Definition
Club Olimpia, commonly known as Olimpia, is a Paraguayan professional football (soccer) club based in Asunción. It competes in the Paraguayan Primera División, the top tier of the country's football league system.
Overview
Founded on 25 July 1902, Olimpia is the oldest football club in Paraguay and one of the most successful in South America. The club fields teams in multiple sports, but its football side has achieved the greatest prominence. Olimpia has won a record 47 Primera División titles, including a streak of six consecutive league championships (1978‑1983). Internationally, the club has secured three Copa Libertadores titles (1979, 1990, 2002), two Recopa Sudamericana trophies, one Intercontinental Cup (1979), one Copa Interamericana, and one Supercopa Sudamericana (1991). It is the only Paraguayan club to have won a CONMEBOL competition. Olimpia has never been relegated from the top division.
The team traditionally plays its home matches at the Estadio Defensores del Chaco, after the demolition of its former ground, Estadio Osvaldo Domínguez Dibb. The club’s colors are black and white, and it is nicknamed “El Decano” (The Dean) and “Rey de Copas” (King of Cups). Major rivalries include the Paraguayan derby against Cerro Porteño, the “clásico añejo” with Guaraní, and the “black‑and‑white derby” with Libertad.
Etymology / Origin
The name “Olimpia” was selected by the club’s founder, Dutch immigrant William Paats, in homage to the ancient Greek city of Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games. The choice reflected Paats’ desire to associate the new sports organization with the ideals of competition and athletic excellence.
Characteristics
- Full name: Club Olimpia
- Founded: 25 July 1902
- Stadium: Estadio Defensores del Chaco (capacity ~42,000)
- Chairman: Rodrigo Nogués (as of 2025)
- Manager: Vitamina Sánchez (as of 2025)
- Nicknames: El Decano, Rey de Copas, El Expreso Decano, La “O”, El Tricampeón de América
- Team colors: Home kit – white shirt with a horizontal black stripe; away kit – black shirt with a white stripe.
- Major honours: 47 Paraguayan Primera División titles, 3 Copa Libertadores, 1 Intercontinental Cup, among others.
- Rivalries: Cerro Porteño (Paraguayan derby), Guaraní (clásico añejo), Libertad (black‑and‑white derby).
- International reputation: Recognized as the most decorated Paraguayan club and a frequent participant in South American club competitions.
Related Topics
- Paraguayan Primera División
- Copa Libertadores
- Club Deportivo Olimpia (Honduras) – a separate club sharing the “Olimpia” name.
- William Paats – founder of Paraguayan football and Club Olimpia.
- Asunción – capital city of Paraguay, home of Olimpia.
- CONMEBOL tournaments (Recopa Sudamericana, Supercopa Sudamericana, Intercontinental Cup).