Mexico City to host opening match of FIFA World Cup 26
Hosts Mexico will open the biggest-ever edition of the World Cup on 11 June 2026 with the first of 104 matches which will be staged in 16 locations across three countries.
Estadio Azteca Mexico City has been confirmed as the venue for the opening fixture of the FIFA World Cup 26™ on Thursday, 11 June 2026, becoming the first stadium to host three FIFA World Cup™ opening matches.
The full match schedule for the biggest-ever FIFA World Cup has now been unveiled, giving the framework for the 104-game tournament featuring 48 teams across 16 host cities in three countries – Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Hosts Mexico will have the honour of getting the tournament under way in their capital city, kicking off proceedings in the historic venue which hosted the World Cup finals and opening games of 1970 and 1986.
Mexico will play all three of their group fixtures on home soil, with Estadio Guadalajara hosting their second game on Thursday, 18 June before a return to Estadio Azteca on Wednesday, 24 June for their final group match.
Name: Estadio Azteca Mexico City
Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Capacity: 83,000
Opened: 1966
Match 1 | Group Stage (Mexico game one) | Thursday, 11 June
Match 24 | Group Stage | Wednesday, 17 June
Match 53 | Group Stage (Mexico game three) | Wednesday, 24 June
Match 79 | Round of 32 | Tuesday, 30 June
Match 92 | Round of 16 | Sunday, 5 July
A true coliseum of world football and the first to host a third FIFA World Cup, Estadio Azteca Mexico City - which welcomed the likes of Pele and Diego Maradona across two pulsating World Cup finals in 1970 and 1986 - will once again take centre stage.
The arena's day job is to host both Club America and Cruz Azul of Liga MX as well as the Mexico national team, while Pumas, Atlante, Atletico Espanyol and Necaxa have all previously played their football here.
Estadio Azteca Mexico City was the venue for the final of the FIFA U-17 World Cup™ in 2011, when a capacity crowd of 98,943 set the record for the number of supporters at any game in the history of the prestigious youth tournament.
Mexico City residents are called "Chilangos".
Mexico City is North America’s most populated city and the largest Spanish-speaking city in the world.
Mexico City natives include self-portrait artist Frida Kahlo, Mexico international Hirving Lozano, and the world’s best female chef, Elena Reygadas.
Historical landmarks within the city include the Angel of Independence statue, El Zocalo Square and Chapultepec Castle.
Estadio Azteca has hosted opening matches and finals at two FIFA World Cups, in 1970 and 1986.
Formerly the ancient Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, Mexico City was founded in 1325 and constructed in the Valley of Mexico over ancient Lake Texcoco. Today, the city is an important political, cultural, educational and financial center.
Greater Mexico City is also the largest metropolitan area of the Western Hemisphere and the largest Spanish-speaking city in the world. Football plays a very important role in the city’s tradition and is the most practiced sport among its citizens. Mexico City is the only city in North America that has three professional football teams: Club America, Club UNAM and Cruz Azul. On average, Mexico City hosts 75 professional football matches per year.