Puebla

Puebla rises in the Valley of Cuetlaxcoapan at an elevation of 2,162 meters, flanked by the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. With 1,692,181 inhabitants recorded in the 2020 census, it is the fourth most populous city in Mexico. Its historic center, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, contains nearly 5,000 colonial buildings adorned with brick facades, white stucco, and Talavera tiles — an architectural style unique to the continent.

Founded on April 16, 1531 as a Spanish colonial settlement — not built over any pre-existing indigenous city — Puebla flourished as the principal stop on the route between Mexico City and the port of Veracruz. On May 5, 1862, the troops of General Ignacio Zaragoza defeated the French army at the forts of Loreto and Guadalupe, a victory that became a symbol of Mexican resistance and a national holiday. Its culinary heritage includes mole poblano and chiles en nogada, a tricolor dish created in 1821 to celebrate independence.

Club Puebla, La Franja, founded in 1944, competes in Liga MX and has won two league titles and the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 1991. Estadio Cuauhtémoc, inaugurated in 1968 with a current capacity of 51,726 seats, hosted matches at the 1970 and 1986 FIFA World Cups. The Puebla Marathon, held each November through the historic center, drew more than 8,000 runners in its 2025 edition, offering a singular course among baroque cathedrals and tiled facades at 2,150 meters above sea level.

Puebla participates in the ACES Activa network with 19 registered events across the SAD and Month of Physical Activity campaigns, reaching an estimated participation of more than 432,000 people — a figure that reflects the scale of its municipal sport activation programs.