History of S.L. Benfica in Timeline

Sport Lisboa e Benfica, or simply Benfica, is a prominent professional football club located in Lisbon, Portugal. The club competes in the Primeira Liga, which is the highest tier of football in Portugal. It is one of the most successful and widely supported football clubs in the country.

February 1904: Club Foundation as Sport Lisboa

In February 1904, Sport Lisboa was founded, marking the beginning of one of Portugal's "Big Three" clubs. The club's foundational meeting established its name, colours (red and white), and crest featuring an eagle and the motto "E pluribus unum".

February 1904: Formation Meeting

On February 28, 1904, the Catataus Group and members of Associação do Bem met to form Sport Lisboa, a football club composed of Portuguese players only. José Rosa Rodrigues was appointed as club president.

1904: Selection of Benfica's kit

In 1904, José da Cruz Viegas selected Benfica's kit with red and white colors.

1904: Club inception

In 1904, S.L. Benfica was founded.

January 1905: First Match and Goal

On January 1, 1905, Sport Lisboa played their first ever match, scoring their first goal in the process.

May 1907: Players Moved to Sporting CP

In May 1907, eight players moved from Sport Lisboa to Sporting CP, threatening Sport Lisboa's existence and sparking the rivalry between the two clubs.

1907: Start of rivalry with Sporting CP

In 1907, the rivalry between Benfica and Sporting CP started when eight prominent Benfica players defected to Sporting.

September 1908: Merger with Grupo Sport Benfica

On September 13, 1908, Sport Lisboa acquired Grupo Sport Benfica by mutual agreement and changed its name to Sport Lisboa e Benfica, incorporating elements from both clubs into the new entity.

1908: Sport Lisboa absorbed Grupo Sport Benfica

In 1908, Sport Lisboa absorbed Grupo Sport Benfica and the origin of the current crest goes back to that time.

April 1912: Rivalry between Benfica and FC Porto Started

On April 28, 1912, the rivalry between Benfica and FC Porto started with a friendly match.

1913: Move to Campo de Sete Rios

In 1913, Benfica moved to their first football grass field, Campo de Sete Rios.

1925: Move to Estádio das Amoreiras

In 1925, Benfica moved to their own stadium, the Estádio das Amoreiras.

1930: Shape of the crest was changed

In 1930, the shape of the Benfica crest was changed.

1934: Establishment of the Portuguese league

In 1934 the Portuguese league was established and Benfica is one of the teams that have never been relegated from it since then.

1935: Primeira Liga Championship

In 1935-36, Benfica won the Primeira Liga championship, marking the beginning of their first tri.

1936: Censorship of Vermelhos and renaming to Encarnados

In 1936, during the Spanish Civil War, the Portuguese Estado Novo's Censorship Commission censored the word "vermelhos", so Benfica became known as Encarnados.

1940: Move from Estádio das Amoreiras

In 1940, Benfica moved from Estádio das Amoreiras.

1940: Move to Estádio do Campo Grande and Taça de Portugal Victory

In 1940, Benfica moved to the Estádio do Campo Grande and also won the Taça de Portugal.

1941: Primeira Liga Championship

In 1941-42, Benfica won the Primeira Liga championship.

November 1942: First publication of O Benfica

On November 28, 1942, the weekly newspaper O Benfica was first published.

1943: Double (Dobradinha)

In 1943, Benfica achieved their first double (dobradinha) by winning both the Primeira Liga and the Taça de Portugal.

1944: First official use of white alternative kit

In 1944–45, Benfica's white alternative kit was officially used for the first time due to Salgueiros also wearing red upon promotion to the first division.

1949: Primeira Liga Title

In 1949-50, Benfica won the Primeira Liga title.

1950: Latin Cup Win

In 1950, Benfica achieved their first international success by winning the Latin Cup against Bordeaux at the Estádio Nacional in Lisbon.

1951: Taça de Portugal

In 1951, Benfica won the Taça de Portugal.

1952: Election of President Joaquim Ferreira Bogalho

In 1952, Joaquim Ferreira Bogalho was elected as president, marking the start of a modernization period for Benfica.

