Estadio Azteca

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Lore & Background

Estadio Azteca is often called the 'Temple of Football' or the 'Cathedral of Football'. It hosted the 1986 quarter-final match between Argentina and England in which Diego Maradona scored both the 'Hand of God goal' and the 'Goal of the Century'. Both Pelé's (1970) and Diego Maradona's (1986) national teams won the FIFA World Cup in Estadio Azteca. It also hosted the 'Game of the Century', when Italy defeated West Germany 4–3 in extra time in one of the 1970 semifinal matches. The stadium was the principal venue for the football tournament of the 1968 Summer Olympics and the 1971 Women's World Cup, though the latter was an unofficial tournament not organized by FIFA. It is also scheduled to host games during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, making it the only stadium scheduled to host three editions of the FIFA World Cup.

In Their Own Story

On 11 June 2026, the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup was held at the Azteca, in which Mexico played against South Africa. The first goal was scored by Mexico's Julián Quiñones in the ninth minute of the match, this being the first time a player from a CONCACAF national team scored the first goal of a FIFA World Cup edition. The match ended with Mexico winning by 2–0. That same day, an opening ceremony was held before the match, which included performances by Maná, Danny Ocean, Los Ángeles Azules, Belinda, J Balvin, Ryan Castro, Shakira, and Burna Boy. Shakira and Burna Boy closed the ceremony with a performance of the tournament's official song 'Dai Dai' followed by flairs in the colors of the Mexican flag and a fireworks display.

Reader's Guide

Visiting Estadio Azteca during a World Cup match offers an experience unlike any other on Earth. The stadium reopened on 28 March 2026 with a friendly between Mexico and Portugal that ended in a scoreless draw. A spectator died during the pre-match ceremonies after an apparent fall from a box suite. The renovated stadium was criticized by The Athletic for uneven concrete work, unfinished furnishings, and a chaotic security queue. In May 2026, the stadium was monitored by NASA amid concerns about the structural stability of the stadium. The stadium has also been used for musical performances throughout its history, including Michael Jackson (5 sold-out shows in 1993), Menudo (in 1983), U2 (in 2006 and 2011), Luis Miguel (in 2002), Paul McCartney (in 2012 and 2017), Elton John, Maná, Juan Gabriel, Gloria Estefan, Jaguares, Lenny Kravitz, *Nsync, Hanson, Ana Gabriel, and The Three Tenors.

Did You Know?

• Estadio Azteca is scheduled to become the only stadium to host three editions of the FIFA World Cup (1970, 1986, and 2026).
• The stadium was the first to host two FIFA World Cup finals: Brazil vs Italy in 1970 and Argentina vs West Germany in 1986.
• Diego Maradona scored both the 'Hand of God goal' and the 'Goal of the Century' at Estadio Azteca during the 1986 quarter-final between Argentina and England.
• The stadium's official name was temporarily changed to Estadio Guillermo Cañedo in 1997, but the change proved unpopular and was reverted.
• The 1971 Women's World Cup held at the stadium was an unofficial tournament, as FIFA's first official Women's World Cup took place in 1991.