Orihuela suffers promotion to Second RFEF
Orihuela took to the streets in celebration as the town marked a new milestone for the club’s journey in the Segunda RFEF. Fans waited for the moment almost until midnight, gathering around Glorieta Gabriel Miró in yellow shirts and scarves to meet their heroes up close.
Downtown transformed into a giant street party after the player, the coach, and several buses plus private vehicles rolled in. More than 400 supporters headed to Silla to back the team in a night charged with emotion and united cheers.
The players, coaches, and staff joined a crowd-pleasing stage setup organized by the City Council, where voices carried the names of the club’s supporters and the club anthem rose between tears and triumph. The moment felt like a turning page for Orihuela CF, who celebrated a long-awaited promotion from the second tier of regional football, a tenth promotion in the city’s football history. The victory came on a late, dramatic goal that sealed the result and intensified the jubilation.
New leadership in Orihuela began with a revamped board steered by Eloy Moreno, who resurfaced after a season outside the promotion picture and emerged with strong results in the team’s latest campaign. The VI of the Third RFEF formed a group champion, and the club’s campaign showed resilience and steady climbing toward success.
The Oriolanos reached a peak by staying at the top for 25 straight days. After the fifth match, they moved to first place and maintained that position all the way to promotion, creating a frenzy in the final stretch. On the last day, a crucial match against Silla carried the weight of permanence. A win avoided a second stumble, and the team built a lead that kept them ahead of Atzeneta by two points with goals in their favor on average.
More than 400 Orihuela fans traveled to Silla for the decisive game. In nearby Elche, Atzeneta defeated Ilicitano 1-2, while the Scorpion side kept a clean sheet, and Valencia’s side drew a 1-0 result that complicated direct promotion for Orihuela.
The celebration picture was completed by images of the Scorpio players reveling in promotion, captured by Tony Sevilla. The moment symbolized a new page for the club, a return to form after facing heavy expectations and intense pressure throughout the season.
The crowd’s energy did not fade as fans in the stands chanted through the night, and the team’s morale remained high as they stepped forward with confidence after a painful yet inspiring comeback. The pivotal late goals by Ayo (m.75) and Nacho (m.82) culminated in a delirium that echoed through the town, illustrated by the sea of yellow following the team all the way to Valencia. The Orihuela square, known as Gabriel Miró, became a real festival hub, with the city celebrating a hard-won promotion and a bright future ahead. This marks Orihuela CF’s fourth promotion since its founding in 1993, with the earlier promotions tracing back to the city’s historic team missing from the fold—the Orihuela Deportiva—whose legacy still shapes local football today. [Source: Orihuela CF historical records]
The night of triumph left the town inspired and ready for the challenges ahead, with a genuine sense that Orihuela CF is on the rise and capable of building on this promotion to push further in the regional pyramid. The celebration underscored the club’s resilience, the support from the local community, and the power of collective effort to turn a difficult season into a landmark achievement for Orihuela’s football heritage. [Source: Club communications]
This is Orihuela CF’s fourth promotion since its founding in 1993, continuing a legacy that includes the earlier periods in the city’s football history and the spirit of its supporters who follow the team through thick and thin.