Meet The Pumas

American football in Costa Rica began and remained concentrated almost exclusively in the province of San José. A group of local athletes and enthusiasts in Alajuela saw the gap and decided to change it. With the purpose of bringing the sport to their own province, they founded Pumas Alajuela — a franchise built on the belief that American football belonged to every corner of Costa Rica, not just the capital. Under the name Pumas, the club quickly built a strong sense of identity and belonging among the youth of the region.

The Pumas entered the official competition circuits of the Costa Rica Football League competing in men's tackle football, measuring themselves against established organizations with far more history in the sport. Every season added experience and growth.

In 2019, facing logistical and roster challenges, Pumas Alajuela demonstrated institutional maturity by formalizing a temporary strategic alliance with the Knights franchise of Pérez Zeledón — unifying resources and ensuring players continued competing at the highest level of national American football.

The next major turning point came with the formalization of the partnership with the Cantonal Committee of Sports and Recreation of Alajuela (CODEA), giving the organization official status as a regional sports program with access to municipal facilities and institutional support for cantonal and inter-cantonal events.

With CODEA's backing and a new home at the Plaza de Ciruelas and the Polideportivo de Alajuela, Pumas expanded into Flag Football — opening the sport to a wider audience and formally launching a women's division and a youth development school rooted in values and discipline.

Today CODEA Pumas Alajuela operates across four areas: the Women's Flag Football program and Men's Flag Football program, both based at the Plaza de Ciruelas; the Youth Development School at the Polideportivo de Alajuela; and Events and Tournaments hosted across Alajuela's municipal facilities.

Pumas Alajuela stands as a clear example of how a sport can flourish and become institutionalized through organized governance, solid municipal support, and a long-term vision for the community. The club moves firmly toward the permanent consolidation of American football in the province of the mangoes.