, (University Olympic Stadium), historic home of Pumas UNAM. The dean of the university,
Luis Chico Goerne, made the first attempt to affiliate a representative of
UNAM with the top football Mexican championship of the day, filing a petition to join the Liga Mayor de Fútbol Professional del Distrito Federal. The petition was rejected in favor of de Morelos. Therefore, Pumas played 13 years in Mexicos Liga De Ascenso. By the 1940s, the dean
Gustavo Baz Prada assigned the task to prepare the UNAM team to
Rodolfo "Butch" Muñoz, then player of
Club España. The new manager formed its new team with members of the student body of the many schools and faculties of the university. The UNAM team joined many university tournaments, with successful results, and "Butch" Muñoz went on to manage the team for 13 years. This prepared the team to complete its later transition to professional status.
Establishment: 1950s In August 1954, the Club Universidad was accepted as a member of the Segunda División, in those days the second tier division of professional football in Mexico. This achievement was accomplished with the support of the dean
Nabor Carrillo and
Guillermo Aguilar Alvarez Sr., a benefactor of the club.
Aguilar Alvarez was appointed by the dean as the chairman of the club. On September 12, 1954
UNAM played its first professional game, an away match against
Monterrey. After competing for three years, Club Universidad requested a one-year moratorium in its competing in Segunda División play to undergo a programme rebuilding process. Within that year,
Hector Ortiz was appointed as the new manager of the club, and a Board of Patrons was formed.
The promotion: 1960s Pumas UNAM realized its objective of promotion from Segunda División to Primera División when Club Universidad won the home-played promotion match on January 9, 1962, by defeating
Club Cataluña de Torreón, 9–1. The match ended, the students rushed the pitch, and honored its team by carrying them off the field on their shoulders—this was the first step towards the consolidation of the club. The following day, dean
Ignacio Chávez Sánchez congratulated the team when he met with them: Octavio Vial (manager), and players:
Homero Villar,
Raúl Chanes,
José Antonio "La Espátula" Rodríguez, Roberto Cuevas,
Rafael Ramirez Jimenez,
Alfredo Echávarri, José Ruiz, Carlos Gutierrez,
Alfredo "Tito" Zenteno,
José Luis "El Chango" Ledezma,
Antonio Sámano, Jorge Gaitán,
Guillermo Vázquez Sr.,
José Luis González "La Calaca",
Lorenzo Garcia,
Carlos Calderón de la Barca,
Manuel "Manolo" Rodríguez,
Edmundo "El Poli" Pérez, and
Gustavo "El Gato" Cuenca. The team established itself in the Primera División, the Board of Patrons prepared for the continuation of the team's success by establishing youth system to develop new players.
The legend begins: 1970s After two years under the management of
Alfonso "El Pescado" Portugal, the Spaniard
Ángel Zubieta took the reins of the team. This enabled the program to identify "foreign" reinforcements, but rely on promoting from the youth system. The first half of the decade was marked by the arrival of three of the most important foreign players in the existence of the club; the Peruvian
Juan José Muñante, the Serbian
Velibor "Bora" Milutinović, and the Brazilian
Cabinho. They arrived to join a solid base of native-players such as
Miguel Mejía Barón,
Héctor Sanabria, Arturo Vázquez Ayala,
José Luis "Pareja" López, and
Leonardo Cuellar. In the second half of the decade those same players would give the club its first titles in the top division. In 1975 the club adopted a new administration consisting of an independent civil association that helped the university to support the club. In the 1974–75 season, Universidad won the
Copa México and the
Campeón de Campeones. In the 1976–77 season, Club Universidad became league champion for the first time in its history. That championship was followed by two sub championships. The culmination of a successful decade for Club Universidad came with the debut of
Hugo Sánchez. In 1978, Club Universidad would signed
Ricardo "Tuca" Ferretti, a player that will prove to be vital for the team in the coming decade.
Consolidation: 1980s In the 1980–81 season, Universidad won its second league championship. That season was also the last season
Hugo Sánchez played for the club. In the following season, the Pumas won the
CONCACAF Championship and the
Interamerican Cup. This decade also marked the national recognition of the work performed by the club, and the revolutionary and dynamic style of play that helped Mexican football overall. For the 1986
FIFA World Cup, the Mexican Football Federation appointed the manager of Universidad,
Velibor "Bora" Milutinović as the manager of the
Mexico national football team. Milutinović called numerous Pumas and former Pumas to the nation team, including Hugo Sánchez, Félix Cruz Barbosa, Rafael Amador,
Raúl Servín,
Miguel España,
Manuel Negrete and
Luis Flores. This generation of players gave great satisfactions not only to the followers of Pumas, but also to the Mexican football fans.
