The town that is now called Ciudad Acuña, Mexico was founded on December 27, 1877. In 1880, it received "Villa" status under the name of Garza Galán. In 1884 is was renamed Congregación Las Vacas. In 1912 it became Villa Acuña, named after Manuel Acuña, and on September 16, 1951 it became Ciudad Acuña.

Ciudad Acuña is situated in Coahuila state and across the Rio Grande from Del Rio, Texas.

The city was well known in North America during the period of the 1930s-1960s as the location of border radio station XERA (later XERF).