World Cup 2026: Who plays at Estadio Akron?

With just days to go before World Cup 2026 kicks off, fans are turning their attention to North America, where 48 nations from around the globe will do battle for football's biggest honour.

This summer's tournament will be hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada, with a variety of iconic stadiums serving as the backdrop for what will be the biggest World Cup to date.

Some of the venues chosen are newer builds that are accommodating football games for the occasion, while others are iconic grounds, even if they may be unfamiliar to European supporters visiting the continent.

Estadio Akron is one such example, with the stadium boasting a storied history as the backdrop for a number of standout moments in Mexican football history.

Here, Football Ground Guide covers all you need to know about Estadio Akron, and who plays at one of World Cup 2026's most legendary arenas.

Who plays at Estadio Akron?

Estadio Akron is home to C.D. Guadalajara, one of the most successful football teams in Mexico. Having been formed in 1906, Guadalajara are one of the ten founding members of the Primera División, now known as Liga MX.

They have won 12 league titles and finished runner-up in the 2010 Copa Libertadores, the joint-closest any Mexican team has come to winning South America’s most prestigious footballing tournament.

Similarly to Athletic Bilbao, the club does not sign non-Mexican players, and they instead rely on home-grown talent. This focus on their academy has brought through some tremendous footballers – Javier Hernández, Carlos Salcido and Carlos Vela all began their careers at the club.

Guadalajara are, in fact, the most popular team in Mexico – a 2016 study claimed that a whopping 44.1% of football fans in the country support them. 

What is Estadio Akron like?

Estadio Akron is in Zapopan, a city just to the west of Guadalajara. Despite having been announced in February 2004, various financial issues meant that construction on the stadium did not begin until May 2007, and was only completed in July 2010.

It cost $200 million to build and has a capacity of 46,355. Despite its short lifespan to date, the stadium has already had three different names. Until 2016 it was known as Estadio Omnilife, after which it was called Estadio Chivas for a year. Current name Estadio Akron comes from sponsors Akron, a Mexican energy company.

During the first couple of years that Estadio Akron was open, it drew lots of criticism for its artificial playing surface. Therefore, the turf was replaced with grass in July 2012.

What iconic matches have been played at Estadio Akron?

Outside of its use for Guadalajara’s home matches in Liga MX, Estadio Akron has also been used for various important games during the 14 years it has been open.

Perhaps the most important came in the first year that the stadium was open – when it hosted the first leg of Guadalajara’s Copa Libertadores final defeat at the hands of Internacional.

Adolfo Bautista gave the Mexican side the lead in that game, but Internacional turned the game around in the second half and won the first leg 2-1. They would go on to win the tie 5-3 on aggregate and lift the trophy.

Another of the most iconic matches in the stadium’s history came in the same year, when Guadalajara played Manchester United in the “Chicharito friendly”. Played on 30 July 2010 to celebrate Javier “Chicharito” Hernández’s move from his boyhood club to England, the striker played the first half for the Mexican club and the second for his new team. He scored in the first half for Guadalajara, who won 3-2.

In 2011, Estadio Akron hosted all football matches at the 2011 Pan American Games, as well as the event’s opening and closing ceremonies.

It has not just been limited to football either – on 6 May 2023, the stadium hosted the boxing match between Canelo Álvarez and John Ryder.

In line with FIFA’s sponsorship rules, the stadium will change its name to Estadio Guadalajara for the World Cup in 2026.