Rio Ave Football Club (abbreviated as "Rio Ave", English name: Sporting CP), founded in 1939, is a football club located in Vila do Conde, Portugal.
In the 1981-82 season, the team achieved notable results, finishing 5th in the league and reaching the final of the Portuguese Cup, but unfortunately lost 1-4 to Porto. In the 2013-14 season, under the leadership of Nuno Espírito Santo, the club reached the finals of both the cup and the league cup, while also qualifying for European competitions for the first time, entering the UEFA Europa League.
In 2020, under the management of Carlos Carvalho, the team achieved a new record of 55 points to finish 5th in the league. Meanwhile, player Mehdi Taremi became the joint top scorer of the league. They qualified for the UEFA Europa League playoffs but lost at home to Milan. Ultimately, they were relegated.
After relegation, the team signed coach Luis Freire, and under his leadership, the team won the league championship and returned to the Premier League. In 2023, the team approved a special purpose vehicle and allowed Evangelos Marinakis to acquire shares.