San Marcos

Club Deportivo San Marcos de Arica is a football club from Chile, from the city of Arica in the Province of Arica, Arica and Parinacota Region. It was founded on 14 February 1978 as "Norte-Arica". It currently plays in the Liga de Ascenso of Chile.

Originally named "Norte-Arica" and later "Club de Deportes Arica", it was registered in what is now the Primera B, in which it competed for four years, from 1978 to 1981, the year in which it was champion and was promoted to the Primera División for the first time. It remained in the top category for four seasons, since in 1985 it was relegated again to the Segunda División.

In 2005, the club fell to the Tercera División and was refounded under the name San Marcos de Arica. In 2007, after spending two seasons in that category, it was proclaimed champion and returned to the Primera B. In 2012, the club won the annual Primera B championship and was promoted to the Primera División for the second time in its history. However, it stayed in the top category only until 2013, as it returned to the Primera B owing to the scheduled relegation system.

The following year the club was promoted again to the Primera División with a draw against Lota Schwager. However, it was relegated again after two consecutive seasons in the Primera División. In 2018 it ended up being relegated to the Segunda División Profesional, the current third tier within the Chilean football league system. Nevertheless, its stay in this category lasted only one season, since it was crowned champion of the division due to its early conclusion, confirming its return to the Primera B of Chile.

The colors that identify the club are sky blue, blue and white and, secondarily, red. Its crest, meanwhile, reproduces the image of the Morro de Arica and a large letter "A".

To date, the club holds 3 titles of the Segunda División or Liga de Ascenso, 2 of the Segunda División Profesional, 1 of the Campeonato de Apertura de Segunda División and 1 of the Tercera División. Other titles include 2 Primera B championships.

It plays at home at the Estadio Carlos Dittborn, a World Cup venue owned by the municipality, which has a capacity of 9,625 spectators and is named after the sports executive Carlos Dittborn.

Its classic rival is Deportes Iquique, against whom it plays the so-called clásico del Norte Grande.