Zapopan lights the fuse and America already beats to the rhythm of sport

Zapopan inaugurates the American Week of Sport 2025: a historic record and an even greater future

Zapopan, Jalisco. – The Mexican city of Zapopan started the engine of the American Week of Sport 2025 (SAD) this Friday with an inauguration that is already going down in history: more than 2,534 events and activities confirmed and 5.4 million participants mobilised across the continent by the start.

But the big news is that the numbers will keep growing in the coming days: the registration of hundreds of new events, activities and dozens of cities that have already confirmed their participation is expected.

Records that make history

The figures updated to 19 September 2025 are compelling:

• 2,534 events and activities officially registered.
• More than 5.4 million cumulative participants.
• Seven countries involved: Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Chile and Uruguay.
• Zapopan, León, Belén and Quito stand out among the cities with the highest number of activities.

Compared with 2024, when 1,963 events and nearly 4.8 million participants were recorded, this edition represents a jump of more than 30% in the number of activities and more than 700,000 new participants. SAD 2025 is now, officially, the largest edition in history.

Zapopan, continental epicentre

The inauguration took place in the Parque de las Niñas y los Niños, with recreational activities, sports exhibitions and a lucha libre show that drew thousands of people.

The mayor of Zapopan, Juan José Frangie Saade, stressed that this SAD is the first step towards putting Zapopan forward as American Capital of Sport.

For her part, Adriana Sánchez Pares, ACES América delegate, recalled that this year more than 2,000 events are taking place in more than 40 cities across the continent, with the expectation of reaching five million participants, a figure that has already been surpassed.

Leading cities and countries

• Mexico tops the list with more than 500 events, followed by Costa Rica and Colombia.
• Zapopan is the city with the highest registered participation (221 events), followed by León (196), Belén (180), Chihuahua (47) and Quito (46).
• In community activities, Vicente López (604) and Cali (532) lead with notable social participation.

What's coming: an unstoppable wave

The American Week of Sport has not yet reached its peak. In the coming days the following will join:

• 42 municipalities of Valle del Cauca, in Colombia, which confirmed their mass participation.
• Brazil, which already had a presence in the 2024 edition, returns this year with more cities and a greater deployment of activities.
• Cities with a tradition in previous editions are rejoining, such as Chorrillos (Peru), Santiago de Chile and other capitals and provinces already in the registration process.

This means that actual participation could far exceed six million people before the official close, consolidating 2025 as the biggest year in the history of the SAD.

The entire continent gets moving

With fun runs, interactive fairs, academic forums, night rides and activities, the American Week of Sport 2025 is shaping up to be the largest community and sporting movement on the continent.