How a 3,400-year-old ballgame survives in Mexico against all odds
Authorities and corporations are promoting the 3,400-year-old ballgame to draw interest before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while players warn against commercialization.
- As Mexico prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, authorities are leveraging the momentum to showcase the 3,400-year-old traditional ballgame ulama, a ritual practice nearly erased during the Spanish conquest.
- Spanish conquistadors banned ulama, viewing it as resistance to Christianity; the Catholic Church deemed it 'the living devil,' researcher Emilie Carreón said, forcing survival only in remote Pacific coast pockets.
- Approximately 1,000 players participate in ulama today, wielding a rubber ball weighing 3.2 kilograms—seven times heavier than a soccer ball—demanding players contort their bodies to keep it moving.
- Authorities feature ulama in heritage-themed advertising campaigns, yet some players worry the 'exotic' image undermines tradition. 'We're not circus monkeys,' said 21-year-old player Ortega, who recently appeared in a television commercial.
- Preservation efforts at the National Autonomous University of Mexico aim to recruit young players in communities and schools. In Los Llanitos, Herrera's grandchildren, including Eight-year-old Kiki, remain determined to continue the legacy.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Associated Press News
How a 3,400-year-old ballgame survives in Mexico against all odds
Mexico is embracing its ancient ballgame, ulama, as it prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This 3,400-year-old sport, nearly erased during the Spanish conquest, is gaining attention alongside international soccer.
The tradition of the ulama game, of 3,400 years old, is preserved with holiness in several regions of Mexico. Against the background of preparations for the World Football Championship of 2026, attention is also directed to the sports roots of the country. The Mexican game that defies the time and history of the ulama, a team game of 3,400 years old, is one of the oldest sports traditions in the world. On the coast of the Pacific of Mexico, on a…
On a dirt court of an arid Mexican North Pacific ranch, five cousins between 8 and 13 years old undress and barefoot quickly as adults help them with the pre-Hispanic style “fajado” that includes a short suede and a leather belt that protects hips and buttocks.
How a 3,400-year-old ballgame survives in Mexico against all odds – UK Times
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails On a dirt field on Mexico’s Pacific coast, five cousins between the ages of 8 and 13 strip down and kick off their shoes. Nearby, adults help them fasten the pre-Hispanic-style “fajado,” securing loincloths and leather belts that wrap around their hips. The Osuna…
Mexico’s 3,400-year-old ballgame endures against all odds
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