Foot Ball Club Melgar, commonly known as FBC Melgar or simply Melgar, is a professional football club based in Arequipa, Peru. Founded on 25 March 1915, the club is one of the oldest and most recognised football institutions in the country. It was established by a group of young people from Arequipa who initially named it Juventud Melgar before adopting the name Foot Ball Club Melgar in 1915. The club takes its name from Mariano Melgar, a Peruvian poet and patriot associated with the city of Arequipa. FBC Melgar is known by nicknames including El Dominó, Los Rojinegros and El León del Sur. Its traditional colours are red and black, representing its distinctive identity and strong connection with the Arequipa community. The club plays its home matches at Estadio Monumental de la Universidad Nacional de San Agustín, commonly referred to as the UNSA stadium. FBC Melgar competes in Peru's top-level professional football structure and has developed a reputation as one of the strongest clubs outside the capital, Lima. The team won its first Peruvian national championship in 1981 and secured its second league title in 2015, during its centenary year. It was also national runner-up in 1983 and 2016. The club has participated in major South American competitions, including the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana, representing Arequipa in continental football. Its sporting structure includes the senior men's team, reserve and youth development activities, and a women's football programme. The organisation also engages in community initiatives, supporter activities, commercial partnerships and the promotion of local football talent. FBC Melgar maintains an official website that provides news, match information, squad details, fixtures, results, ticketing and merchandise information. The club is registered as a non-profit association and has been subject to a formal insolvency proceeding in Peru since 2012, according to its official disclosure. With more than a century of history, national championships and a strong regional identity, FBC Melgar remains a major sporting institution in southern Peru.