Deportes Copiapó
Chilean football club
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Club de Deportes Copiapó — or simply Deportes Copiapó — is a Chilean football club based in Copiapó, Atacama Region. Founded in 1999 after Regional Atacama's folding, it currently plays in the Primera División, the first level of the Chilean football system, and holds its home games at Estadio Luis Valenzuela Hermosilla which has a capacity of 8,000 spectators.
Albirrojos
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| Full name | Club de Deportes Copiapó | ||
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| Nicknames | El León de Atacama Albirrojos | ||
| Founded | 9 March 1999 | ||
| Ground | Estadio Luis Valenzuela Hermosilla, Copiapó, Chile | ||
| Capacity | 8,000 | ||
| Chairman | Luis Galdames | ||
| Manager | Hernán Caputto | ||
| League | Primera B | ||
| 2025 | Primera B, 2nd of 16 | ||
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The club has spent the most of its history playing in the Primera B, reaching its promotion to top-level (Primera División) for the first time in 2022. Its only one honour was the Tercera División title in 2002.
It has a rivalry with Cobresal.
History
Early years: 1999–2012
Deportes Copiapó was founded on 9 March 1999 following the disappearance of Regional Atacama, which had represented the city of Copiapó before financial difficulties led to its dissolution. The new club was established as Club de Deportes Copiapó S.A. and became the first sports corporation of its kind in Chile, with Ítalo González serving as its first president.[1][2]
The club entered the Tercera División in its inaugural season and quickly became a regular promotion contender. Copiapó reached three consecutive finals between 2000 and 2002, losing the first two to Unión La Calera and Lota Schwager before defeating Malleco Unido 7–1 in the decisive match of the 2002 tournament. The victory gave the club its first official title and promotion to the Primera B.[1][3]
Copiapó made its professional debut in 2003 with a 5–0 away victory over Deportes La Serena at the Estadio La Portada, a result that became one of the most notable debuts by a club promoted from Chilean amateur football.[1][2]
The club established itself in Primera B and came close to reaching the top flight in 2007. Under manager Nelson Cossio, Copiapó finished fourth in the regular season and qualified for the promotion play-offs, where it competed against Santiago Morning and Puerto Montt.[4] Although Copiapó defeated Puerto Montt 4–3 in the final match, Santiago Morning ultimately secured promotion.
After several seasons in Primera B, Copiapó competed in the newly established Segunda División Profesional in 2012. The club initially missed qualification for the promotion play-offs, but entered the competition after Deportes Temuco was excluded by the ANFP for financial irregularities.[5] Copiapó then eliminated Trasandino and defeated Deportes Linares in both legs of the promotion final, winning the return match 2–1 at the Estadio Luis Valenzuela Hermosilla and returning immediately to Primera B.[6]
Recent years
Following its return to Primera B, Deportes Copiapó gradually became a consistent promotion contender. The club finished runner-up in the 2017 Transición tournament and again challenged for promotion in subsequent seasons. In 2019, under Héctor Almandoz, Copiapó reached the final of the promotion play-offs, losing 3–2 to Deportes Temuco at the Estadio Nacional.[7]
Another opportunity came in 2021, when Copiapó finished second in Primera B under Erwin Durán and earned the right to contest the promotion play-off against Huachipato. The series was ultimately decided in favour of Huachipato, leaving Copiapó in the second tier for another season.[7]
The breakthrough finally came in 2022. After finishing third in Primera B with 52 points, Copiapó entered the promotion play-offs and eliminated Universidad de Concepción and Deportes Puerto Montt to reach the final against Cobreloa.[8] The first leg ended 0–0 in Copiapó, but in the return match on 27 November the León de Atacama produced a historic 5–0 victory at the Estadio Zorros del Desierto in Calama. Maximiliano Quinteros scored a hat-trick, while Jorge Luna and Eduardo Puchetta added the remaining goals, securing the club's first promotion to the Primera División.[9][8]
Copiapó made its Primera División debut in 2023, beginning the first top-flight campaign in the club's history. The team managed to preserve its status during its inaugural season and remained in the division for 2024.
The second campaign proved more difficult. Copiapó spent much of the 2024 season near the bottom of the table and was in last place from the twentieth round onward.[10] Relegation was confirmed on 20 October after a 5–3 home defeat to Everton left the club bottom of the standings with 23 points, ending its two-season stay in Primera División.[11]
Back in Primera B in 2025, Copiapó immediately challenged for promotion again. The club finished second in the regular-season standings with 52 points, three behind champions Universidad de Concepción, and qualified directly for the semi-finals of the promotion play-offs.[12] Copiapó was eliminated by Deportes Concepción after losing the first leg 1–0 and drawing the return match 1–1, remaining in the second tier for the 2026 season.
Current squad
- As of 8 August 2026
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Managers
Copiapó has been managed almost exclusively by Chilean coaches since its foundation in 1999. Wilson Piñones and Rubén Sánchez jointly led the club during its inaugural season, while Jorge Rodríguez and Hernán Castro followed in the early 2000s. One of the first major achievements came under Gerardo Silva, who guided Copiapó to the 2002 Tercera División title and its first promotion to Primera B.[1]
Nelson Cossío had several spells between 2006 and 2010 and led the team to the promotion play-offs in 2007, one of Copiapó's earliest attempts to reach the Primera División.[13] Sánchez also became closely associated with the club, returning for several spells and spending much of the period between 2013 and 2017 in charge.
During the club's rise as a regular promotion contender, Erwin Durán managed the team in 2017–18 and returned in 2021. Argentine Héctor Almandoz first took charge from 2018 to 2020, leading Copiapó to the 2019 promotion play-off final. After periods under Emiliano Astorga and Durán, Almandoz returned in 2022 and achieved the greatest milestone in the club's history, guiding Copiapó to its first promotion to Primera División after a 5–0 victory over Cobreloa in the promotion final.[9]
Almandoz remained in charge for the beginning of Copiapó's first Primera División season in 2023 before being succeeded by Ivo Basay, who helped the club avoid relegation in its debut campaign. Basay remained until 2024, when Hernán Caputto was appointed as manager.
Titles
- 2002