Piratas F.C.
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| Full name | Piratas Fútbol Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | Piratas (Pirates) | ||
| Founded | 22 April 2026 | ||
| Ground | Estadio Luis "Pirata" Fuente Boca del Río, Veracruz | ||
| Capacity | 28,703[1] | ||
| Owner | José Carlos Vives Gómez[2] | ||
| Chairman | René Vives Gómez[2] | ||
| Manager | Mario García | ||
| League | Liga de Expansión MX | ||
| Apertura 2026 | TBD | ||
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Piratas Fútbol Club, also known as Piratas de Veracruz, (lit. 'Pirates of Veracruz') is a Mexican professional football club based in Boca del Río, Veracruz. The club competes in Liga de Expansión MX, the second level division of Mexican football, and plays its home matches at the Estadio Luis "Pirata" Fuente.
History
In December 2019, the Veracruz metropolitan area lost its representation in Mexican football following the disaffiliation of Tiburones Rojos de Veracruz from Liga MX.[3] In the following years, several teams attempted to fill the void left by the historic side, including Atlético Veracruz and Club Veracruzano de Fútbol Tiburón; however, neither succeeded in establishing a strong connection with the local fan base. Meanwhile, Racing de Veracruz was established in the Liga Premier, where it enjoyed modest sporting success and attracted local support. Despite this, the club was never able to use the city's main venue, the Estadio Pirata Fuente, due to ongoing political disputes.[4]
In December 2022, with no professional team based at the Estadio Pirata Fuente, the Government of Veracruz initiated a major reconstruction project aimed at attracting investors interested in bringing a professional football club to Veracruz. Renovations were completed in May 2025.[5]
The following month, Piratas de Veracruz was officially unveiled with the goal of establishing a new professional team at the refurbished stadium. However, the project was quickly put on hold after Liga de Expansión MX club owners blocked the proposed sale and relocation of either Celaya or Cimarrones.[6]
In April 2026, a renewed effort was made to approve the franchise sale. This time, the transaction was authorized, clearing the way for Piratas de Veracruz to compete in Expansión MX beginning with the 2026–27 season.[7][8] The team received the official name of Piratas Fútbol Club, this to avoid future legal problems with the use of the word Veracruz.[9]
On July 25, 2026, the team played its first official match in the Liga de Expansión, drawing zero goals with Club Jaiba Brava.[10]
Personnel
Management
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Chairman |  René Vives Gómez |
| Director of football | Fernando Fernández |
Source: Liga MX Expansión
Coaching staff
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Manager | Mario García |
| Assistant managers | Carlos Cazarín Pascual Sandoval |
| Goalkeeper coach | Yahir Cisneros |
| Fitness coach | Luis Guillén |
| Physiotherapist | Brayant Licona |
| Team doctor |  Cristóbal Flores |
Players
Current squad
- As of 15 August 2026[1]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Reserve teams
- Piratas Minatitlán
- Reserve team that will play in the Liga TDP, the fourth level of the Mexican league system.[11]
References
- 1 2 "Piratas F.C." Liga BBVA Expansión MX (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 July 2026.
- 1 2 "Nahle confirma regreso del fútbol profesional a Veracruz; este será el nuevo equipo". Imagen de Veracruz (in Spanish). 17 March 2026. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
- ↑ Marshall, Tom (5 December 2019). "'Worst club' Veracruz gets Liga MX boot amid financial struggles". ESPN. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
- ↑ "Descarta equipo Racing de Veracruz jugar en el "Pirata Fuente" como sede". Al Calor Político (in Spanish). 28 August 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
- ↑ "Inauguración del Estadio Luis Pirata Fuente de Veracruz será el 17 de mayo con este partido". La Silla Rota Veracruz (in Spanish). 28 March 2025. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
- ↑ "No habrá futbol profesional en Veracruz; Liga Expansión MX cancela cambio de sede del Celaya". Diario de Xalapa (in Spanish). 19 June 2025. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
- ↑ "Cruz Azul Hidalgo, Veracruz y Tampico regresan a Liga Expansión". ESPN México (in Spanish). 22 April 2026. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
- ↑ "¡HABEMUS PIRATAS!". Notiver (in Spanish). 23 April 2026. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
- ↑ "Piratas FC "nace" en el futbol mexicano y se quiere quedar con fanaticada de Veracruz". Marca México (in Spanish). 23 April 2026. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
- ↑ "Piratas FC inicia su historia en expansión con empate en Tamaulipas". Meganoticias (in Spanish). 25 July 2026. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
- ↑ "Piratas FC de Veracruz, tendrá equipo filial de Tercera División en Minatitlán". La Silla Rota Veracruz (in Spanish). 1 June 2026. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
- ↑ "¡Nace Club Sozca Piratas FC en la Liga TDP!". Imagen de Veracruz (in Spanish). 23 June 2026. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
- ↑ "¡Siguen creciendo! Piratas FC presenta su tercera filial para la Liga TDP". XEU Deportes (in Spanish). 14 July 2026. Retrieved 20 July 2026.