Ups and downs: 1990s The decade began with one of the most celebrated championships in club history, the 1990–91 League Championship against arch-rivals
Club América - the memorable winning goal via free kick from
Ricardo "Tuca" Ferretti. This will be the last game of Ricardo "Tuca" Ferretti due to retirement as a professional player. A new generation of players arrived, including
Luis García,
Jorge Campos,
Claudio Suárez,
Antonio Sancho,
Israel López,
Braulio Luna,
Rafael García,
Jaime Lozano, and
Gerardo Torrado. This decade is, however, considered one of the least successful in terms of championships and development of players. Towards the end of the decade, Hugo Sánchez became manager of the club for the first time.
Success: 2000s In 2004, Sánchez led the Pumas to their first championship in thirteen years. The Pumas were able to retain the championship later that year, becoming the first team since the Mexican league was split into two seasons to win back-to-back championships. As of summer 2012, they remain the only team to achieve this feat. Along with two domestic titles, the Pumas were also able to win both the Campeon de Campeones. In 2005, the Pumas reached the
Copa Sudamericana final, where they lost to
Boca Juniors in a penalty shoot out when
Roberto Abbondanzieri controversially stopped a penalty after having been forgiven a red card for handling the ball outside the penalty box denying a Pumas player a clear chance on goal. Domestically, the Pumas struggled after their 2004 success and, by 2006, were facing the threat of relegation. Ricardo Ferretti was appointed as manager that year in an effort to lead Pumas away from the relegation zone. The stability and discipline that Ferretti brought to the team paid off as the Pumas climbed out of the relegation zone and reached a final in 2007 against
Atlante, which they lost 2–1 on aggregate. In 2009, Ferretti once again led the Pumas to a final, this time being victorious against
Pachuca in extra time to claim the team's sixth championship.
Rejuvenating the Club: 2010s in April 2012. In 2011, Pumas became champions of Clausura 2011 tournament, winning their seventh championship against
Monarcas Morelia. After hard times at the club after the sacking of
Guillermo Vasquez as head coach in 2012, he was re-hired as head coach in 2014. In Apertura 2015, Pumas made it to the tournament final against
Tigres U.A.N.L. Tigres won the first leg of the Final with a home win of 3–0. Then in the second leg of the final Pumas managed to tie the game on the global scoreboard at home 4–1. A penalty-shootout had to be done and Tigres won the championship 4–2 at a penalty-shootout. Thus, making Pumas unable to gain its 8th title. After the club's inability to make it to the play-offs in Clausura 2016 and failing to reach the semifinal for Copa Libertadores 2016 Guillermo Vasquez was once again sacked as head coach in May 2016. At the end of May 2016, Pumas hired
Francisco Palencia as head coach making Palencia debut as his first team to manage. Once again, in Apertura 2016 Pumas made it to the play-offs against Tigres for quarter finals. In the first leg with Pumas hosting the home game both teams tied 2-2. In the second leg Tigres hosting the home game, Tigres won 5–0. Thus, in the global scoreboard Pumas lost 7–2, and was not able to go further throughout the play-off stage. In the Clausura 2017, Pumas had signed the Chilean forward
Nicolas Castillo to give more firepower to the team's attack. He scored 8 goals the first 2 months of the season before he was injured and was out for the rest of the season. Pumas then had a great streak of games the first half of the season. Starting gaming Game 14 they lost 4 straight games and were not able to score a goal. With these results they finished in 17th place and were the worst defensive team having 30 goals against and Nicolas Castillo missing out on the top scorer award by 1 goal to
Raul Ruidiaz, of Monarcas Morelia who scored 9 goals. In the Apertura 2017, many key players were sold or loaned out the loan, such as
Alejandro Palacios, and long time captain
Dario Veron, all with the purpose to make room for new, young players.
2020s In the 2020 Apertura, Pumas reached the final, losing to
Club Leon on a 3-1 Aggregate with coach
Andres Lillini after sacking
Michel the season prior. In 2022, Pumas reached the
Champions League Final, losing to
Major League Soccer side
Seattle Sounders FC on aggregate. After a poor 2023 Apertura, Lillini was sacked and was replaced with
Rafael Puente Jr. After a poor start to the 2023 Clasura, Puente Jr. was sacked on March 20, 2023, with Pumas hiring
Antonio "Turco" Mohamed to replace Puente shortly after. Mohamed's time on the bench did not last long as he resigned shortly after Pumas' elimination in the semifinals of the
2023 Apertura to
Tigres.
Gustavo Alberto Lema, Mohamed's former assistant succeeded him until he was replaced by former UNAM player,
Efraín Juárez in March of 2025. ==Stadium==