Editing Melilla (section)

=== Sport ===
==== Sports facilities ====
The city has an extensive network of sports centers managed by the Department of Education, Youth, and Sports, many of which are operated by private companies under administrative concession. Many of these centers offer a variety of sports activities such as [[swimming]] and provide access to the rental of indoor pavilions, multi-sport courts, fields, fitness rooms, and sports campuses.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ciudad Autónoma de Melilla - Instalaciones Deportivas |url=https://www.melilla.es/melillaportal/contenedor.jsp?seccion=s_lloc_d10_v1.jsp&layout=contenedor.jsp&codbusqueda=268&codResi=1&language=es&codMenu=226&codMenuPN=601&codMenuSN=5&numeroPagina=2 |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=www.melilla.es}}</ref>

===== Álvarez Claro Municipal Stadium =====
{{Main|Estadio Municipal Álvarez Claro}}
The [[Estadio Municipal Álvarez Claro|Álvarez Claro Municipal Stadium]] is Melilla’s main sports venue and home to the [[UD Melilla]]. It was inaugurated on September 29, 1945, by then-mayor Rafael Álvarez Claro, after whom the stadium is named. It has a capacity of 10,000 spectators.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-08-15 |title=MelillaEsDeporte.es - La inauguración del Estadio Álvarez Claro |url=http://www.melillaesdeporte.es/noticia/4101/la-inauguracion-del-estadio-alvarez-claro |access-date=2025-04-16 |archive-date=15 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170815024003/http://www.melillaesdeporte.es/noticia/4101/la-inauguracion-del-estadio-alvarez-claro |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Throughout its history, it has hosted major matches, including games against clubs such as [[Atlético Madrid]], [[Athletic Bilbao|Athletic Club]], [[Levante UD]], and [[Real Madrid CF]], as well as international fixtures for the [[Spain national under-21 football team|Spain U21 national team]]. It also hosted the final of the [[2015 Copa de la Reina de Fútbol]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Do you remember the excitement of the 2015 Copa de la Reina? {{!}} www.rfef.es |url=https://rfef.es/es/noticias/recuerdas-la-emocion-de-la-copa-de-la-reina-2015 |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=rfef.es |language=es}}</ref>

Since 2021, the stadium has been undergoing transformation into a municipal multi-sport complex, with new facilities such as a [[climbing wall]], [[paddle tennis]] courts, and a [[shooting range]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-04-06 |title=Álvarez Claro Stadium to become a municipal multi-sport complex |url=https://elfarodemelilla.es/estadio-alvarez-claro-pasa-convertirse-complejo-polideportivo-municipal/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-04-16 |language=es}}</ref>

===== Javier Imbroda Ortiz Pavilion =====
The Javier Imbroda Ortiz Pavilion has a capacity of 2,900 spectators and is the home venue for [[Club Melilla Baloncesto|Melilla Basketball Club]] ([[LEB Oro]]), Melilla Fútbol Sala ([[Liga Nacional de Fútbol Sala|LNFS]]), and Melilla Volleyball Club ([[Superliga de Voleibol Masculina]]).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Baloncesto |first=Melilla |title=Melilla Basketball Club – Official Website |url=https://clubmelillabaloncesto.org/ |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=Club Melilla Baloncesto |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=CD Melistar FS: Club Information {{!}} LNFS |url=https://www.lnfs.es/equipo/cd-melistar-fs/100/info |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=www.lnfs.es |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Melilla Volleyball Club {{!}} Official Site |url=https://clubvoleibolmelilla.com/ |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=Melilla Volleyball Club |language=es}}</ref>

It was inaugurated on February 17, 1995, as the ''Ciudad de Melilla Sports Pavilion''. In 2007, it was renamed in honor of Melilla-born coach [[Javier Imbroda]], a key figure in Spanish basketball and runner-up in the [[Liga ACB]] with [[CB Málaga]] in the 1993–94 season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=acb.com |url=https://www.acb.com/entrenador/trayectoria-logros/id/20300073 |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=www.acb.com |language=es}}</ref>

