CE Europa (women)
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Club Esportiu Europa is the women's football section of CE Europa, a Catalan football club based in the city of Barcelona, with close links to the Vila de Gràcia. Founded in 2001, its first team currently plays in Group 1 of the Segunda Federación, the third tier of Spanish football. Moreover, it disposes of 10 other women's teams as of the 2024-25 season, including both senior teams and youth teams.[3] The first team plays its home matches at the Nou Sardenya, with a capacity for 4,000 spectators.
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| Full name | Club Esportiu Europa (women) Club Esportiu Europa femení (in Catalan) | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Escapulades, europeistes, gracienques | |||
| Founded | 2001 | |||
| Ground | Nou Sardenya Barcelona, Catalonia Spain | |||
| Capacity | 4,000 | |||
| Chairman |  Hèctor Ibar[1] | |||
| Manager | Nany Haces[2] | |||
| League | Segunda Federación (women) | |||
| 2023-24 | Primera Federación (women), 12th | |||
| Website | Club website | |||
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During most of its history, Europa's first team competed in the second division of Spanish women's football. However, in 2024, the team got relegated to the Segunda Federación.[4]
Moreover, CE Europa is considered one of the pioneers of women's football in Catalonia because of its high number of teams, the equality of treatment of its women's and men's sections, the measures that the club undertakes to promote women's football, and the attention the women's teams receive by its supporters.[5][6][7]
Even though the history of CE Europa goes back to 1907, its women's section was only founded in 2001 after absorbing the squad of UE Taxonera.[8] In only three seasons, the team reached the Segunda División, the then-second tier of women's football. The club spent eight seasons in that division, before being relegated in 2012 to the third tier.
Europa returned to the second tier one year later, often finishing in the middle of the table. In 2019, the team suffered relegation again, which were followed by many changes in the structure of Spanish women's football. This impeded CE Europa to achieve promotion in 2022, despite finishing in first place.[9]
In 2022-23, Europa did achieve promotion to the second tier, renamed the Primera Federación, after four years of absence. One year later, the club got relegated back to the third division. Another substantial change in the history of Europa's women's section in the 2020s were the increase of the number of teams, the increase of the financial compensation of the first team, the improved facilities at the club, and the increase of attendance numbers at the matches of the first team.[7]
CE Europa holds its home games at Nou Sardenya, with a 4,000-spectator capacity, opened on 1 December 1940 and located in the Vila de Gràcia, Barcelona. The stadium has artificial grass and dimensions of 100x63 meters.
The Camp de l'Àliga is CE Europa's second stadium, in which many youth teams play. The stadium is located in the neighbourhood of Vallcarca i els Penitents, Barcelona, and has artificial grass.
- Primera División Nacional
- Winners (1): 2021–22
- Regional
- Winners (2): 2002–03, 2012–13
- Vila de Gràcia Trophy
- Winners (6) 2003, 2006, 2009, 2013, 2018, 2019
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Last updated on 22 June 2013. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Vila de Gràcia Trophy
The Vila de Gràcia Trophy, officially and in Catalan the Trofeu Vila de Gràcia Memorial Fina Serrano, is an annual pre-season tournament organised by CE Europa. It serves as the presentation of the first women's team of the club and includes the invitation a new team each year. In its first years, it was known as the Torneig Caliu Gracienc, as it was organised by the homonymous supporter group.
- ^ "Hèctor Ibar, nuevo presidente del Europa". Diario Sport (in Spanish). 24 April 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ "Nany Haces, nova entrenadora del Primer Equip femení". CE Europa (in Catalan). 11 June 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
- ^ "Europa, C.E." Federació Catalana de Futbol (in Catalan). Barcelona. 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
- ^ "L'Europa, al grup nord de Segona Federació 2024-25". beteve.cat (in Catalan). 2024-07-03. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
- ^ "La innovadora iniciativa de l’Europa per lluitar contra la bretxa salarial". Tot Barcelona | Notícies i Informació d'actualitat a Barcelona (in Catalan). 2023-07-06. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
- ^ López, Fabio (2 June 2024). "L'Europa es guanya la Vila amb un increment de socis i un renovat tarannà". Diari de Barcelona. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
- ^ a b Borchers 2024, p. 125.
- ^ Borchers 2024, p. 103.
- ^ Borchers 2024, p. 121.
- Borchers, Liam (2024). The Story of Europa: A Unique Football Club from Catalonia. Groningen: Self-published. ISBN 978-9-0903-8388-0.
- Vergés i Soler, Ramon (2009). Història d'un històric: CE Europa (1907–2007) [History of an historic club: CE Europa (1907–2007)] (in Catalan). Barcelona: Club Esportiu Europa and Municipality of Barcelona. ISBN 978-84-9850-163-6. DL B-21.803.2009.