1952: Establishment of Casas do Benfica

Since 1952, Benfica has had supporters' clubs known as Casas do Benfica, places for cultural, social and sport interaction among benfiquistas, in some countries.

1954: Benfica started playing at Estádio da Luz

In 1954, Benfica began playing at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon.

1954: Arrival of Coach Otto Glória

In 1954, coach Otto Glória arrived, modernizing and professionalizing Benfica, and the club moved into the original Estádio da Luz.

1954: Construction of the Original Estádio da Luz

In 1954, the original Estádio da Luz was built, serving as Benfica's home ground before being replaced in 2003.

1955: Primeira Liga Title

In 1955, Benfica won the Primeira Liga title, but were not invited to the inaugural European Cup.

October 1957: Launch of O Benfica Ilustrado

On October 1, 1957, O Benfica Ilustrado was launched as a monthly supplement to the newspaper O Benfica.

1957: Latin Cup Final and UEFA Debut

In 1957, Benfica reached another final of the Latin Cup, losing to Real Madrid, and made their UEFA debut against Sevilla.

1958: Absence from European Competition

From 2001-02 and '02-03, Benfica were absent from European competition for the first time since 1958-59.

1959: Primeira Liga Title

In 1959-60, Benfica won the Primeira Liga title.

1960: Expansion of Estádio da Luz Capacity

In 1960, the seating capacity of the original Estádio da Luz was expanded to 70,000.

1960: Primeira Liga Title

In 1960-61, Benfica won the Primeira Liga title.

1961: European Cup Victory and Intercontinental Cup Runner-Up

In 1961, Benfica won the European Cup and became runners-up at the Intercontinental Cup.

1961: European Cup Victory

In 1961, led by coach Béla Guttmann, Benfica won the European Cup against Barcelona (3–2).

1962: Back-to-Back European Cup Victory

In 1962, Benfica secured their second consecutive European Cup victory, and were runners-up at the Intercontinental Cup, marking a unique achievement in Portuguese football.

1963: European Cup Runner-Up

In 1963, Benfica finished as runner-up in the European Cup.

February 1965: End of Benfica's Unbeaten Run

On February 14, 1965, Benfica's record-breaking 48-match unbeaten run in all competitions ended. The run began in December 1963.

1965: European Cup Final Loss and Ranked First in European Football

In 1965, Benfica reached the European Cup final, losing to Inter Milan, and were ranked first in European football.

1965: Biggest Aggregate Win in the UEFA Champions League

In 1965–66, Benfica achieved the overall record for the biggest aggregate win in the UEFA Champions League tournament.

1968: European Cup Final Loss and European Team of the Year

In 1968, Benfica reached the European Cup final but lost to Manchester United. They were also presented with the France Football European Team of the Year award.

1970: Primeira Liga and Taça de Portugal

In 1970, Benfica won the Taça de Portugal.

1971: Primeira Liga Title

In 1970-71, Benfica won the Primeira Liga title.

1972: First Undefeated Champions

In 1972-73, Benfica became the first undefeated champions in the domestic league.

October 1976: Start of Unbeaten League Streak

From October 1976, Benfica began a streak of 56 matches unbeaten in the league.

September 1978: End of Unbeaten League Streak

Until September 1978, Benfica were unbeaten in the league for 56 matches.

1979: Admission of Foreign Players

In 1979, Benfica admitted foreign players into the team, becoming the last Portuguese club to do so.

1980: First Club to Win All Portuguese Trophies

In 1980-81, Benfica became the first club to win all Portuguese trophies in one season, including the Supertaça de Portugal, Primeira Liga, and Taça de Portugal.

1982: Primeira Liga Title

In 1982-83, Benfica won the Primeira Liga title.

1983: UEFA Cup Runner-Up

In 1983, Benfica finished as runner-up in the UEFA Cup, now known as the UEFA Europa League.

