The World Cup 2026 kicks off on Thursday evening at the Estadio Azteca, now temporarily known as Mexico City Stadium. The venue, which opened in May 1966, is home to Club America and the Mexican national team. It can hold up to 83,264 spectators but will be limited to 72,766 for the tournament.
Why the Name Change?
Last year, Mexican bank Banorte became the stadium's sponsor, renaming it Estadio Banorte. However, for the World Cup, FIFA's strict commercial policies require that no venue displays non-official sponsor brands. Thus, the stadium is called Mexico City Stadium during the tournament.
Other Venues in Mexico
Mexico City Stadium is one of three Mexican venues hosting World Cup matches. The others are Guadalajara Stadium (Estadio Akron) and Monterrey Stadium (Estadio BBVA).
Matches at Mexico City Stadium
The stadium will host five games: three group stage fixtures and two knockout rounds. The opening match is Mexico vs South Africa on June 11 at 8pm UK time (1pm ET). Other group games include Uzbekistan vs Colombia and Mexico vs Czech Republic. Knockout matches are the round of 32 and round of 16.
