The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup took place on Friday, 5 December and now that all 42 qualified teams know exactly who, where and when they will be playing, the real preparation begins.
It is customary for national teams to play a series of warm-up matches in the build-up to the tournament, and these games are perhaps more important for the host nations than anyone else due to the fact that they haven't had to play any qualification matches to reach the group stages.
Azteca Stadium to re-open for Mexico vs Portugal
In the last week, it was revealed that Mexico and Portugal will play each other in a friendly at the Estadio Azteca on March 28, during the final international break before the competition begins at the stadium on June 11.
Mexico will have less time than most other nations to play warm-up matches at the end of the domestic football calendar, as they are set to play the World Cup opener against South Africa. As a result, this March window is crucial as they prepare for a historic World Cup.
The Estadio Azteca has been undergoing renovation work since May 2024, specifically for the World Cup, and it is Portugal who have been selected as the team to take on Javier Aguirre's men at one of the world's most iconic stadiums.
Mexico announced it will host Portugal for an exhibition match at the newly renovated Estadio Azteca in March 🏟️
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 5, 2025
This could be Cristiano Ronaldo’s first time playing in one of football’s most historic stadiums, a place where legends like Diego Maradona and Pelé were crowned… pic.twitter.com/kCC1rP1dD7
It will be the first time that Cristiano Ronaldo has ever played at the stadium, which once had a capacity of 105,000, making it one of the final things the former Real Madrid man has to tick off his football bucket list.
The match is more than just an excuse for Ronaldo to play at the Azteca, though. Roberto Martinez will see it as a golden opportunity to get his players accustomed to the playing conditions in Mexico before they attempt to make history by becoming the first Portuguese side in history to win the World Cup.
FGG says: Opportunity knocks
Many European teams would have loved to have played in this fixture against Mexico, purely for acclimatisation reasons rather than anything else. Portugal should see this as an opportunity to find a marginal gain over their European rivals before the real stuff begins a few months later.