1983: Primeira Liga Title, Taça de Portugal Victory and UEFA Cup Final Loss

In 1983-84, Benfica won the Primeira Liga title, the Taça de Portugal, and reached the final of the UEFA Cup, lost to Anderlecht.

1984: First Back-to-Back League Titles Since 1984

In 2013-14, Benfica won the club's first back-to-back league titles since 1984.

1985: Estádio da Luz capacity was 120,000

From 1985 to 1987, Estádio da Luz had a capacity of 120,000.

1985: Opening of the Third Tier of Estádio da Luz

In 1985, Benfica opened the third tier of the Estádio da Luz, making it the largest stadium in Europe.

1986: Domestic Double

In 1986, Benfica clinched the domestic double of Primeira Liga and Taça de Portugal.

1987: Estádio da Luz capacity was 120,000

From 1985 to 1987, Estádio da Luz had a capacity of 120,000.

1988: European Cup Final Loss

In 1988, Benfica reached the European Cup final but lost to PSV Eindhoven.

1988: Benfica Achieves Lowest Goals Conceded Record

In the 1988–89 season, Benfica's record for the lowest number of goals conceded in the Primeira Liga was achieved under coach Toni, with 15 goals in 38 matches.

1989: Primeira Liga Title and Super Cup

In 1988-89, Benfica won the Primeira Liga title and Super Cup.

1990: European Cup Final Loss

In 1990, Benfica reached the European Cup final but lost to AC Milan.

1993: Taça de Portugal Victory

In 1993, Benfica won the Taça de Portugal.

1994: Start of Instability

From 1994 to 2003, Benfica had eleven coaches.

1994: Primeira Liga Title

In 1993-94, Benfica won the Primeira Liga title.

1994: Silverware Drought

In 2003–04, Benfica ended their longest silverware drought since 1994 by winning the Taça de Portugal.

1995: Taça de Portugal Win

In 1995-96, Benfica won the Taça de Portugal.

1999: Biggest Defeat in European Competitions

In 1999, Benfica suffered their biggest defeat in European competitions, losing 7–0 to Celta de Vigo.

1999: Shape of the crest was changed

In 1999, the shape of the Benfica crest was changed and the eagle was modified and repositioned with a reduction of the wheel's size.

February 2000: Creation of Sport Lisboa e Benfica – Futebol, SAD

On February 10, 2000, Benfica created Sport Lisboa e Benfica – Futebol, SAD (a public limited sports company) with an initial equity of €75 million.

2000: Approval for New Estádio da Luz Construction

In 2000, club members approved the construction of the new Estádio da Luz.

2001: Lowest League Finish

In 2000-01, Benfica had their lowest ever league finish, placing sixth.

2002: Demolition of Estádio da Luz

The Estádio da Luz was demolished between 2002 and 2003.

2003: End of Instability

From 1994 to 2003, Benfica had eleven coaches.

2003: Implementation of mandatory electronic voting

In 2003, Benfica implemented mandatory electronic voting, a voting method that has been criticized by members of Benfica.

2003: Inauguration of the New Estádio da Luz

In 2003, Benfica's home ground became the Estádio da Luz, replacing the original stadium that was built in 1954. The new stadium marked a significant upgrade for the club's facilities.

2003: Taça de Portugal Win

In 2003–04, Benfica ended their longest silverware drought by winning the Taça de Portugal.

2003: Renewal with Adidas

In April, Benfica and Adidas renewed their previous ten-season contract of 2003 until 2021, for around €4.5 million per year.

January 2004: Benfica Retires Miklós Fehér's Number

On January 27, 2004, Benfica retired squad number 29 in memory of Miklós Fehér, who had passed away while playing for the team two days prior.

2004: UEFA Euro matches hosted

In 2004, the Estádio da Luz hosted several matches of UEFA Euro 2004, including the final.

2005: Circulation of newspaper O Benfica

By 2005, the weekly newspaper O Benfica had a circulation of close to 10,000.

2005: Benfica Campus built

In 2005, Benfica's training ground and youth academy, Benfica Campus, was built in Seixal, Lisbon Region.

