Historical Crests Associação Chapecoense de Futebol
Name:Associação Chapecoense de Futebol
Nickname(s):Chape, Verdão do Oeste(Big Green of the West)
Founded:1973
Stadium:Arena Condá
Capacity:20,089
1948-1973
1961-1973
1973
1974
1975-1984
1984-2017
2017-Present
Associação Chapecoense de Futebol Crest History
The crest history of Associação Chapecoense de Futebol is closely connected to the two clubs whose merger created Chapecoense in 1973. Unlike many older Brazilian clubs, Chapecoense's visual identity developed rapidly around one dominant colour — green — and a circular emblem featuring the initials ACF, elements that have remained central to the club for more than half a century.
The first crest shown, used from 1948 to 1973, belonged to Independente Futebol Clube, one of Chapecoense's two predecessor clubs. It was a very simple white shield outlined in dark blue, containing the large initials IFC. Its appearance bears little resemblance to the green identity that Chapecoense would later adopt.
The second predecessor, Atlético Clube Chapecoense, used the crest shown from 1961 to 1973. This was a much more traditional football shield, featuring the initials ACC above vertical black, white and red stripes. When Independente and Atlético Chapecoense combined in 1973, neither predecessor's colours were retained as the defining identity of the new club.
The first crest of Associação Chapecoense de Futebol, introduced in 1973, established the basic structure that has defined the club ever since. A green circular badge contained a large geometric ACF monogram, surrounded by a ring carrying the full name “Associação Chapecoense de Futebol.” A small banner at the bottom identified the club's home as Chapecó, SC. Green had now become the unmistakable colour of the new club.
Already in 1974, Chapecoense experimented with the centre of the badge. The clean geometric ACF lettering was replaced by a much more decorative and intertwined interpretation of the initials. The surrounding circular inscription and Chapecó identification remained essentially unchanged.
The design was refined again for 1975–1984. The ornate ACF monogram became more clearly defined and visually balanced, while the green-and-white circular construction was retained. This established the version from which the club's long-term modern identity would develop.
Between 1984 and 2017, Chapecoense used a remarkably stable crest. The circular green badge remained, with “Associação Chapecoense de Futebol” written around the outside and “Chapecó SC” at the bottom. The centre featured the distinctive white intertwined ACF monogram on a green field. Compared with earlier versions, the lettering became more stylised and organic, creating the emblem most strongly associated with Chapecoense's rise through Brazilian football.
This crest accompanied the club through some of the most important developments in its history, including its rapid climb from Série D to Série A, its establishment in Brazil's top division and the extraordinary run to the 2016 Copa Sudamericana final.
Following the tragic LaMia Flight 2933 disaster of November 2016, Chapecoense was awarded the 2016 Copa Sudamericana title. The continental triumph subsequently became permanently represented in the club's visual identity.
The 2017–Present crest therefore retains the traditional circular green-and-white design almost completely unchanged but adds a white star above the badge, commemorating the 2016 Copa Sudamericana title. The foundation year 1973 is also displayed within the lower section of the emblem, reinforcing the club's historical identity.
The star has particular significance because it represents far more than an ordinary sporting achievement. It recalls Chapecoense's remarkable journey to the 2016 final while also serving as a lasting visual connection to the players, staff and others who lost their lives in the air disaster.
Associação Chapecoense de Futebol Club History
Associação Chapecoense de Futebol was founded on 10 May 1973 in Chapecó, in the western part of the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. The club was created through the merger of two local teams, Independente Futebol Clube and Atlético Clube Chapecoense, with the objective of creating a stronger representative for the rapidly developing city. Chapecoense adopted green and white as its colours, eventually becoming affectionately known simply as Chape and as the Verdão do Oeste — the Big Green of the West.
The new club progressed remarkably quickly. Only four years after its foundation, Chapecoense won its first Campeonato Catarinense in 1977, defeating Avaí in the decisive stages of the competition. The achievement established the young club as a serious challenger to the traditional powers from Florianópolis and other parts of Santa Catarina.
