Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo"
The Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo" is a multi-use stadium located in the Magdalena Mixhuca Sports City in Mexico City. It is currently the home of the Mexicas of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA), Chilangos F.C. of the Serie B de México, Neza and Proyecto RED of the Liga de Balompié Mexicano. The stadium has a capacity of 6,000 seated spectators.[2]
El Palillo | |
| Former names | Estadio Municipal (1964–1983) |
|---|---|
| Location | Magdalena Mixhuca Sports City, Iztacalco, Mexico City |
| Public transit | Ciudad Deportiva |
| Owner | Government of Mexico City |
| Operator | Government of Mexico City[1] |
| Capacity | 6,000 |
| Opened | 1964 |
| Tenants | |
| Current tenants Mexicas (LFA) (2016–2018; 2022–present) Neza (LBM) (2023–present) RED (LBM) (2023–present) Chilangos (Serie B) (2023–present) Past tenants Condors (LFA) (2016–2018) Mayas (LFA) (2016–2018) Raptors (LFA) (2016–2017) Atlético Capitalino (LBM) (2020) Reds (FAM) (2020, 2022) Guerreros de Xico (Serie B) (2021–2022) Leviatán (Serie A) (2021, 2022–2023) Muxes (Liga TDP) (2021, 2022–2023) | |
History edit
The Estadio Municipal (Municipal Stadium) opened in 1964. In 1983, it was named after Mexican actor and comedian Jesús Martínez "Palillo" in recognition of his contributions to the original construction of the Sports City.[3] The stadium was remodeled in 2014 at a cost of 25 million pesos,[4] its first major maintenance in 15 years.[1]
The track bears an IAAF Class 2 designation, one of three such tracks in Mexico City, allowing it to be used for a variety of international events.[5] Among the international events held at the stadium was the 2018 World Modern Pentathlon Championships, held in Mexico City to mark the 50th anniversary of the Olympic Games.[6]
Uses edit
1968 Summer Olympics edit
The Estadio Municipal, as well as two adjoining fields in the Sports City, hosted the field hockey competitions of the 1968 Summer Olympics.[7] For the Games, the 6,160-seat capacity of the roofed grandstands was augmented by additional temporary stands, with approximately 1,200 seats, installed in the end zones. Rest areas for athletes, dressing rooms, showers and a cafeteria were located in a building adjacent to the stadium. The playing field was conditioned in accordance with the regulations of the International Hockey Federation.[8]
Football edit
In 2014 it was chosen as the field of the Ángeles de la Ciudad F.C., owned by the Government of Mexico City, until 2016 the team remained in this stadium. In 2020, Atlético Capitalino, that plays in the Liga de Balompié Mexicano, chose it as the venue for its matches after not being able to get the use of the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes, so soccer became the stadium's main sport. In 2021 the stadium became the field of the teams Guerreros de Xico, Leviatán F.C. and C.D. Muxes, however those clubs left the stadium in 2022 and 2023 respectively.
In August 2023 the stadium became the field of Chilangos F.C. of the Liga Premier – Serie B,[9] in addition to Neza and Proyecto RED, clubs of the Liga de Balompié Mexicano.
American football edit
From 2016 to 2018, the stadium was home several teams of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional. Initially, all of the league's Mexico City-based teams, including the Raptors and Mexicas, used the venue until relocating to other sports facilities in the Mexico City area. In the 2018 season, the Raptors were the first Mexico City-based squad to move out when they made the Estadio José Ortega Martínez in Naucalpan, State of Mexico, their home,[10] while the Mexicas announced that they would move to the Estadio Wilfrido Massieu in 2019.[11]
In 2022, Mexicas returned to the "Palillo" Martínez stadium for the 2022 LFA season.
For the 2023 LFA season, the Rojos de la Ciudad de México will play in the stadium.[12]
Non-sports edit
One of the stages of the annual Vive Latino festival, which is primarily held in the Sports City's Foro Sol, is set up on the field at the stadium.[13]
In late 2018, the stadium was used by Mexico City's government as a shelter for migrants traveling in the late 2018 migrant caravan from Central America.[14] In preparation for the arrival of migrants, the field was covered, kitchen facilities prepared and tanks with a capacity of 10,000 liters of drinking water were put in place.[15] The shelter will have a capacity of 6,500 when all preparations are complete.[16]
References edit
- ^ a b "Reviven al Estadio "Palillo" Martínez" ["Palillo" Martínez Stadium is revived]. MásPorMás. 30 July 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
- ^ "Logran Mayas bicampeonato de la LFA". El Norte (in Spanish). 30 April 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- ^ García Ayala, José Antonio (2011). "Jesús Martínez "Palillo" y la Ciudad Deportiva Magdalena Mixiuhca" (PDF). Esencia y Espacio (in Spanish). Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
- ^ "Horacio de la Vega mostró las instalaciones de Magdalena Mixhuca a legisladores" [Horacio de la Vega shows Magdalena Mixhuca facilities to legislators]. Esto (in Spanish). 11 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
- ^ "International Association of Athletics Federations Certification System – List of Certified Athletics Facilities – as at 1 January 2017" (PDF). IAAF. 1 January 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
- ^ "Estadio Jesús Martínez 'Palillo', sede de Mundial de Pentatlón Moderno". Multimedios Deportes. 30 November 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
- ^ Gómez Lovera, Marco Antonio (5 August 2016). "¿Qué fue de los recintos olímpicos de México 68?" [What became of the sporting venues of México 68?]. Dinero en Imagen (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 November 2018.
- ^ 1968 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. Part 1. pp. 76–7
- ^ "MUY CHILANGOS EN EL 'PALILLO'". Liga Premier Magazine (in Spanish). 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
- ^ "Raptors LFA comienzan una nueva etapa con altas expectativas" [Raptors LFA begin a new era with high expectations]. Máximo Avance. 14 February 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
- ^ "Mexicas LFA will play home games at the Estadio Wilfrido Massieu". Máximo Avance. 20 September 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
- ^ "Los Reds de la Ciudad de México se unen a la Liga de Futbol Americano Profesional" (in Spanish). Instituto del Deporte de la Ciudad de México. 14 September 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ "Evocan a "Palillo" en el Vive Latino con escenario en su estadio" ["Palillo" remembered at Vive Latino with stage in his stadium]. Notimex (in Spanish). 12 April 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
- ^ "Caravana se fragmenta: migrantes viajan de Veracruz y Puebla hacia la CDMX" [Caravan breaks up: migrants travel from Veracruz and Puebla to Mexico City]. Animal Político (in Spanish). 4 November 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
- ^ Romero Sánchez, Gabriela (4 November 2018). "Caminata Migrante será recibida en el estadio 'Palillo'" [Migrant caravan will be received in the "Palillo" stadium]. La Jornada. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
- ^ "Llegan primeros migrantes de la caravana a CDMX". Zócalo. 4 November 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.