Estadio Azteca

The Estadio Azteca is one of the iconic stadiums in Mexico and the world. Even though it is very reflective of the European stadiums in terms of style, the ambience and atmosphere take things to a different level. The stadium is comprised of four sections – North, East, South, and West.

The experience of visiting the Estadio Azteca can be quite spectacular, especially if you attend a match where it is close to capacity.

The noise levels go up dramatically for the main derbies, and it can also be tricky to watch these matches with the intensity on offer. A visiting supporter could get started with a less intense affair as this would provide the option of experiencing the stadium and soaking up the ambience.

The Azteca Stadium will play host to seven matches during the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. These matches are as follows:

• 11 June: Group Stage match
• 17 June: Group Stage match
• 24 June: Group Stage match
• 30 June: Round of 32 match
• 5 July: Round of 16 match

The Estadio Azteca has been used for more than just football matches over the years, which has seen some of the most famous faces in the world visit the stadium, including:

• Paul McCartney
• Michael Jackson
• Travis Kelce
• Shakira
• Patrick Mahomes

Mexico City is a vibrant place with a lot to offer. Anyone visiting the city will be lost for options. However, there are some interesting restaurants and pubs that are located within 1 km away from the Estadio Azteca. These can provide an excellent spot just ahead of a game. The choices are as follows.

• Rufino
• La Cerveceria de Barrio – Coyoacan
• Kitchen 6 Gastropub

Since the stadium is located in a largely residential area, it is very safe to venture and explore the place.

By car

The Estadio Azteca is easily reachable by car, as the journey to the stadium from the city centre is only around 15 km long. The Avenida Tlalpan will provide access to the stadium when driving towards the south. It is important to keep to the right of the light rail tracks and metros. It does not take long for the stadium to appear on the right. For those heading from the Anillo Pereférico ring road, there is not much of a deviation as they have to take the exit as per the signs.

After reaching the stadium, you can expect to see a decent number of parking spots available. However, it is advisable to arrive a little early, as it can become difficult to find a spot later in the day due to the large volume of cars that visit the ground.

By public transport

The stadium is also connected easily via the metro and light rail. The metro line 2 has to be taken for reaching Tasqueña, which also happens to be its final stop. Crucially, this metro line will also pass through the historic places in the city centre. After reaching Tasqueña, there has to be a shift to the light rail, which appears similar to the metro. However, a different set of tickets are required. The light rail will take fans to the Estadio Azteca without any hiccups.

The Estadio Azteca is rich in terms of history and heritage. A fan will be able to see the different sections of the ground courtesy of a tour that is conducted on a regular basis. The tour will include the option of seeing the press room, marathon tunnel, dressing room, and more. A tour is scheduled to start every half an hour and it can include up to 40 people in one go.

Due to the higher number of international visitors, one can avail the tour in English or Spanish. An adult will have to pay $120 while children will be charged $80. The seniors will be charged $100. A detailed schedule of the stadium tour is typically available on the official site. Since the tour is subject to availability, it is recommended to book in advance. On match days, the tour schedule ends six hours before the game begins.

The tickets for the Club América and Cruz Azul matches can be bought online. They can also be picked up at the stadium, but the likelihood of getting a ticket is quite difficult for the big matches. For other games, however, it is relatively easy to get a ticket just a few hours before the match, as the large capacity of the stadium allows this advantage. Depending on the opponent quality, seating position, and competition, the prices of a ticket would be determined. One can expect to pay anywhere between MX$ 100 to MX$ 200 depending on these factors.

• 119,853 (Mexico vs Brazil, 1968)