On Thursday, August 4, Elche CF and the City Council formalized a three-year extension to their cooperation agreement, resulting in a total commitment of four years from both parties. The arrangement threads together municipal stewardship and football club operations, aligning the city’s public goals with the club’s sporting mission.
The City Council agreed to transfer responsibility for maintenance and development of municipal grass fields located at Díez Iborra and Diego Quiles. The club, known as the Franjiverde, undertakes the upkeep and improvement of those pitches, with Díez Iborra serving as a primary site for first team training. Diego Quiles, home to a club subsidiary and the women’s squad, will also see expanded use as part of the broader grassroots program. The scheduling and conditioning of the grass will be adjusted based on field conditions to support competitive play, training needs, and community access to facilities.
In exchange for municipal support, the City Council will feature the city as a key focus of stadium presentations at the Martínez Valero arena. A comprehensive promotional program will project videos and tourism messages across the venue, reinforcing Elche’s image for visitors and residents alike. The city’s tourism branding will be displayed on the two fixed billboards within the stadium that previously carried different corporate imagery; this season, VisitElche will replace the prior council branding on those displays.
The agreement also expands social outreach by increasing how many people can participate in shared match-day opportunities. The venue will now allocate a larger portion of seats for communities facing economic hardships, expanding from 100 to 150 placements per match. These seats will be distributed by the Social Welfare Department to ensure that those without access to tickets can participate in the experience and remain connected to the club and city life.
The signing took place in a formal session held in the City Council Assembly Hall, with the mayor, Carlos Gonzalez, in attendance alongside Joaquín Buitrago, president of Elche CF, and other officials. The gathering also included members of the Sports Council, including Vincent Alberola, Jose Francisco Aldeguer, and a deputy director from the sports administration team. The event underscored the strong ties between municipal leadership and the football club as a shared symbol of local pride.
The mayor expressed satisfaction with the expanded partnership, noting that the collaboration connects two pivotal institutions for Elche. He highlighted that the relationship with Elche CF is strong and constructive, and that the club stands as a municipal icon celebrated by fans each matchday. The partnership is described as a link between the city’s past, its present, and its future, reflecting the social, cultural, and sporting fabric that defines Elche. The comments echoed a sentiment that the club’s status as a public company enhances its significance beyond sport, acting as a beacon of community spirit on Sundays and throughout the year [City records].
Joaquín Buitrago, the Elche president, welcomed the renewal as a sign of ongoing cooperation that has endured since the club’s roots in 1991 and has persisted through nearly three decades. He expressed gratitude for the sustained support from the City Council and emphasized that the agreement strengthens a relationship regarded as exemplary in its mutual benefit. He noted that Elche CF is not only a national-level sporting institution but also a catalyst for broad media exposure that benefits Elche’s image abroad, contributing to a positive perception of the city among fans and visitors alike. The president conveyed optimism that the agreement would continue to evolve and deepen in the years ahead [Club communications].
Overall, the joint initiative demonstrates a shared vision for the city and its football club. It positions Elche as a center of local sport, culture, and community life, with the stadium as a hub for civic pride. The long-term plan reflects a commitment to sustaining football as a unifying force and a vehicle for social inclusion, drawing on the club’s history and its potential to influence the city’s trajectory for the foreseeable future.