Estadio Azteca opens the 2026 World Cup on 11 June with Mexico against South Africa. It is the third tournament the stadium has hosted, and no other ground has hosted three. Pelé's Brazil won the 1970 final here, 4–1 against Italy. Sixteen years later, Argentina played England in the 1986 quarter-final, and Diego Maradona scored both the Hand of God and the Goal of the Century inside four minutes. Argentina collected the trophy on this pitch three weeks later.
For the tournament the venue carries the sponsor name Estadio Banorte. On the ground it is still Azteca.
The 2026 fixtures
| Date | Kickoff (CDMX) | Match | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 11 Jun | 13:00 | Mexico vs South Africa | Group Stage – 1 (Opener) |
| Wed 17 Jun | 20:00 | Uzbekistan vs Colombia | Group Stage – 1 |
| Wed 24 Jun | 19:00 | Czech Republic vs Mexico | Group Stage – 3 |
Two more group-stage fixtures and a Round of 32 tie are pencilled in for Azteca but await the bracket draw. Capacity for FIFA matches is approximately 87,000, with the third tier's upper rows converted to camera and broadcast positions. The grass is the natural surface relaid in the 2024–25 renovation.
Uzbekistan
Colombia
Czech Republic
MexicoEstadio Azteca
106,187 capacity
View stadium →History
Pedro Ramírez Vázquez designed Azteca for the 1970 World Cup. It opened on 29 May 1966 with Club América playing Torino in front of 107,494. Three steeply raked tiers, an upper rim cantilevered without internal columns, sightlines built so the back row of the third tier still saw the touchline.
The 1970 final is the canonical image of that Brazil team: Pelé heading in over Tarcisio Burgnich for the opener, Carlos Alberto driving home the fourth from a Pelé layoff in the 86th minute. The 1986 quarter-final ran the other way. Maradona punched the first past Peter Shilton in the 51st minute. Four minutes later, he picked the ball up inside his own half, beat Peter Beardsley, Peter Reid, Terry Butcher (twice), Terry Fenwick, and finally Shilton again to score the second.
Beyond football, the stadium has hosted Muhammad Ali against Buster Mathis (1971), three Papal masses for John Paul II, two NFL regular-season games, and concert residencies for Michael Jackson, U2, Madonna, and Lady Gaga.
Quick facts
| Capacity | 106,187 (≈87,000 for FIFA matches) |
| Opened | 29 May 1966 |
| Architect | Pedro Ramírez Vázquez |
| Elevation | 2,200 m |
| Surface | Grass |
| Tenants | Club América, Mexico national team |
| Address | Calz. de Tlalpan 3665, Coyoacán, CDMX |
Getting there
Take the Tren Ligero. Metro Line 2 south to Tasqueña, transfer to the Xochimilco light-rail line, off at Estadio Azteca station. About 35 minutes from the Zócalo.
Uber works but Calzada de Tlalpan backs up badly before kickoff. Have the driver drop a few streets north and walk the last 400 metres.
Driving in CDMX matchday traffic is rarely worth it. AICM airport is 45 minutes by Metro and 30 by Uber off-peak.
After the whistle, the Tren Ligero platform meters. Leave on the whistle, walk twenty minutes north to a Metrobús stop, or stay in the concourse for fifteen minutes and let it clear.
Altitude
The pitch sits at 2,200 metres above sea level. Two days in CDMX beforehand is usually enough to adjust. Argentina trained at altitude before their 1986 quarter-final. FIFA scheduled the 2026 opener at Azteca partly for the symbolism, partly because the elevation gives Mexico a real edge on opening night.
Food and drink
The area directly around the stadium is residential. Most matchday eating happens at the CETRAM bus hub directly across Calzada de Tlalpan, or up in Coyoacán a few kilometres north. Inside the ground, the staples are tortas, tacos al pastor, michelada, Tecate. Cash is more reliable than card.
La Casa de Toño (Tlalpan)
Mexican chain5 min walk
Pozole and tacos. Packs out before kickoff but the line moves fast.
Open in Maps →Mercado de Coyoacán
Pre-match neighbourhood15 min by Uber
Tostadas, churros at El Jarocho, cobblestone streets. Worth a morning before a late kickoff.
Open in Maps →CETRAM Estadio Azteca taquerías
Street food stripAt the stadium
Taco stands and quesadilla grills at the bus hub across the avenue.
Open in Maps →Seats
Lower tier behind the south goal for the Club América Monumental end. Halfway-line second tier for the best view of the play. The third tier is steep; the back rows feel vertiginous.
Tickets
World Cup tickets sell through FIFA's official channel, with sales waves running through spring 2026. Club América league tickets go through Ticketmaster México. The Mexican secondary market is active for league games and uneven for internationals.
Pair it with
CDMX has the densest cluster of major football venues in the Americas. Estadio Olímpico Universitario (Pumas) sits on the UNAM lava-rock campus, 20 minutes west. Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes (Cruz Azul) is in Colonia Nochebuena. A three-stadium week is achievable if the Liga MX fixture list cooperates.
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