Atlético Celaya
Mexican football club
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Club Atlético Celaya is a Mexican football club from Celaya, Guanajuato that plays in the Primera Premier, the main branch of the Liga Premier de México, the third tier of Mexican football. The club was formed in 1994 when the two second-division clubs Atletico Cuernavaca (Morelos) and Escuadra Celeste de Celaya (Guanajuato) merged. Another team, Atlético Español, was also merged at a later date. The club folded in 2003 and was refounded on 2026.[2]
23 July 2026
(refounded)
| Full name | Club Atlético Celaya | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | Toros | ||
| Founded | 1994 23 July 2026 (refounded) | ||
| Ground | Estadio Miguel Alemán Valdés Celaya, Guanajuato | ||
| Capacity | 23,182 | ||
| Owner | ICEM Sports[1] | ||
| Chairman | Cristian Ríos[2] | ||
| Manager | Luis Fernando Soto | ||
| League | Liga Premier (Primera Premier) | ||
| 2026–27 | Pre–season | ||
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History
All merging clubs have brought a piece of their old identity into the new formed club: from Atlético Cuernavaca were taken the name to the new club (although its name is also identical with former Atlético Español), from Celeste de Celaya were taken their light blue colors and from Atlético Español the mascot, the bull, which has also given the new team their nickname toros (bulls).
Atlético Celaya has taken the second-division position of their predecessors and has immediately reached the top-level. The first year in Primera División was also their most successful season ever. First, they could win their group and in the play-offs they could make their way up to the finals in which they lost only due to the away-goal-rule after playing 1–1 and 0–0 with Necaxa.
But from now on the club finds itself in lower regions of the table. They had also financial problems which led to the sale of their first-division-license to an industrialist from Morelos in winter 2002–03. He formed a new team with the name Colibríes de Morelos but it disappeared as fast as it once appeared. At the same time when Atlético Celaya has disappeared, their older city neighbour Club Celaya was reactivated again when CF La Piedad moved to Celaya.
On July 23, 2026, the team was refounded after the relocation of Celaya F.C. to Veracruz to ensure the continuity of professional football in Celaya, recovering the name of the city's most successful team.[2]
Crest and colours
The club's original colors in the 1950s were red and white. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the club started using black and white with a topical v shape across the chest for home games and a black stripe shirt for away games, which they still use to this date.
Colours
- First kit evolution
      1997 Home
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   1997 Away
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 2002 – home
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Personnel
Management
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Chairman |  Cristian Ríos |
| Director of football | TBA |
Source: Artículo 7
Coaching staff
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Manager | Luis Fernando Soto |
| Assistant managers | Rafael Bautista |
| Fitness coach | Bernardino Navarrete |
| Physiotherapist | Vacant |
| Team doctor | Arturo Cendejas |
Players
First-team squad
- As of 4 September 2026[3]
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
- Atlético Celaya (Liga Premier B)
- Reserve team that plays in the Liga Premier de México, the third level of the Mexican league system
Famous players
Diego Cagna- Diego Latorre
- Antonio Mohamed
Richard Zambrano
Ivan Hurtado"El Avetruz"
Julio César de León"El Leon Indomable"- Carlos Pavón "El Tanque Catracho"
Ignacio Ambríz
José Damasceno "Tiba"- Félix Fernández
- Jaime Lozano
- Hugo Sánchez
Pepe Soto
Emilio Butragueño[4]- Rafael Martín Vázquez
- Míchel
- Rafael Paz
Honours
- Won promotion to the Primera División in 1994–95[5]
- Emilio Butrageño & Hugo Sanchez retired from Atletico Celaya
