- published: 02 Mar 2016
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Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. (Llevant Unió Esportiva in Valencian) is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.
Founded on 9 September 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.
Levante UD was originally founded in 1909 as Levante Fútbol Club, taking their name from the "Levante" beach in La Malvarrosa, and was one of the pioneering football clubs in Valencia. Local rivals Valencia CF were not formed until 1919. However, another club, Cabanyal FC, had been playing in the city since 1903.
The team's earliest games were played at La Platjeta, near the docks on a plot of land owned by a perfume entrepreneur. Its next ground was also near the port area, and the club gradually began to become associated with the working class. In 1919, the side played Valencia for the first time, losing 0–1. The game marked the inauguration of the recently formed new ground at Algirós. In 1928, Levante FC won their first trophy, the Valencian Championship.