Arsenal Relegated to Third Division After 33 Years Away

A painful chapter unfolded on Sunday in Chubut. Arsenal de Sarandí lost 2-1 to Deportivo Madryn and was relegated to Primera B, a division the club had not played in since 1991/92, according to TyC Sports. After 33 years, the Viaducto will return to Argentina’s third tier, marking the collapse of an institution that once celebrated continental and domestic titles.

Coached by Darío Franco, Arsenal entered the match needing a win to stay alive and set up a decisive showdown against Alvarado on the final day. The defeat ended those hopes and sealed their demotion. Alvarado and Almagro will decide the last relegation spot, but Arsenal’s fate is already sealed.

Founded in 1957 by Julio Humberto Grondona, the club’s golden era stretched from 2007 to 2013. During that time, Arsenal lifted the Copa Sudamericana, the Suruga Bank and national trophies including the Clausura, the Supercopa and the Copa Argentina. All of this came after their 2002 promotion to the top flight, cementing their reputation as a small club capable of toppling giants.

The decline began a decade later. In 2023 Arsenal was relegated from the Liga Profesional, dropping into Primera Nacional. They narrowly avoided another fall in 2024, but the 2025 campaign proved disastrous: just 7 wins, 10 draws and 16 defeats, collecting only 23 percent of possible points. Their first victory came as late as Matchday 19, and the squad never found consistency.

The club’s last Primera B campaign came in 1991/92, finishing fifth and advancing through the Zonal Sudeste before defeating Alvarado in the final to earn promotion. That path eventually led to the top division in 2002. Now, more than three decades later, Arsenal’s return to the third tier illustrates the depth of its decline.