Sports

At a professional level, Cali hosts just football teams. At the amateur level there are Basketball, Football, Volleyball, and other sports. Nationally, Cali's athletes compete with Bogotá's and Medellín's in most sport tournaments and championships.

Cali has two main athletic events, a mid-year half marathon 1/2 Maraton de Cali and a December 10k race called Carrera del Río Cali.

Colombia's sports capital Pascual Guerrero Stadium seen from the Cristo Rey Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero Cali, during 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Opening Ceremony in 1971 Pan American Games

The city of Santiago de Cali is recognized as the sports capital of Colombia. It is the first Colombian city to have hosted the Pan American Games 1971 Pan Am Games, and because this region has won the National Olympic Games more than any other region in Colombia. The city also counts with one of the most developed sport infrastructures in the country, many sporting events have taken place in the city.

Cali has two football stadiums; Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero and Estadio Deportivo Cali/del Deportivo Cali/Palmaseca. Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero is currently home of both Deportivo Cali and América de Cali, since Estadio Deportivo Cali is still under construction. Deportivo Cali is the only football team owner of a stadium in Colombia since all of the other football stadiums are owned by the government, other important scenario in the city is "Coliseo El Pueblo" is a covered arena center use for all type of events, the main use is basketball.

Infrastructure

Cali's infrastructure has permitted it to host several major international sports competitions such as the 1971 Pan American Games, numerous Games of the Pacific, the final phase of the 1982 World basketball championship, the 1999 World's Roller Hockey Championships, women's basketball and swimming events, Pan American Speed-Track Cycling Championships, and most recently the World's Roller Speed Skating Championships. Cali will host the World Games 2013.

Pascual Guerrero Olímpic stadium El Pueblo Arena Polideportivo de El Vallado Unidad Deportiva Panamericana Velódromo Alcides Nieto Patiño Gimnasio Evangelista Mora Patinódromo Los Diputados Estadio del Deportivo Cali Football

Santiago de Cali is home of Colombia's Deportivo Cali and América de Cali football clubs. Many well-known football players were either born in Cali or have played in one of its clubs. Wellington Ortiz, Carlos (El Pibe) Valderrama, Anthony (El Pipa) de Avila, Alex Escobar, Julio Cesar Falcioni, Jorge da Silva, Jorge Bermudez, Giovanny Hernandez, Hugo Rodallega, Mario Yepes, Faryd Mondragón, Adolfo (el tren) Valencia, and Oscar Córdoba are a sample of them.

According to Conmebol, América ranks 2nd and Deportivo Cali 3rd in the Colombian national ranking, which ranks itself 3rd in the Conmebol ranking. America was ranked as the world's 2nd best club in 1996 by the IFFHS (International Federation of Football History & Statistics) and 35th in the All-Time Club World Ranking of the IFFHS. Cali is the Colombian city having hosted the most Colombian first division finals, with 40 matches being played in the stadium. America has won 13 titles, and has been second on 7 occasions. Deportivo Cali has won 8 titles, second in 11 occasions. They have played final against each other three times. In the early 50's, now second-division city's team Boca Juniors lost two finals.

Basketball and bullfighting

Though there is no current basketball team that calls Santiago de Cali home, basketball is the second-most played sport in the city. Basketball is a preferred sport at the city center location "La Carrera del Cholado". Football still surpasses basketball in sport popularity. Bullfighting is staged during the Cali Fair which is held in December. It is anticipated by many citizens in Cali, as well as all Colombia. The bullfighting ring is called La Plaza de Toros de Cañaveralejo, located southwest of Cali.