December 27, 1974, the Estadio Alejandro Villanueva was inaugurated with a match between Alianza Lima and Nacional of Uruguay, ending in a 2–2 draw in front of 36,966 spectators.

1976: Copa Libertadores Semi-Finals

In 1976, Alianza Lima reached the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores, but lost to Deportivo Cali 1–4.

1977: Peruvian Title Win

In 1977, Alianza Lima won the Peruvian title, contributing to a period where its players formed the majority of the Peru national football team.

1978: Copa Libertadores Semi-Finals

In 1978, Alianza Lima again reached the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores, repeating their international success from 1976.

1978: Peruvian Title Win

In 1978, Alianza Lima secured another Peruvian title, continuing their success with a team that heavily contributed to the national football team.

1980: Alianza Lima Women's Basketball Team Wins Title

In 1980, the Alianza Lima women's basketball team won the Liga de Basket de Lima, marking the team's only title.

1987: Airplane Crash Tragedy

In 1987, a tragic airplane crash claimed the lives of the entire Alianza Lima squad and coaching staff as they returned from an away fixture.

1987: Tragic Airplane Crash

On December 8, 1987, the Alianza Lima team was involved in a tragic airplane crash while returning from a match in Pucallpa, resulting in the death of all players and coaching staff.

1988: Near Relegation

In 1988, Alianza Lima narrowly avoided relegation, managing to stay in the league after a challenging season.

1994: Alianza Lima Volleyball Team Runners-Up

In 1994, Alianza Lima volleyball team were runners-up in the Campeonato Sudamericano de Campeones.

1995: Inauguration of Noche Blanquiazul

In 1995, Noche Blanquiazul was first held, marking the introduction of Alianza Lima's new players with a musical performance followed by a friendly match against an international guest team at the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium.

1997: National Title Win

In 1997, Alianza Lima secured its first national title after 18 years, under the management of Colombian coach Jorge Luis Pinto.

1998: Copa Libertadores

In 1998, Alianza Lima was defeated by Uruguay's Peñarol in a penalty shootout in the Copa Libertadores.

1999: Second Place Finish

In 1999, Alianza Lima finished in second place, losing to Universitario in the finals.

1999: Copa Merconorte Semi-Finals

In 1999, Alianza Lima reached the semi-finals of the Copa Merconorte, losing to America de Cali in a penalty shootout.

2000: Sandro Baylón's Death

In the early hours of 2000, young captain Sandro Baylón tragically died in a car accident.

2001: Centenary Title Win

In 2001, Alianza Lima celebrated its centenary by winning the national title, defeating Cienciano in Cusco on penalty kicks.

2001: Alianza Lima Leads Supporter Survey

In 2001, a survey conducted by Apoyo Opinión y Mercado found that 42% of respondents supported Alianza Lima, placing them first, followed by Universitario with 35%.

2002: Alianza Lima Continues to Lead Supporter Survey

In 2002, Alianza Lima maintained its lead in a supporter survey with 43% of the answers, followed by Universitario with 37% and Sporting Cristal with 13%.

2003: League Title Triumph

In 2003, Alianza Lima achieved a league title triumph.

2003: Championship Win

In 2003, Alianza Lima won the championship, defeating Sporting Cristal in the finals under Argentinian manager Gustavo Costas.

2003: Alianza Lima Increases Lead in Supporter Survey

In 2003, Alianza Lima's support reached nearly 50% in a survey, compared to Universitario's 31% and Sporting Cristal's 17%.

2004: League Title Triumph

In 2004, Alianza Lima achieved a league title triumph.

2004: Championship Win

In 2004, Alianza Lima secured another championship, defeating Sporting Cristal again in the finals under Argentinian manager Gustavo Costas.

2006: Championship Win

In 2006, Alianza Lima won the championship by beating Cienciano del Cusco in the final play-off, earning a spot in the Copa Libertadores.

2007: Worst Campaign

In 2007, Alianza Lima had one of its worst Copa Libertadores campaigns.

