Mérida AD
Spanish association football club
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Asociación Deportiva Mérida, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Mérida, in the autonomous community of Extremadura. Founded in 2013 it is a successor club of CP Mérida, it currently plays in Primera Federación – Group 1.
Pecholatas
as Mérida Asociación Deportiva
Extremadura, Spain
| |||
| Full name | Asociación Deportiva Mérida, S.A.D. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | Romanos Pecholatas | ||
| Founded | 19 February 2013 as Mérida Asociación Deportiva | ||
| Ground | Estadio Romano, Mérida, Extremadura, Spain | ||
| Capacity | 14,600[1] | ||
| Owner | Best Intentions Analytics Limited (100%) | ||
| President | Cliff Crown | ||
| Head coach | Fran Beltrán | ||
| League | Primera Federación – Group 1 | ||
| 2024–25 | Primera Federación – Group 2, 4th of 20 | ||
| Website | admerida | ||
|
| |||
History
The club was founded on 19 February 2013 and six days later, it was registered in General Registry of Sports Entities of Extremadura.[2] Mérida UD was dissolved later in 2013 and Mérida AD bought their place in Tercera División.[3]
On 30 May 2015, the club was promoted to Segunda División B after defeating CD Laredo 2–1 on aggregate in the playoffs.[4] On 27 August that year, the team competed in the Copa del Rey for the first time, losing 0–3 at home to Peña Sport FC in the opening round.[5]
In 2017–18, the club were given a bye to the second round of the cup, where they lost 2–0 at CF Fuenlabrada.[6] The season ended with relegation back to the fourth tier after a 2–2 aggregate defeat (away goals) to Coruxo FC in the relegation play-offs,[7] but the club bounced back a year later with a penalty shootout win against UD Socuéllamos.[8]
After a league restructuring in 2021, Mérida was placed in the new fourth-tier Segunda División RFEF. That season, they came runners-up in their group to Córdoba CF and achieved promotion via the play-offs with a 2–0 extra-time win over CD Teruel.[9]
In 2025, the Matthew Benham-led holding group Best Intentions Analytics Limited (BIA) acquired the club.[10]
Season to season
| Season | Tier | Division | Place | Copa del Rey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013–14 | 4 | 3ª | 2nd | |
| 2014–15 | 4 | 3ª | 1st | |
| 2015–16 | 3 | 2ª B | 8th | First round |
| 2016–17 | 3 | 2ª B | 5th | |
| 2017–18 | 3 | 2ª B | 16th | Second round |
| 2018–19 | 4 | 3ª | 1st | |
| 2019–20 | 3 | 2ª B | 19th | Second round |
| 2020–21 | 3 | 2ª B | 6th / 4th | |
| 2021–22 | 4 | 2ª RFEF | 2nd | |
| 2022–23 | 3 | 1ª Fed. | 8th | Second round |
| 2023–24 | 3 | 1ª Fed. | 12th | |
| 2024–25 | 3 | 1ª Fed. | 4th | |
| 2025–26 | 3 | 1ª Fed. | First round |
- 4 seasons in Primera Federación
- 5 seasons in Segunda División B
- 1 season in Segunda División RFEF
- 3 seasons in Tercera División
Current squad
- As of 23 September 2025.[11]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Stadium
Mérida plays its home games at Estadio Romano, with a capacity of 14,600 spectators.[12]
Managerial history
Ángel Alcazar (2015)- Antonio Gómez (2016)
- José Miguel Campos (2016)
- Bernardo Plaza (2016)
- Eloy Jiménez (2016–17)
Mehdi Nafti (2017)[13][14]- Loren Morón (2017–18)
- Mehdi Nafti (2018)[15][16]
- Santi Amaro (2019)
- Diego Merino (2019–20)
- Juanma (2020)
- Dani Mori (2020–21)
- Miguel Rivera (2021)
- Juan García (2021)
- Javier Álvarez de los Mozos (2021–22)
- Juanma (2022–23)
- Sergi Guilló (2024–25)
- Fran Beltrán (2025–)
