The Rarámuris de Ciudad Juárez (English: Ciudad Juárez Rarámuris) are an American football team based in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. The Rarámuris will compete in the inaugural season of the International Football Alliance (IFA) in 2024.
| Established | 19 August 2020 |
|---|---|
| Based in | Chihuahua City, Chihuahua, Mexico |
| Home field | Estadio Olímpico Universitario José Reyes Baeza |
| Head coach | Mauricio Balderrama |
| Owner(s) | Luis Orozco |
| League | International Football Alliance 2024– |
| Website | www |
History
editFútbol Americano de México
editThe Rarámuris de Ciudad Juárez were originally announced on 19 August 2020 as an expansion team in Fútbol Americano de México (FAM), with César Chávez serving as team president.[1][2] The Rarámuris replaced the Centauros de Ciudad Juárez, who played in the same city but announced its disappearance on the same day.[3] The name of the team was chosen as a tribute to the Rarámuri, the indigenous group native to the state of Chihuahua.[1] That December, the Rarámuris presented Aarón Silva as the team's head coach and revealed Estadio 20 de Noviembre to be their home stadium.[4] They also inquired about playing their home games at the larger Estadio Carta Blanca.[5]
The 2021 FAM season was ultimately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, postponing the Rarámuris' debut.[6][7] However, a new Ciudad Juárez team with different ownership, the Jefes de Ciudad Juárez, was presented as a replacement for the Rarámuris ahead of the 2022 FAM season.[8] Minutes after the announcement, the Rarámuris published a statement claiming that the team was unable to reach an agreement with the league and they mutually agreed to terminate their relationship.[8]
Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional
editOn 21 May 2022, during halftime of Tazón México V, it was announced that the Rarámuris de Ciudad Juárez would be joining the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA) for the 2023 LFA season as its eighth team, hiring Mauricio Balderrama as their head coach.[9] A press conference was held on 11 July to officially present the team and reveal that it would play its home games at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario José Reyes Baeza in Chihuahua City.[10] The team held its first tryouts in October.[11] However, on 4 November, team president Cuahutémoc Romero Bedolla announced that the Rarámuris would not be able to take part in the 2023 season.[12]
International Football Alliance
editOn 15 May 2023, it was announced that the Rarámuris would be joining the International Football Alliance (IFA), an upstart binational football league with teams in both Mexico and the U.S., for its inaugural season in 2024.[13]
References
edit- ^ a b "Nacen los Rarámuris de Ciudad Juárez en la liga FAM". Máximo Avance (in Spanish). 19 August 2020. Archived from the original on 28 July 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ Morán, Eduardo (19 August 2020). "'Rarámuris' representará a Juárez en liga de futbol Americano de México". El Diario de Juárez (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ "Centauros de Ciudad Juárez fuera de la liga de Futbol Americano de México". El Sol de Parral (in Spanish). 19 August 2020. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ "Presentan los Rarámuris sus uniformes para su temporada de debut en FAM-YOX". Máximo Avance (in Spanish). 23 December 2021. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ Meza, Jorge (28 December 2020). "Rarámuris de Fútbol Americano, con la mira en el estadio Carta Blanca". El Heraldo de Juárez (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ "Liga FAM anuncia la cancelación de su temporada 2021". Máximo Avance (in Spanish). 15 April 2021. Archived from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ Ocón Guevara, Alfonso (18 December 2021). "Debut ya tiene fecha". El Diario de Juárez (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 18 December 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ a b Ocón Guevara, Alfonso (19 March 2022). "Nacen los 'Jefes'". El Diario de Juárez (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ Ávila, Carlos (6 June 2022). "Los Rarámuris seguirán moviendo los pies en la LFA" (in Spanish). Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ Juárez, Sergio (11 July 2022). "Presentan a "Rarámuris" pro football que jugará en la LFA el 2023". El Heraldo de Chihuahua (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 16 July 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ Mayen, Fernanda (16 October 2022). "Primer tryout de la LFA y Rarámuris en Chihuahua" (in Spanish). Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional. Archived from the original on 30 December 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ Lospinuso, Vincent (10 November 2022). "Mexico: Rarámuris de Chihuahua pull out of 2023 LFA season". American Football International. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ Pacheco, Gabriel (15 May 2023). "IFA, la nueva liga profesional que tendrá 3 equipos mexicanos y 3 estadounidenses". Máximo Avance (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 15 May 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.