History of Rayo Vallecano in Timeline

Rayo Vallecano, officially Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, S.A.D., is a professional football club based in Madrid's Villa de Vallecas district. They compete in La Liga, the highest tier of Spanish football.

May 1924: Club Foundation

Rayo Vallecano was founded in May 1924, marking the beginning of the club's history.

1949: Affiliation with Atlético Madrid and Addition of Red Stripe

In 1949, Rayo Vallecano became affiliated with Atlético Madrid and added a red diagonal stripe to their kit. In 1949 the club reached Tercera División for the first time in its history.

1949: Affiliate of Atlético Madrid

In 1949–50 Rayo Vallecano was an affiliate of Atlético Madrid.

May 1976: Stadium Opened

On 10 May 1976, the Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas stadium was opened and was called "New Stadium Vallecas".

1976: Inauguration of Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas

In 1976, Rayo Vallecano's home stadium, Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas, was established, providing a venue for their matches.

1982: Made Copa del Rey semi-finals

In 1982, Rayo Vallecano made it to the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

1983: Relegation to Segunda División B

The 1983–84 season was the worst during the 1980s. The club finished in the last position in Segunda División and was relegated to Segunda División B.

1989: Laurie Cunningham's Death

In 1989, Laurie Cunningham's death in a car crash marked a tragic end to his time with Rayo Vallecano, his last club.

1991: Ruiz-Mateos family arrival

In 1991, the Ruiz-Mateos family arrived.

1999: Gained Promotion

In 1999, Rayo Vallecano gained promotion, consolidating their top-flight status.

2000: UEFA Cup Qualification

In 2000, Rayo Vallecano qualified for the UEFA Cup, marking a significant achievement in the club's history.

2003: Relegation

In 2003, Rayo Vallecano experienced relegation, marking a downturn in the club's fortunes.

January 2004: Stadium Name Changed

In January 2004, the name of the stadium changed denominations, as the wife was also named by her husband, businessman José María, the first woman president of an elite football team.

2004: Successive Relegation

In 2004, Rayo Vallecano faced successive relegations, compounding their struggles.

2005: Míchel Hired as Manager

In 2005, Míchel, a Real Madrid legend, was hired as manager of Rayo Vallecano.

2006: Promotion Play-off Semifinal Win

In 2006, Rayo Vallecano finished second in Segunda División B and won the promotion play-off semifinal.

June 2009: Plans Announced for New Stadium

In June 2009, Rayo Vallecano announced plans for the construction of a new stadium.

2010: Comfortable Finishes

In 2010-11, the team ranked in second position and returned to the top flight after an eight-year absence, only trailing champions Real Betis in spite of very serious economic problems.

2011: Spanish Protests

In support of the 2011–12 Spanish protests, the squad decided to take one day off from training to join the demonstrations in March 2012.

March 2012: Squad Joins Spanish Protests

In March 2012, the Rayo Vallecano squad decided to take a day off from training to join the 2011–12 Spanish protests.

2013: Sponsorship agreement with Qbao

In 2013, Rayo Vallecano signed a sponsorship agreement with Qbao in terms of expanding the club's profile overseas.

March 2014: Huawei Sponsorship Agreement

In March 2014, Huawei agreed to sponsor Rayo Vallecano for two league matches against Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao.

2014: Club Support for Evicted Resident

In 2014, Rayo Vallecano offered to fund 85-year-old Carmen Martínez Ayuso after she was evicted from her house.

August 2015: Purchase of Oklahoma City FC

In August 2015, Rayo Vallecano purchased the majority of Oklahoma City FC, later renamed Rayo OKC, marking their entry into the American sports market.

2015: Played 2015-16 La Liga season

In the 2015-16 La Liga season, Rayo Vallecano finished 18th.

May 2016: Relegation to Segunda División

In May 2016, Rayo Vallecano were relegated to the Segunda División after finishing 18th in the 2015–16 La Liga season, ending their five-year streak in the top-flight.

February 2017: Roman Zozulya Leaves Club

In February 2017, Roman Zozulya left Rayo Vallecano after fans accused him of belonging to far-right groups.

2017: David Cobeño Appointed Sporting Director

In 2017, David Cobeño was appointed as the sporting director of Rayo Vallecano. In 2017 they secured promotion with a 1-0 win over CD Lugo.

2017: Won Segunda División

In 2017, Rayo Vallecano won the Segunda División, showcasing their success in the second tier of Spanish football.

March 2019: Paco Jémez Appointed Head Coach

On 20 March 2019, the club appointed Paco Jémez as head coach.

2019: Match Called Off Due to Fan Chants

In 2019, a match involving Roman Zozulya was called off after fans sang "Zozulya you are a Nazi".

August 2020: Andoni Iraola Appointed Head Coach

In August 2020, Andoni Iraola was appointed as the head coach of Rayo Vallecano.

2021: La Liga Promotion

In 2021-22, Rayo Vallecano achieved promotion to La Liga after winning the playoffs against Girona FC.

February 2022: Copa del Rey Semi-Finals

In February 2022, Rayo Vallecano defeated RCD Mallorca to reach the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, a feat not achieved since 1982.

2023: No Known Plans for New Stadium

As of 2023, the Autonomous Community of Madrid, owner of the stadium, has no known plans for a new stadium.

2024: Rayo Vallecano Associated with Left-Wing Politics

In 2024, Rayo Vallecano and its supporters were described by Jason Stockwood in the Guardian as being associated with left-wing politics.

2024: Qualified for European football

In 2024-25 season, Rayo Vallecano qualified for European football after 24 years.

2025: Reached UEFA Conference League league phase

In 2025–26 season, Rayo Vallecano made their debut appearances in a major UEFA competition group or league phase by reaching the UEFA Conference League league phase.