Puebla, ‘Land of Champions’, to host Spain’s final World Cup warm-up

Rafael Louzán, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), attended the event alongside Puebla Governor Alejandro Armenta, state sports minister Rommel Pacheco, Universidad del Deporte rector José Luis Sánchez Solá, and Peruvian FA representative Jean Franco Ferrari, among other officials.

Louzán thanked the state of Puebla for hosting what will be Spain’s final preparation before the World Cup, which kicks off across the United States, Canada and Mexico on 11 June.

“We will play here, in this stadium and in front of more than 51,000 fans, our final preparation before the great World Cup challenge,” he said.
“It’s the perfect place for Spain to get the World Cup ball rolling in exactly two months.”

He also highlighted the strong ties between Spain and Mexico, both culturally and through football.

“Today we strengthen our bond with Mexico. We share language, history and, of course, the world’s most universal sport,” he added.

Louzán noted that Spain will return to Mexico shortly after the Puebla fixture, when they play in Guadalajara, continuing their preparations on Mexican soil.

“We are always grateful to this great country, which has welcomed many Spaniards. Bringing the national team here is one way of giving something back,” he said.
“We want to bring joy through football to this wonderful city and, from here, to the rest of the world.”

Meanwhile, Pacheco underlined the broader value of sport:

“Sport is not just about scoring goals or winning medals—it’s about sending a message of peace and unity. In Puebla, the World Cup has already begun,” he said.

Following the presentation, Louzán visited the future site of the Universidad del Deporte de Puebla—a 61,000-square-metre complex promoted by the state government, set to host 1,500 students and create around 700 jobs.