Pachuca CF: Mexico's oldest club conquers the Club World Cup!

Pachuca CF: Mexico's oldest club conquers the Club World Cup!

The football world starts the Club World Cup with a look at the impressive history of CF Pachuca, the oldest Mexican club in the Primera División. The club was founded in 1892 by British technicians and miners and has been a founding member of the Mexican League since 1902. Pachuca won its first national championship in 1905 in the Primera Fuerza. Despite a 30-year stoppage during the Mexican Revolution, the club was able to return to the first division in 1998/99.

CF Pachuca has won a total of seven national championship titles as well as six CONCACAF Champions Cups and one Copa Sudamericana. The club is nicknamed “Los Tuzos”, which refers to the pocket gopher that is native to the region. The club plays its home games at the Estadio Hidalgo, which is also known as “El Huracán” and has a capacity of 30,000 spectators.

CONCACAF Champions Cup and the Club World Cup

Pachuca's path to the Club World Cup took them to a thrilling CONCACAF Champions Cup final against Columbus Crew. On June 1, 2024, the club triumphed 3-0 and secured qualification for the upcoming Club World Cup. This is the sixth final Pachuca has reached in the competition and the club has won all previous five, demonstrating its dominance in the tournament.

Columbus Crew, the final opponent, beat CF Monterrey in the semi-finals after previously eliminating Tigres UANL on penalties in the quarter-finals. For the Crew, who entered the tournament as MLS Cup champions, this is the first final in their Champions Cup history.

Club World Cup controversies and goals

Despite the sporting success, there are shades on the podium. The controversy surrounding FIFA's exclusion of Club León while Pachuca is allowed to participate is causing debate. León described the exclusion as unfair and not in the spirit of competition. For Pachuca, the upcoming competition is associated with emotional significance, both for the players and for the club's history.

In the Club World Cup group format, Pachuca will play in Group H against well-known opponents such as Real Madrid and Al-Hilal as well as against Red Bull Salzburg. The goal is clear: to win the tournament trophy and continue the club's legacy. Clubs that are successful in the CONCACAF Champions Cup also benefit from automatic qualification for the FIFA Club World Cup and the Intercontinental Cup.

As the football world looks to the encounters at Estadio Hidalgo and the games that followed, the importance of this ancient club to Mexican football becomes clear. With 30 successes by various clubs in the history of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, with Liga MX being the most successful league with a total of 40 titles, Pachuca represents not only a part of its past, but also a hopeful future in international competition.