Climbed out of the mud to take over European football

Next season, a club based in Africa will be playing professional football in Europe.

Ceuta, the Spanish exclave, will now be represented for the first time since 44 years in the second-tier professional Spanish football league.

Ceuta and Melilla are the only two Spanish colonies on the coast of North Africa. Around the Moroccan border and with Europe on the other side of the Mediterranean, Ceuta is often in the news due to the migrant crises and border tensions.

Re-opening for business after 44 years

Ceuta’s news is now for a completely different reason. On May 11, AD Ceuta clinched promotion to Segunda Division after a thrilling 2–1 win away at Fuenlabrada, with the winning goal coming late, in the 87th minute.

AD Ceuta’s win in the group 2 of Primera Federacion (3rd-tier in Spain) has assured them first place, above teams like Real Murcia B, Ibiza B or Sevilla B.

AD Ceuta, founded in 1956, plays their home matches at the Alfonso Murube Municipal Stadium. This 6,500-seat stadium is named after an ex-local player. According to TransfermarktThe value of AD Ceuta is 5 million euros. This is a much lower price than other teams that will compete in Segunda Division next season.

Football brings people together from forever

For the city of Ceuta, the historic promotion is more than just a sporting achievement — it’s a cultural milestone. In a city with 83,000 residents, defined primarily by its multi-cultural identity, the local soccer team has become an important unifier.

In an interview with Spanish outlet, club president Luhay hamido explained that “we’re a extra-peninsular town, with people of different religions and races.” AS.

“AD Ceuta brings us together in a way that few other things can. This team is what we have in common. “This is more important than a victory. It’s a signal: Ceuta will be here soon, and we are prepared,” he said.

AD Ceuta’s magical Journey: Three promotions within four years

Ceuta is a journey that has a deep meaning for Luhay Hamido. He has seen three promotions since taking charge of a struggling club from Spain’s fourth Division just eight years earlier.

He compared Ceuta’s growth with raising a child. “You feed it and teach it. You watch it grow stronger every year.” There’s been sweat, failure, hope — and now, this joy.”

AD Ceuta is celebrating these days, but knows that next season will be tough, competing against historical clubs such as Deportivo La Coruña, Malaga or Granada. Hamido said, “We are from the mud and we have to keep our feet firmly on the ground.”

Ceuta: a world-class city.

With promotion comes greater media attention for AD Ceuta, along with TV exposure and financial support — all of which could boost the city’s economy and visibility.

“This promotion gives us a chance to show that to the rest of Spain and Europe,” said Juan Jesús Vivas, the president of the autonomous city.  “Ceuta presents its own challenges. But Ceuta is not a problem — it’s a place full of life and identity,” he noted.

Ceuta’s next season will therefore be historic. Not just because they’ll compete in the Segunda División and hope to maintain their status, but also because they now have a platform to show the world who they really are.

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