Club Alianza Lima is a Peruvian professional sports club based in La Victoria District of Lima, Peru. It is widely known for having one of the most historical and successful professional football teams of Peru: they have won a total of twenty-three league titles of the Peruvian First Division and are currently the oldest team playing in this competition, since the club was founded in 1901. Alianza's home stadium is the Estadio Alejandro Villanueva, named after Alejandro Villanueva, one of the most important players the club had in their history. The stadium is also popularly known as Matute, name of the neighbourhood in which it is located. It is the most popular side in Peru, having the highest number of fans and followers. Alianza enjoyed success throughout the first decades of their professional era. In 1987, a tragedy struck Alianza when the entire squad and coaching staff died in an airplane crash as the team was returning from an away fixture. Alianza Lima has had a huge, long-standing rivalry with Universitario de Deportes, another popular football team of Lima, Peru. They play the Peruvian Clásico.
The Club's headquarters are located at the district of La Victoria, city of Lima. The infrastructure includes the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium with a capacity of 35,000 spectators, training facilities and administrative offices. The stadium was inaugurated on 27 December 1974, Alianza Lima played Nacional de Uruguay and the score was a tie 2 – 2 in the short tournament. Uruguayan architect Walter Lavalleja was responsible for the project, with contribution by Alfonso De Souza-Ferreyra. The first phase of works began on 30 May 1969.
