Rarámuris de Ciudad Juárez
# Rarámuris de Ciudad Juárez

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.

## History

### Fútbol Americano de México

The 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. The Rarámuris replaced the Centauros de Ciudad Juárez [es], who played in the same city but announced its disappearance on the same day. The name of the team was chosen as a tribute to the Rarámuri, the indigenous group native to the state of Chihuahua. That December, the Rarámuris presented Aarón Silva as the team's head coach and revealed Estadio 20 de Noviembre to be their home stadium. They also inquired about playing their home games at the larger Estadio Carta Blanca [es].

The 2021 FAM season was ultimately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, postponing the Rarámuris' debut. 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. 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.

### Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional

On 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. 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. The team held its first tryouts in October. However, on 4 November, team president Cuahutémoc Romero Bedolla announced that the Rarámuris would not be able to take part in the 2023 season.

### International Football Alliance

On 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.

