Football clubs

The local football team is Marbella Fútbol Club. It was founded in 1997 following the collapse of Club Athletico Marbella which was owned by Jesus Gil. The new club was initially called Unión Deportiva Marbella and renamed in 2013 to appeal to a wider international fan base. The club currently plays in Segunda Division B - Group 4.

Betis, full name Real Betis Balompie, followed in 1907, founded by students from the Polytechnic. They were led by another Brit, Henry Jones - known as Papa Jones - who was their first chairman; their inaugural match was also against Huelva, in 1908.

Seville was started first - officially in 1905, but the earliest football match took place in the city before then, in 1890, against the newly-founded Huelva club Deportivo, which was started by British mineworkers who brought the game to Spain, along with British sailors and Spanish students returning from Britain. Its name, Sevilla FC (Football Club, rather than CF - Club de Futbol) reflects its British origins.

Granada Club de Fútbol, formerly known as Recreativo de Granada, is a Spanish football club based in Granada city. Founded in April 1931, their first president was Julio López Fernández. In the season of 1941-42, Granada became the third Andalucian football team (after Sevilla and Real Betis) to compete in La Liga (Spanish first division). Their home matches are played at Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes, which seats up to 22, 500 spectators.