The pavilion has hosted major sporting events, including three editions of the [[Copa Princesa de Asturias]] and three [[Liga ACB]] playoff finals. In 2025, improvements to the climate control system were announced following high temperatures recorded during events such as the 1st Javier Imbroda Memorial, held in August 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-06-07 |title=€87,985 invested to make the Javier Imbroda Pavilion "more human" - El Faro de Melilla |url=https://elfarodemelilla.es/invierten-87-985-para-hacer-mas-humano-el-pabellon-javier-imbroda/ |access-date=2025-04-16 |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The 2022 Princess of Asturias Cup Final breaks its first record |url=https://www.feb.es/2022/3/10/baloncesto/final-copa-princesa-asturias-2022-bate-primer-record/89545.aspx |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=FEB |language=ES}}</ref>

===== General Bañuls Sociocultural Sports Center =====
The General Bañuls Sociocultural Sports Center was founded in 1914 as the Melilla Equestrian Society. It was recognized as the Royal Equestrian Society by [[Alfonso XIII of Spain]] in 1920 and adopted its current name in 2014, in honor of General Francisco Bañuls.<ref>{{Cite web |title=General Bañuls Sociocultural Sports Center, Melilla Club - Melilla |url=https://fabs.es/centro-deportivo-sociocultural-hipica-general-banuls-club-en-melilla-melilla/ |access-date=2025-04-16 |language=es}}</ref>

The center offers a wide variety of sports and cultural activities, with a focus on its [[List of equestrian sports|equestrian]], [[tennis]], and [[paddle tennis]] schools, along with modern facilities. It has hosted numerous tournaments and social events over the years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sociocultural sports centers - DIAPER - Liferay DXP |url=https://ejercito.defensa.gob.es/diaper/centros-deportivos-socio-culturales |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250305225717/https://ejercito.defensa.gob.es/diaper/centros-deportivos-socio-culturales |archive-date=5 March 2025 |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=DIAPER |language=es-ES |url-status=live }}</ref>

Among its most notable alumni is tennis player [[Feliciano López]], who trained at the center during his time in Melilla between the ages of 5 and 12, taking his first steps in tennis before beginning his successful professional career.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Calderay |first=Antonio |date=2023-07-02 |title=Melilla was key in the development of Feliciano López as a tennis player - MelillaHoy |url=https://melillahoy.es/melilla-fue-clave-en-la-formacion-de-feliciano-lopez-como-tenista/ |access-date=2025-04-16 |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Serras |first=Manel |date=2002-06-30 |title=Feliciano López, the unknown survivor |url=https://elpais.com/diario/2002/06/30/deportes/1025388023_850215.html |access-date=2025-04-16 |newspaper=El País |language=es |issn=1134-6582}}</ref>

===== Royal Maritime Club of Melilla =====
The Royal Maritime Club of Melilla (RCMM) is a nautical organization founded on March 6, 1944, as the Maritime Club of Melilla. It was officially inaugurated on August 13, 1944, and received the "Royal" designation from [[King Juan Carlos I of Spain]] in 2006. It has more than 6,000 members.<ref>{{Cite web |last=RCMMelilla |title=Royal Maritime Club of Melilla |url=https://www.realclubmaritimomelilla.es/clmar/ |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=Real Club Marítimo de Melilla |language=es}}</ref>

The RCMM excels in sports, especially sailing, organizing the Melilla Nautical Week since 1997, and has a strong basketball section with 18 teams. It also offers a wide range of facilities and activities, including a nautical activity area, swimming pool, gym, pétanque court, sauna, restaurant, café, and exhibition hall.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Club Marítimo de Melilla |url=https://www.rcmarsc.es/nacional-e-internacional/club-maritimo-de-melilla |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=rcmarsc.es |language=es}}</ref>

Culturally, the club organizes the Cultural Days, focused on maritime themes, along with other social and educational activities.<ref>{{Cite web |last=RCMMelilla |date=2025-02-21 |title=The XI Cultural Days begin |url=https://www.realclubmaritimomelilla.es/clmar/arrancan-las-xi-jornada-culturales-club-maritimo-melilla-rcmm/ |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=Real Club Marítimo de Melilla |language=es}}</ref>

===== Other facilities =====
Melilla also features several [[association football|football]] and [[seven-a-side football]] fields, a [[motocross]] track, a [[radio-controlled car]] circuit, paddle tennis and pétanque clubs, the El Fuerte sports club, Melilla’s [[golf]] course, Lázaro Fernández and García Pezzi sports pavilions, municipal swimming pools, and Álvarez Claro courts.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ciudad Autónoma de Melilla. Sports Facilities. |url=https://www.melilla.es/melillaportal/contenedor.jsp?seccion=s_lloc_d10_v1.jsp&layout=contenedor.jsp&codbusqueda=268&codResi=1&language=es&codMenu=226&codMenuPN=601&codMenuSN=7&numeroPagina=2}}</ref>

