The upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will utilize 16 venues across these three nations. Our ongoing feature series continues its examination of each host stadium, with this installment focusing on Mexico.
Despite Mexico’s historical prominence as the nation with the deepest footballing roots among the three host countries for the 2026 World Cup, only 13 fixtures are slated to take place across its cities of Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara during the tournament.
Some supporters may find solace in the fact that the iconic Estadio Azteca is designated to host the opening ceremonies. However, considering its strong claim as potentially the most celebrated football arena globally, a compelling argument can be made that Mexico received an insufficient number of games, perhaps even being overlooked for the final match.
Nevertheless, let us explore the details of what to anticipate from each of these stadiums located south of the United States border.
Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Image credit: Hector Vivas/Getty Images
Estadio Azteca undeniably stands as the most historically significant venue of the competition, and as previously noted, possibly across the globe. This esteemed stadium has hosted two FIFA World Cup finals: Brazil’s dominant 4–1 victory over Italy in 1970 and Argentina’s poignant 3–2 triumph against West Germany in 1986. It boasts the singular distinction of being the only stadium where both Pelé and Diego Maradona have hoisted the World Cup trophy. Following 2026, it will uniquely hold the record for hosting matches in three distinct World Cup tournaments.
The Azteca was also the site of the legendary “Game of the Century,” where Italy overcame West Germany with a 4–3 scoreline after extra time during the 1970 semifinals.
Serving as the home ground for Club América, Estadio Azteca is currently undergoing extensive refurbishment aimed at modernizing its facilities and ensuring compliance with FIFA standards. Its reopening is slated for March, marked by a friendly fixture between the national teams of Mexico and Portugal.
Its officially listed seating capacity is 83,000, though reports suggest this could potentially be expanded to 90,000. It is set to host five matches, including the inaugural ceremonies, this summer. Nevertheless, the absence of any matches beyond the round of 16 represents a slight disappointment for a stadium of such profound historical importance.
Confirmed matches: Mexico vs. South Africa (opener) and Uzbekistan vs. Colombia.
TBD matches: Mexico vs. UEFA Playoff D winner, one round of 32 match, one round of 16 match.
Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
Image credit: Hector Vivas/Getty Images
Potentially the most aesthetically pleasing stadium of the entire tournament, Estadio BBVA is dramatically set against the majestic Nuevo León mountains and boasts a capacity for 53,500 attendees. The venue has earned LEED silver certification for its eco-friendly architectural design and has become a frequent feature in countless Instagram photo collections due to its scenic surroundings.
The home stadium of Liga MX club Monterrey, it previously hosted the CONCACAF W Championship in 2022. It is scheduled to host four matches, tying for the fewest games assigned to any World Cup stadium. Unlike the other venue with the same low number of fixtures (which we will discuss next), Estadio BBVA will feature one knockout round match.
Confirmed matches: Tunisia vs. Japan, and South Africa vs. South Korea.
TBD matches: Tunisia vs. UEFA Playoff B winner, and one round of 32 match.
Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
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Serving as the home stadium for Chivas, one of Mexico’s most widely recognized football clubs, Estadio Akron first opened its doors in 2010 and will accommodate a maximum of 48,000 spectators for the World Cup. The stadium is well-acquainted with FIFA-organized tournaments, having previously hosted eight matches during the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Similar to Monterrey, Guadalajara will only host four matches this summer. However, adding to this disappointment, it stands as the sole host city that will not experience a single knockout stage fixture. One might wonder how such allocation decisions are made.
As a minor redeeming factor, Estadio Akron is scheduled to host one of the inter-confederation playoffs, ensuring that the excitement of a high-stakes, win-or-go-home encounter will grace the stadium at some point.
Confirmed matches: Mexico vs. South Korea and Uruguay vs. Spain.
TBD matches: South Korea vs. UEFA Playoff D winner and Colombia vs. FIFA Playoff 1 winner.