December 2010: LED Screen Installation

On December 4, 2010, Estadio Alejandro Villanueva became the first stadium in Peru to have an LED screen in high definition, along with a digital advertising banner.

2010: Controversial Copa Libertadores Elimination

In 2010, Alianza Lima was eliminated from the Copa Libertadores after a controversial match against Universidad de Chile, with a disputed goal leading to protests from the club.

2011: Copa Libertadores Preliminary Phase

In 2011, Alianza Lima participated in the preliminary phase of the Copa Libertadores as Peru's 3rd place team, losing both games against Mexico's Jaguares de Chiapas.

2012: Copa Libertadores Group Stage Participation

In 2012, Alianza Lima participated in Group 5 of the Copa Libertadores as Peru's No. 2 seed, competing against Nacional (Uruguay), Vasco da Gama (Brazil), and the winner of Ecuador's 3rd and Paraguay's 3rd.

2014: Alianza Lima Ranked Among Most Popular Teams

In 2014, a research by Euromericas Sport Marketing agency ranked Alianza Lima as the most popular soccer team in South America and second most popular in Latin America, surpassing teams like Boca Juniors and Corinthians in fan loyalty.

April 2016: Popularity Ranking

As of April 2016, Alianza Lima was considered the most popular club in Peru and the 6th most popular in South America, with over 12 million fans, according to CONMEBOL.

2016: Video-Monitoring Center Installation

In 2016, due to safety concerns, the Estadio Alejandro Villanueva was equipped with a video-monitoring center and 50 high-tech security cameras.

2017: National Championship Win

In 2017, Alianza Lima won the national championship, securing both the Apertura and Clausura titles and avoiding the need for final playoffs.

2020: Relegation and Controversy

At the end of 2020, Alianza Lima was relegated to the second division, leading to contention and a campaign to remain in the first division.

2021: Championship Title

In 2021, Alianza Lima beat Sporting Cristal to become the champions, winning the first game 1-0 and tying the second game 0-0.

2021: Reinstatement to First Division

In 2021, after appealing to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Alianza Lima was reinstated to the first division, with Carlos Stein being sent to the second division.

2021: Alianza Lima E-sports Team Wins National League

In 2021, the Alianza Lima E-sports football team won the Liga Peruana de eFootball national league.

2021: Alianza Lima Women's Team Wins Championship

In 2021, the Alianza Lima women's football team won the Primera División Femenina championship.

August 2022: Foundation of Alianza Lima Futsal Team

On August 2022, the Alianza Lima futsal team was founded.

2022: Liga 1 Title Win

In 2022, Alianza Lima won the Liga 1 title after defeating Melgar in the championship playoffs, securing back-to-back league titles for the first time since 2004.

2022: Carlos Stein Promotion

In 2022, Carlos Stein was promoted back to the first division after winning a penalty shoot out at the end of a play off in the second division.

2022: Alianza Lima Women's Team Wins Championship and Reaches Copa Libertadores Quarter-Finals

In 2022, the Alianza Lima women's football team won the Primera División Femenina championship and reached the quarter-finals of the Copa Libertadores Femenina.

2023: Runner-up Finish

In 2023, Alianza Lima lost to Universitario de Deportes in the final, 3–1 on aggregate, finishing as the runner-up.

2023: Alianza Lima Futsal Team Wins National Championship and Copa Latinoamericana Inclusiva

In 2023, the Alianza Lima futsal team became national champions and won the Copa Latinoamericana Inclusiva.

2023: Alianza Lima Women's Team Runners-Up

In the 2023 season, the Alianza Lima women's team finished as runners-up in the Primera División Femenina.

2023: Alianza Lima Volleyball Team Wins First Title

In the 2023–24 season, the Alianza Lima women's volleyball team won their first Liga Nacional Superior de Voleibol title.

2024: Alianza Lima Women's Team Wins Championship and Reaches Copa Libertadores Quarter-Finals

In 2024, the Alianza Lima women's football team won the Primera División Femenina championship and reached the quarter-finals of the Copa Libertadores Femenina.