==== Sporting clubs ====
===== Football =====
{{Main|UD Melilla}}
The city's football club, [[UD Melilla]], plays in the third tier of Spanish football, the [[Segunda División B]]. The club was founded in 1943 and since 1945 have played at the 12,000-seater [[Estadio Municipal Álvarez Claro]]. Until the other club was dissolved in 2012, UD Melilla played the Ceuta-Melilla derby against [[AD Ceuta]]. The clubs travelled to each other via the Spanish mainland to avoid entering Morocco.<ref name="chameleon">{{cite book |last=Hawkey |first=Ian |title=Feet of the chameleon: the story of African football |publisher=Portico |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-906032-71-5 |location=London}}</ref> The second-highest ranked club in the city are [[Casino del Real CF]] of the fourth-tier [[Tercera División]]. The football's governing institution is the [[Melilla Football Federation]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=UD Melilla |url=https://udmelilla.es/ |access-date=2025-04-17 |language=es}}</ref>

===== Basketball =====
{{Main|Club Melilla Baloncesto}}
[[Club Melilla Baloncesto]] is the main basketball team in the city. Founded in 1984, the team competes in [[LEB Oro]], the second tier of Spanish basketball, just below the [[Liga ACB|ACB League]]. Melilla Baloncesto has been a competitive team within this league, having played several promotion phases to the ACB over the years. The team plays its home games at the Pabellón Municipal de Deportes Javier Imbroda, which has a capacity of around 5,000 spectators. This pavilion is the heart of the Melilla fanbase, who passionately support the local team at every game. Although the club has not yet achieved promotion to the ACB, it has been a constant contender in the LEB Oro, regularly participating in the playoffs and demonstrating a high level of play. Additionally, Melilla Baloncesto has been successful in developing young players and providing a platform for talents who have later excelled in other competitions. Similar to football, matchups against other LEB Oro teams, such as [[Club Ourense Baloncesto]] or [[Cáceres Ciudad del Baloncesto]], often generate significant excitement due to the rivalry and the competitive nature of both clubs in the league.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Baloncesto |first=Melilla |title=Club Melilla Baloncesto – Web del Club Melilla Baloncesto |url=https://clubmelillabaloncesto.org/ |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=Club Melilla Baloncesto |language=es}}</ref>

==== Sporting events ====

===== African Race of the Legion =====
The African Race of the Legion (Carrera Africana de la Legión) is an endurance competition held annually in Melilla, organized by the [[Spanish Legion|1st Tercio “Gran Capitán” of the Spanish Legion]]. It includes several categories: a 50 km foot race, a 25 km march, mountain biking (BTT), and electric bike race (75 km), along with a children's version known as the MiniAfricana.

The route crosses natural landscapes, beaches, and the historic city center, and is known for its physical demands and scenic appeal. Participation is limited to 3,500 athletes, and the event features refreshment stations, medical support, and side activities such as the traditional African Dinner. It is considered one of the most emblematic sporting events in the city and a symbol of the connection between athletics and Legion values.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://carreraafricana.com/marcha-carrera/|title=Marcha – Carrera – Carrera Africana|access-date=2022-02-05|language=es}}{{Dead link|date=April 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

===== Melilla Sailing Week =====
The Melilla Sailing Week (Semana Náutica de Melilla) is an annual event held in August at the Noray Marina, organized by the Royal Maritime Club of Melilla. It combines competitive sailing events—such as dinghy and offshore regattas—with recreational, cultural, and educational activities.

The event features the highlight Two Continents Offshore Regatta, linking Melilla with Motril. In addition, it includes workshops, guided tours, concerts, and family-friendly activities under the motto “A Sea Without Barriers,” promoting inclusion and universal access to nautical sports. It is a key event for sports tourism and the cultural life of the city.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://elfarodemelilla.es/vii-semana-nautica-vela-ligera-entra-escena/|title=La VII Semana Náutica de Vela Ligera entra en escena - El Faro de Melilla|access-date=2025-03-09|date=2019-08-10|language=es}}</ref>