You’ve probably seen the jerseys. They’re wild. Bright pinks, neon greens, and intricate patterns that look more like a piece of art than a sports kit. That’s Alebrijes de Oaxaca FC for you. They aren’t just another team playing in the Liga de Expansión MX; they’re basically a walking, breathing tribute to Oaxacan culture.
Honestly, the club is a bit of a paradox.
They’ve won titles. They’ve moved cities. They’ve dealt with the weird, often frustrating rules of the Mexican second tier where promotion to the top flight—Liga MX—is currently frozen. It’s a tough spot to be in. Imagine playing your heart out knowing that even if you win the whole thing, you might not get invited to the big party. But in Oaxaca, people show up anyway. They show up because the team feels like them.
The Weird, Colorful Origin of Alebrijes de Oaxaca FC
Let’s get one thing straight: the name isn't just a marketing gimmick. Alebrijes are those famous Mexican folk art sculptures—fantastical creatures made of different animal parts. Think a lion with eagle wings or a lizard with rabbit ears. When the team was founded in 2012, they leaned hard into this.
The club didn't just sprout out of the ground. It was a move by the San Román family. They brought the franchise over from Tecamachalco. It was a business move, sure, but it landed in a place that was starving for professional football. Oaxaca is a state known for its food, its mezcal, and its art, but football? It was always secondary to the local giants like Cruz Azul or Chivas. Alebrijes changed that. They gave the locals something that was actually theirs.
They play at the Estadio Tecnológico de Oaxaca. It’s a stunning venue. The design is inspired by the ball game played at Monte Albán, the ancient Zapotec archaeological site nearby. If you ever visit, you’ll see the slanted walls that mimic the ancient ruins. It’s probably one of the most culturally significant stadiums in North America, even if it only holds about 15,000 people.
Why Nobody Can Promote: The Liga MX Headache
Here is where things get messy. And if you’re a fan of Alebrijes de Oaxaca FC, it’s a sore subject.
In 2020, the Mexican Football Federation decided to suspend promotion and relegation between the top two divisions. They cited financial stability. They wanted to "save" the second-tier clubs from going bankrupt. But for a team like Alebrijes—who won the Apertura 2019 title—it felt like a slap in the face.
🔗 Read more: NFL Week 5 2025 Point Spreads: What Most People Get Wrong
They earned it. On the pitch, they were the best. But because of "certification" requirements involving stadium infrastructure, youth academies, and financial audits, they were told they couldn't go up. It’s a bit of a closed-shop system right now.
The 2017 and 2019 Glory Days
It wasn't always just about the struggle, though. The team has had some massive peaks.
- Apertura 2017: They beat FC Juárez in a nail-biter of a final. That was the first big trophy. It proved that a team from one of Mexico’s poorest states could dominate.
- Apertura 2019: They did it again, this time against Zacatepec.
Winning twice in three years is no fluke. It shows a recruitment strategy that works. They often pick up players who were overlooked by the big academies in Mexico City or Monterrey. They find the "scrappers." Players who have a point to prove.
The Kit Culture: Fashion or Football?
If you follow football Twitter or Instagram, you've definitely seen their jerseys. While most teams go for clean, boring lines, Alebrijes goes for "organized chaos."
They work with brands like Silver Sport and Keuka to create these kits that feature hand-drawn patterns from local artisans. We’re talking about intricate fretwork and animal motifs. One year, they had a kit that looked exactly like a wooden carving. People buy these shirts all over the world—not because they support the team, but because the shirts are objectively cool.
It’s a smart move. When you’re in the second division, you need revenue streams. Selling merch to hipsters in London or New York helps keep the lights on in Oaxaca.
Life in the Liga de Expansión
Right now, the league is basically a development ground. It’s full of young players and a few veterans hanging on for one last run. Alebrijes has had to adapt. They’ve become a bit of a "selling club," identifying talent, giving them minutes, and then moving them up to Liga MX teams.
💡 You might also like: Bethany Hamilton and the Shark: What Really Happened That Morning
It’s a tough cycle for fans. You fall in love with a striker, he scores 10 goals, and by the next season, he’s wearing a Puebla or Mazatlán jersey.
But there’s a resilience in Oaxaca. The supporters, like the Garra de Jaguar, don't care about the corporate side as much as the Saturday night ritual. The smell of tlayudas outside the stadium. The humid air. The brass bands playing in the stands. It’s a vibe you just don't get at a sterile, modern stadium in the US or Europe.
What People Get Wrong About the Club
A lot of casual observers think the team is just a branding exercise. They see the name and the colors and assume it's all "style over substance."
That’s wrong.
The club has one of the most underrated youth setups in southern Mexico. Because there aren't many other pro teams in the region (RIP Veracruz and Chiapas), Alebrijes is the lighthouse for every kid in the Isthmus or the Sierra Sur who wants to play pro. They are literally the only pathway for an entire geographic region of the country.
The Uncertain Future
Is there a path back to the top? Maybe.
The Federation keeps promising that promotion will return once enough teams are "certified." Alebrijes is constantly working on this. They’ve upgraded the stadium lights. They’ve tightened the books. But the goalposts keep moving.
📖 Related: Simona Halep and the Reality of Tennis Player Breast Reduction
It's frustrating.
Yet, the club survives. They survived the pandemic. They survived the league restructuring. They survived the ownership changes. There is something uniquely Oaxacan about that—a stubborn refusal to disappear.
How to Actually Follow Alebrijes de Oaxaca FC
If you’re looking to get into the team, don’t expect to find them on major US cable networks every week. You usually have to dig into streaming services like ViX or Fox Sports Mexico.
Watching a game at the Tec is on the bucket list for any real groundhopper. The atmosphere is less "hooligan" and more "carnival." It’s family-oriented, loud, and genuinely welcoming.
Actionable Steps for the Fan or Traveler
If you want to support or experience this unique club, here is how you actually do it without getting lost in the weeds:
- Check the Schedule via the Official Site: The Liga de Expansión website is more reliable than Google for specific kickoff times, which change constantly for TV.
- Buy Merch Locally: If you are in Oaxaca City, don't buy the knockoffs at the market (unless you're on a budget). Go to the official store. The quality difference in the fabric and the "Alebrije" texture is huge.
- Go to the Stadium Early: The Estadio Tecnológico is on the outskirts. Traffic in Oaxaca can be a nightmare. Give yourself an hour. Plus, the pre-game street food is better than anything inside the gates.
- Follow the "Expansión" Narrative: To understand why a game matters, you have to look at the "Tabla de Cociente" (the percentage table). Even without promotion, teams are fighting to avoid fines for finishing last.
Alebrijes de Oaxaca FC is a reminder that football doesn't have to be a multi-billion dollar corporate product to be meaningful. Sometimes, it just needs to look like the people who cheer for it.
Keep an eye on their social media. Even if you don't speak Spanish, the visuals alone tell the story of a club that knows exactly who it is. They aren't trying to be Real Madrid. They're trying to be Oaxaca. And honestly? That’s much more interesting.
To get the most out of your interest in the club, track their performance through the official Liga MX app, which provides real-time data on the Expansión circuit. If you’re planning a trip, aim for the "Liguilla" (playoffs) months of May or November when the intensity at the Estadio Tecnológico is at its peak. Supporting this team isn't just about football; it's about sustaining a cultural institution in one of Mexico's most vibrant states.