Featured image credit: Government of Mexico City
A trio of Mexico City-based football clubs have been left in limbo after their shared home, Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes, was shuttered suddenly by the local mayor’s office.
The 34,000-capacity stadium and the adjacent Plaza de Toros México bullring, which holds 41,000 spectators, were ordered to close immediately after they both hosted major events on the same day, contravening civil protection measures.
Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes is the home of two of Mexico’s top-flight Liga MX teams – Club América and Cruz Azul – as well as second-tier Atlante.
In a statement, the stadium management company said that it had held talks with the mayor’s office, the Government of Mexico City and Liga MX in an effort to resolve the issue.
“All permits are up to date to operate correctly and remove the suspension as soon as possible,” the statement added.
However, the mayor of Benito Juárez, Luis Mendoza, has warned that a fine will be levied. Furthermore, it is unclear whether the stadium will reopen for the weekend following the indefinite suspension.
The issue appears to have emerged when, on Saturday evening, Cruz Azul’s match against Santos Laguna took place at the same time as an event called ‘Coco, a party to remember’ at Plaza de Toros México.
Mexico City’s Head of Government Clara Brugada said: “We need to guarantee greater measures for peaceful coexistence in the surroundings of the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes and the Plaza de Toros México.
“We must ensure that the residents living around the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes and the Plaza de Toros México can have conditions to live safely and not face a difficult situation every time there is an event of this nature.”
The stadium surroundings have long been plagued by severe traffic and a lack of sufficient parking facilities, with the transport infrastructure complicated by the nearby presence of the Plaza de Toros México, the world’s largest bullring.
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