Rayo Vallecano news from every source, in real time: today's stories, matches, table and fixtures, the club's official content and its history, from the working-class heart of Vallecas in Madrid to La Liga and the 2001 UEFA Cup quarter-finals.
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Atlético MadridD. (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈraʝo βaʎeˈkano ðe maˈðɾið]), often abbreviated to Rayo (Spanish for "lightning bolt"), is a professional football club based in the Puente de Vallecas district of Madrid, Spain.
The club competes in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish football.
Founded on 29 May 1924, the club is known for its sociocultural tradition, recognized for representing the barrio-local culture and its working-class status. Its home matches have been played at the 14,708-capacity Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas stadium since 1976.
During its history, Rayo has spent 22 seasons in the top-flight, and has played in two European competitions, the UEFA Cup in the 2000–01 season and the 2025–26 UEFA Conference League. The club won the 2017–18 Segunda División. By historical performance, Rayo is the third best club in Community of Madrid, after Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid.
Establishment and early years
Rayo Vallecano was founded on 29 May 1924 in the hometown of Prudencia Priego, wife of the club's first president Julián Huerta. Greatly inspired by Argentina's River Plate, in 1949, after an agreement with Atlético Madrid, a red diagonal stripe was added to the team's kit, and the club reached Tercera División for the first time in its history.