Founded:2024 (institutional continuation of Alianza Petrolera, founded in 1991)
Stadium:Estadio Armando Maestre Pavajeau
Capacity:11,000
1990-2023
2024-Present
Alianza FC Crest History
The crest history of Alianza FC reflects one of the most dramatic identity changes in recent Colombian football. The club's visual history is divided into two distinct periods: the black-and-yellow identity of Alianza Petrolera, associated with the oil industry of Barrancabermeja, and the completely redesigned blue, white and red identity of Alianza FC following the club's relocation to Valledupar in 2024.
The original crest, used by Alianza Petrolera until 2023, was based on a traditional shield divided vertically into three sections.
Yellow and black dominated the design. These colours became synonymous with Alianza Petrolera and reflected the club's strong historical connection with Barrancabermeja, one of the principal centres of Colombia's petroleum industry.
A large black letter A appeared on the yellow section to the left, while a matching P appeared on the right. Together they represented the initials of Alianza Petrolera.
The central black stripe contained the most distinctive feature of the old badge: a stylised oil derrick rendered in white.
Above the derrick appeared a small yellow flame, reinforcing the connection with petroleum production and the industrial identity of Barrancabermeja.
This imagery was particularly appropriate because Alianza Petrolera developed within a community whose economic and social history was closely connected with Colombia's oil industry.
The combination of the letters A and P, the derrick and the yellow-and-black colours created an emblem that communicated the club's origins without requiring its full name.
The old crest remained remarkably consistent for much of Alianza Petrolera's existence. Although graphical reproductions varied, the fundamental combination of the black-and-yellow shield and oil tower became inseparable from the club.
A major transformation occurred at the end of 2023, when the organisation announced that it would leave Barrancabermeja and relocate to Valledupar, in Colombia's Cesar Department.
Beginning with the 2024 season, the club competed under the new identity Alianza FC, bringing the Alianza Petrolera era to an end and requiring an entirely new visual identity.
The 2024–present crest abandoned virtually every major element of its predecessor.
Instead of the traditional shield, Alianza FC introduced a circular badge dominated by blue, white and red.
The upper blue section of the outer ring carries the name ALIANZA in white capital letters, while the lower red section contains FÚTBOL CLUB.
The change from yellow and black to blue, white and red visually separated the new Valledupar-based club from the petroleum identity that had characterised Alianza Petrolera.
At the centre of the badge is a stylised football, providing a direct reference to the club's sporting purpose.
Beneath the ball appear several blue wavy lines. These introduce a regional element into the new identity and give the otherwise highly symmetrical crest a distinctive central symbol.
The design is surrounded by concentric blue outlines, creating a clean modern appearance that contrasts strongly with the angular shield of Alianza Petrolera.
Significantly, the oil derrick and flame disappeared completely. Their removal represented more than a graphical modernisation: those symbols belonged specifically to Barrancabermeja and the petroleum industry from which the old club derived its identity.
The initials AP were also removed. By using the full word ALIANZA, the new badge preserved one element of continuity while clearly presenting the organisation under its new name.
Alianza FC Club History
Alianza FC represents the continuation of the Colombian professional club historically known as Alianza Petrolera. The club's story began in Barrancabermeja, an important oil-producing city in the department of Santander, before a major relocation and rebranding created the present-day Alianza FC in 2024.
Alianza Petrolera was founded in 1991 in Barrancabermeja. Its identity was closely connected with the city's petroleum industry, which explains both the name Petrolera and the oil derrick that dominated the club's traditional black-and-yellow crest.
For most of its early history, Alianza competed in Colombia's second division, Categoría Primera B. The club developed into an important sporting representative of Barrancabermeja but initially struggled to make the breakthrough into the country's top flight.
A significant period in the club's development came through cooperation with Atlético Nacional. Young players from Nacional were given opportunities at Alianza Petrolera, helping strengthen the squad while providing developing footballers with valuable competitive experience.
The breakthrough finally arrived in 2012. Alianza Petrolera enjoyed an outstanding campaign and won promotion to Colombia's Categoría Primera A for the first time.
Promotion represented a historic achievement for both the club and Barrancabermeja. After more than two decades in the lower divisions, the city's black-and-yellow team would finally compete against the biggest clubs in Colombian football.
Alianza Petrolera made its Primera A debut in 2013 and gradually established itself in the top division. Rather than immediately returning to Primera B, the club became a regular member of Colombia's professional elite.
The club's traditional home was the Estadio Daniel Villa Zapata in Barrancabermeja. Following extensive redevelopment, the stadium reopened as a modern venue and became strongly associated with Alianza's years in the Primera A.
Although Alianza Petrolera did not possess the resources or supporter base of Colombia's traditional giants, it developed a reputation as a competitive provincial club capable of challenging stronger opponents.
One of the club's best league campaigns came in the 2019 Finalización, when Alianza performed exceptionally well during the regular phase and qualified for the championship quadrangulars.
The achievement demonstrated how far the club had progressed since its years in the second division. Alianza was no longer simply fighting to remain in Primera A but was capable of competing for places among Colombia's leading teams.
Another important milestone arrived in 2023, when Alianza Petrolera qualified for the Copa Sudamericana, earning the opportunity to represent Colombia in continental competition.
However, while sporting results were improving, the club was experiencing difficulties surrounding its future in Barrancabermeja. Questions involving financial sustainability, local support and the conditions required to maintain a professional top-flight team eventually led the organisation to consider relocation.
At the end of 2023, it was announced that the club would leave Barrancabermeja and move approximately 300 kilometres north to Valledupar, capital of the Cesar Department.
The decision marked the end of more than three decades of Alianza Petrolera representing Barrancabermeja and generated considerable disappointment among supporters who had identified with the club's black-and-yellow colours and petroleum identity.
For the 2024 season, the organisation adopted the new name Alianza Fútbol Club, usually shortened to Alianza FC.
The transformation went considerably further than simply changing the club's location. The historic yellow-and-black colours were abandoned in favour of blue, white and red, while the oil derrick disappeared from the crest.
This visual transformation reflected the club's attempt to establish a new identity connected with Valledupar and the Cesar region, rather than continuing to present itself as the petroleum club of Barrancabermeja.
Alianza FC established its home at the Estadio Armando Maestre Pavajeau in Valledupar, bringing regular Primera División football back to a city with its own significant football history.
Valledupar had previously been represented professionally by clubs including Valledupar FC, but Alianza's arrival provided the city with a team competing at the highest level of Colombian football.
The timing of the relocation created an unusual situation because the club had qualified for continental competition under its former Alianza Petrolera identity.
Consequently, the newly renamed Alianza FC made its Copa Sudamericana debut in 2024, representing the organisation's first participation in a major CONMEBOL club competition.
Alianza advanced through the Colombian qualifying stage and entered the group stage of the 2024 Copa Sudamericana, providing the newly established Valledupar identity with international exposure almost immediately.
This made 2024 one of the most important transitional years in the club's history: a new city, new stadium, new colours, new crest and new name were combined with the organisation's first continental campaign.
The club's history therefore contains two very different geographical identities. From 1991 to 2023, it was Alianza Petrolera of Barrancabermeja, strongly associated with Santander's petroleum industry and represented by its distinctive black-and-yellow colours.
Since 2024, it has competed as Alianza FC of Valledupar, attempting to establish new traditions and a new supporter base in the Cesar Department.
Despite the dramatic rebranding, Alianza FC is institutionally the continuation of Alianza Petrolera rather than an entirely unrelated football club. Its competitive history therefore stretches back to the foundation of Alianza Petrolera in 1991.