2005: UEFA Champions League Quarter-Finals

In 2005-06, Benfica reached the quarter-final stage of the UEFA Champions League after eliminating then European champions Liverpool.

2006: Study on Benfica's worldwide supporters

According to a study published in 2006, Benfica has approximately 14 million supporters worldwide.

2006: Estimated 14 Million Supporters Worldwide

In 2006, Benfica had an estimated 14 million supporters worldwide, highlighting its global reach and popularity.

May 2007: Benfica SAD entered the PSI-20

On 21 May 2007, Benfica SAD entered the PSI-20 with an initial stock value of €5 on 15,000,001 shares.

December 2007: Publication of Mística magazine

From December 6, 2007, Benfica published the quarterly magazine Mística.

2007: League Finish

In 2007-08, Benfica finished fourth in the league.

2008: Launch of Benfica TV

In 2008, Benfica launched its own sports-oriented television network, Benfica TV (BTV).

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2008: Display of stars on shirts

Starting in the 2008 season, Benfica football shirts displayed three stars above the crest, with each star representing ten league titles won by the club.

December 2009: SAD increased equity to €115 million

Following the general assembly of 23 December 2009, the SAD increased its €75 million equity to €115 million by absorbing Benfica Estádio, to come out of technical insolvency.

2009: Taça da Liga Win

In 2009, Benfica won their first Taça da Liga, becoming the first club to win all major Portuguese competitions.

2009: Appointment of Jorge Jesus as Coach

In 2009, Jorge Jesus was appointed as coach of Benfica, a position he held until 2015.

2010: Shirts displayed commemorative crest with one star

In 2010, Benfica shirts displayed a commemorative crest with one star, marking the 50-year celebration of their first European Cup.

2010: European Semi-Final

In 2010-11, Benfica reached their first European semi-final in 17 years at the Europa League.

2011: Europa League Semi-Final

In 2010-11, Benfica reached their first European semi-final in 17 years at the Europa League.

2011: Shirts displayed commemorative crest with two stars

In 2011, Benfica shirts displayed a commemorative crest with two stars to celebrate their second consecutive European Cup.

2012: UEFA study on European club supporters

According to a study performed for UEFA in 2012, Benfica is the European club with the highest share of football supporters in its own country (47%).

2012: Champions League Quarter-Finals

In the 2011-12 campaign, Benfica appeared in the Champions League quarter-finals.

July 2013: Inauguration of Museu Benfica – Cosme Damião

On July 26, 2013, the Museu Benfica – Cosme Damião was inaugurated, opening to the public three days later.

2013: UEFA Europa League Runner-Up

In 2013, Benfica finished as runner-up in the UEFA Europa League.

2013: Unprecedented Treble

In 2013-14, Benfica won an unprecedented treble in Portuguese football, including the league, cup, and league cup.

July 2014: Acquisition of Benfica Stars Fund completed

On 31 July 2014, the SAD completed the acquisition of Benfica Stars Fund by spending roughly €28.9 million for 85% of units, thus purchasing the remaining economic rights of nine players.

2014: Benfica Achieves Treble

In 2014, Benfica achieved the first ever treble of Primeira Liga, Taça de Portugal, and Taça da Liga.

2014: UEFA Europa League Runner-Up and UEFA Ranking

In 2014, Benfica finished as runner-up in the UEFA Europa League and were ranked seventh all-time among UEFA clubs in European finals.

2014: Benfica biggest club in the world in membership terms

In 2014, according to a study by Movimento Por Um Futebol Melhor, Benfica had 270,000 members and was the biggest club in the world in membership terms.

2014: UEFA Champions League final hosted

In 2014, the Estádio da Luz was the venue for the UEFA Champions League final.

2014: Museu Benfica considered Best Portuguese Museum

In 2014, the Museu Benfica – Cosme Damião was considered the Best Portuguese Museum.

May 2015: Sponsorship deal with Emirates signed

In May 2015, the airline Emirates signed a three-year sponsorship deal worth up to €30 million to become Benfica's main jersey sponsor.