Chapecoense spent much of the following decades competing primarily at state and lower national levels. Another Campeonato Catarinense title arrived in 1996, but financial limitations and Brazil's difficult national league structure prevented the club from establishing itself permanently among the country's leading teams.
The beginning of the twenty-first century was particularly challenging, and Chapecoense experienced serious financial difficulties. A restructuring of the club during the late 2000s, however, transformed its fortunes. Improved financial management and sporting organisation created the foundations for one of the fastest rises through the Brazilian football pyramid.
In 2009, Chapecoense earned promotion from Série D to Série C. Three years later, in 2012, the club secured promotion to Série B, and the following season it finished second in Série B to earn promotion to Série A. In just a few years, Chape had climbed from Brazil's fourth national level to the country's elite.
Chapecoense made its Série A debut in 2014 and successfully established itself in the top division. Rather than simply fighting relegation, the club gradually became increasingly competitive and began making an impact in South American competition.
In the 2015 Copa Sudamericana, Chapecoense produced an impressive campaign that included eliminating Argentine giants River Plate's rivals? Actually, they eliminated Libertad and reached the quarter-finals, where they were eventually eliminated by River Plate despite defeating the Argentine club in the second leg in Chapecó. The campaign demonstrated that the small club from western Santa Catarina could compete internationally.
The following year produced the greatest sporting campaign in Chapecoense's history. In the 2016 Copa Sudamericana, Chape eliminated teams including Independiente and Junior before defeating Argentine side San Lorenzo in the semi-finals. The result sent Chapecoense into its first major continental final, where it was scheduled to face Colombian club Atlético Nacional.
On 28 November 2016, tragedy struck when LaMia Flight 2933, carrying the Chapecoense squad and delegation to Medellín for the first leg of the final, crashed near the Colombian city. Seventy-one people died, including most of the first-team squad, coaching staff, club officials and accompanying journalists. Only six people survived the crash, including Chapecoense players Alan Ruschel, Jakson Follmann and Neto.
The disaster produced an extraordinary international response. Atlético Nacional requested that the 2016 Copa Sudamericana title be awarded to Chapecoense, and CONMEBOL subsequently declared the Brazilian club champions. Atlético Nacional received the CONMEBOL Centenary Fair Play Award for its gesture. The continental title therefore became inseparably associated with both Chapecoense's outstanding 2016 campaign and the tragedy that prevented the final from being played.
Chapecoense faced the enormous task of rebuilding almost its entire football operation for 2017. Clubs throughout Brazil and abroad offered assistance, players joined the reconstructed squad and the club continued competing rather than withdrawing. Remarkably, Chapecoense won the 2017 Campeonato Catarinense and remained in Série A, making the season an important symbol of the club's recovery.
The club's international profile also increased dramatically after 2016, but maintaining its earlier sporting level proved difficult. Chapecoense was relegated from Série A in 2019, only to respond with an outstanding 2020 Série B campaign, winning the championship and returning to the top flight.
Relegation followed again in 2021, beginning another period of rebuilding. Nevertheless, Chapecoense's achievements since the late 2000s had permanently changed the club's position within Brazilian football. From a relatively modest regional side, Chape had become a national top-flight club, a Copa Sudamericana champion and a football institution recognised around the world.
Chapecoense's rivalries are primarily rooted in the state of Santa Catarina. Matches against Avaí, Figueirense and Criciúma carry particular importance because these clubs have traditionally competed for supremacy in the Campeonato Catarinense and for representation of Santa Catarina at national level. Criciúma is an especially significant regional opponent because both clubs represent important football centres outside the state capital, while encounters with the Florianópolis clubs Avaí and Figueirense reflect the historic competition between western Santa Catarina and the coast. Unlike many major Brazilian clubs, however, Chapecoense does not have one universally dominant derby rival; its rivalries are more broadly connected to the struggle for state supremacy in Santa Catarina.
