Estadio Cuauhtémoc
Pedro Ramírez Vázquez drew the first lines for Estadio Cuauhtémoc in 1965. The architect also designed the nearby Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the massive Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Construction moved forward with funding from the Mexican brewery Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma, which paid for most of the project. The stadium opened its doors on the 6th of October 1968 during a pre-inauguration event tied to the Summer Olympics. That same year, the venue hosted group matches for the Olympic football tournament. A mural by Jesús Corro Ferrer once covered an interior wall, depicting the human race before it was painted over.
The stadium hosted Uruguay national team matches during the 1970 FIFA World Cup. On the 2nd of June 1970, Uruguay defeated Israel with a score of 2, 0 inside the Puebla stands. Another match against Italy ended in a scoreless draw that day. Players like Sandro Mazzola and Luigi Riva competed there before facing Brazil in the finals. Sixteen years later, the venue returned to host matches for the 1986 FIFA World Cup. Italy played Argentina on the 5th of June 1986, resulting in a 1, 1 tie featuring Diego Armando Maradona. Belgium faced Spain in the round of 16 on the 16th of June 1986, drawing 1, 1 before going to penalties. Van der Elst scored the winning penalty goal for Belgium. That specific match drew a crowd of 45,000 spectators, marking the largest attendance recorded at the venue during the tournament.
Puebla FC announced a complete renovation project set to begin in late 2014. Governor Rafael Moreno Valle Rosas officially launched the initiative in early 2014. The original plan called for covering the exterior facade with crystal panels. Dünn Lightweight Architecture proposed using ETFE instead due to its advantages over other materials. This material had previously appeared in the Water Cube for the Beijing Olympics and the Allianz Arena in Munich. Construction started in November 2014 but slowed due to the city's rainy season. Officials announced in August 2015 that work would finish by November 2015. On the 18th of November, the stadium reopened during a friendly match against Boca Juniors from Argentina. As of that month, it became the first and only stadium in Latin America with a facade completely covered in ETFE.
Club Puebla has used this stadium as their home ground since its opening. The team won the Mexican Primera División title in the 1982, 83 tournament after defeating C.D. Guadalajara. A second final occurred in the 1989, 90 tournament where Puebla beat Club Universidad de Guadalajara 4, 3. The venue also hosted the now defunct Copa México tournament, which the club won in 1990. That victory made Estadio Cuauhtémoc just the fifth stadium to host both league finals while having its home team win one. International club tournaments like the CONCACAF Champions League were held here before 2008. In 2012, the state of Puebla was selected to host the CONCACAF U-20 Championship.
The original capacity stood at 35,000 spectators when the stadium opened. It expanded to 42,648 seats for the 1986 FIFA World Cup. Recent renovations increased the official capacity to 51,726 spectators. Despite the official limit, attendance has exceeded 50,000 on certain occasions. The structure remains the fourth-biggest football stadium in Mexico by total capacity. It is also the tallest stadium in the country, standing behind only the Estadio Jalisco in Jalisco. On the 12th of December 2024, the venue hosted the first leg of the Apertura 2024 final series between Club América and C.F. Monterrey. Cruz Azul announced on the 8th of January 2026, that they would play their home games there during the Clausura 2026 tournament.
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Common questions
Who designed Estadio Cuauhtémoc and when was the design created?
Pedro Ramírez Vázquez drew the first lines for Estadio Cuauhtémoc in 1965. The architect also designed the nearby Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the massive Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
When did Estadio Cuauhtémoc open and what event marked its inauguration?
The stadium opened its doors on the 6th of October 1968 during a pre-inauguration event tied to the Summer Olympics. That same year, the venue hosted group matches for the Olympic football tournament.
What major international tournaments did Estadio Cuauhtémoc host during the 1970s and 1980s?
The stadium hosted Uruguay national team matches during the 1970 FIFA World Cup and returned sixteen years later to host matches for the 1986 FIFA World Cup. Italy played Argentina on the 5th of June 1986 resulting in a 1, 1 tie featuring Diego Armando Maradona.
How was the exterior facade of Estadio Cuauhtémoc renovated and when did it reopen?
Construction started in November 2014 but slowed due to the city's rainy season before officials announced work would finish by November 2015. On the 18th of November the stadium reopened during a friendly match against Boca Juniors from Argentina making it the first and only stadium in Latin America with a facade completely covered in ETFE.
What is the current capacity of Estadio Cuauhtémoc and how does it rank among Mexican stadiums?
Recent renovations increased the official capacity to 51,726 spectators despite attendance exceeding 50,000 on certain occasions. The structure remains the fourth-biggest football stadium in Mexico by total capacity and is also the tallest stadium in the country standing behind only the Estadio Jalisco in Jalisco.