2015: End of Jorge Jesus Coaching Period and UEFA Ranking

In 2015, Jorge Jesus's six-season span as coach ended, during which Benfica won 10 domestic trophies. The club was also ranked sixth in the UEFA team ranking.

2015: Benfica Sets Club Points Record

In the 2015–16 campaign, Benfica amassed 88 points in 34 matches, setting the club's points record since the league is contested by 18 teams.

2016: Highest home attendance record

In the 2016–17 season, the highest home attendance record was set; 64,519 spectators saw Benfica's 5–0 win over Vitória de Guimarães in the season's last match at Da Luz.

2016: Benfica TV stopped broadcasting English Premier League

Until 2016, Benfica TV broadcasted three seasons of the English Premier League, and one season of the Italian Serie A and French Ligue 1.

June 2017: Benfica Earns Record Transfer Revenue

In June 2017, Benfica had earned €617 million from player transfers since the 2010–11 season, surpassing all other clubs worldwide in transfer revenue.

July 2017: Publication of Mística magazine ended

On July 11, 2017, Benfica ended publishing the quarterly magazine Mística.

October 2017: Benfica Ranks Among Top Scoring Teams in UEFA Competition History

By October 2017, Benfica was the 5th highest-scoring team in UEFA competition history, with 655 goals in 405 matches (1.62 per match).

2017: Super Cup and Treble Reachievement

In 2017, Benfica won the Super Cup after re-achieving a 36-year-old treble.

September 2018: Benfica SAD Reports Profit and Record Equity

In September 2018, Benfica SAD announced a profit of €20.6 million and revenue of €206.2 million. The club also reported a record equity of €86.8 million, with assets of €485.1 million and liabilities of €398.3 million, marking the first time since 2010-11 that debt fell below €400 million.

January 2019: Benfica Appears in Deloitte Football Money League

In January 2019, Benfica was the only Portuguese club featured in the Deloitte Football Money League, ranking as the world's 30th highest commercial revenue generating football club in 2017–18, with revenues of €150.7 million.

May 2019: Benfica Ranked Among Most Valuable Football Brands

In May 2019, Brand Finance ranked Benfica as the 40th most valuable football brand.

January 2020: Launch of Benfica Play

In January 2020, Benfica launched Benfica Play (BPlay), an over-the-top media service.

May 2020: Portuguese Securities Market Commission Denies Benfica's Takeover Bid

In May 2020, the Portuguese Securities Market Commission rejected Benfica's bid to take over 28.06% of Benfica SAD for €5 a share because the funding source was the SAD itself.

2020: Jesus returns amid biggest spending

In 2020, Jorge Jesus returned to Benfica amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, marking the beginning of the biggest spending spree in Portuguese football.

2020: UEFA Champions League final hosted

In 2020, the Estádio da Luz was the venue for the UEFA Champions League final.

September 2021: Benfica's Share Capital Ownership

By September 2021, Benfica owned the majority of Benfica SAD's share capital at 63.65%, with 40% directly held by the club (category A shares) and 23.65% by its holding company, Benfica SGPS (category B shares).

2021: Renewal with Adidas

In April, Benfica and Adidas renewed their previous ten-season contract of 2003 until 2021, for around €4.5 million per year.

2022: Average home attendance record

In the 2022–23 season, Benfica had an average home attendance of 57,108 in the Portuguese league, the highest average of the competition and current record at the Estádio da Luz, with an average occupancy of 89.12%.

2023: UEFA Club Coefficient Ranking

In 2023, Benfica was ranked 20th in the club coefficient rankings by UEFA at the end of the 2023–24 season.

2023: Super Cup win

In 2023, Benfica won the Super Cup.

February 2025: Reaching 400,000 Club Members

In February 2025, Benfica reached 400,000 club members, solidifying its position as the largest sports club in the world by membership.

May 2025: Lenore Sports Partners Acquires Stake in Benfica SAD

In May 2025, United States-based company Lenore Sports Partners acquired a 5.24% minority stake in Benfica SAD. The shares included stock previously seized from former president Luís Filipe Vieira and auctioned.