Estadio Luis "Pirata" Fuente – historical stadium description

Originally known simply as Estadio Veracruzano, the new stadium was not built within the administrative boundaries of Veracruz itself, but in the municipality of Boca del Río, although in practical terms it lies almost in the city center of Veracruz. Such are the intricacies of administrative divisions.

The architect behind this unusual stadium for its time was Juan Arrieta – an architect and former Veracruz player. The stadium was constructed between 1965 and 1967, but its official inauguration did not take place until 19 March 1968, coinciding with the arrival of the Olympic torch at the stadium, ahead of the Mexico City 1968 Games.

Spectators were positioned very close to the pitch, as the vast majority were seated on an extensive upper tier, with 21 steeply raked rows suspended above a smaller, more intimate lower tier of 11 rows. As a result, despite the lack of a roof, the stadium offered covered seating in the lower rows, which were also the only sections fully equipped with individual seats.

The stadium’s original name was changed following the death of legendary Veracruz footballer Luis de la Fuente y Hoyos, known by the nickname “El Pirata.” In the 21st century, the venue underwent a series of renovations, though generally modest in scope—ranging from repainting the reinforced-concrete stands to the installation of distinctive shark-mouth gates on the western facade.

In 2014, the stadium served as the main venue of the Central American and Caribbean Games. In 2006, it also hosted football matches of the CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship. For decades, the stadium was the home of CD Veracruz (“Tiburones Rojos”). After the club was dissolved in 2019 due to financial problems, the stadium was left unused.

Between 2022 and 2025, the arena underwent a complete reconstruction, carried out in the hope of bringing a new professional team to Veracruz. Although the structure was rebuilt almost from scratch, the stadium retained most of the characteristics of its previous form. The “new” Estadio Luis “Pirata” Fuente was reopened on 17 May 2025.