Azteca Stadium to host 2026 World Cup opening match: Mexico vs. South Africa

The Azteca Stadium has witnessed numerous memorable moments in football history. In the opening match of the 1970 World Cup between Mexico and the Soviet Union, German Bundesliga referee Kurt Tschenscher showed the first yellow card in football history – a total of five cautions in that match. "Damals betrat die gelbe Karte die Weltbühne, ein Symbol, das sich bis heute in jeder Liga durchgesetzt hat," FIFA's historical records note.

Pelé and Maradona: Two Legends, One Stadium

At the 1986 World Cup, the stadium experienced perhaps its most famous evening: In the quarterfinal between Argentina and England, Diego Maradona scored two goals, including the controversial "Hand of God" goal. In the final against Germany, Argentina secured the title. Maradona himself later called the Azteca Stadium the "Kathedral seines Lebens."

Pelé also celebrated one of his greatest triumphs at the Azteca Stadium: In the 1970 World Cup final against Italy, he won his third and final world championship title. Both exceptional players – Pelé and Maradona – experienced their "große Stunde" there, as historical retrospectives put it.

The "Eternal Seats": An Unusual Financing Model

The financing of the stadium's construction in 1966 was unusual: To fund the construction, the Mexican Football Federation sold 600 boxes with an average of ten seats each, as well as 8,000 individual seats, to private individuals. They received the right to attend all events at the stadium free of charge for 99 years – until 2065. Before the 1986 World Cup and again before the 2026 World Cup, FIFA attempted to resell these so-called "Eternal Seats," but failed in court each time. The owners, who call themselves "Titulares de Palcos y Plateas," retained their free access.

In the 2026 tournament, the Azteca Stadium is not only the venue for the opening match, but also the stage for two additional group matches, a round-of-16 match, and a round-of-16 knockout duel. The remaining World Cup matches will take place in stadiums in the USA and Canada.

Mexico vs. South Africa: A Reunion After 16 Years

With the opening in Mexico City, FIFA is continuing the tradition of holding the first match of a World Cup in a stadium with a great history. In 2010, South Africa played the opening match at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg against Mexico – the same opponent as in this reunion in Mexico.

For Mexican fans, the opening match is a home game of a special kind. The atmosphere in the capital has been marked by World Cup fever for days, with green-white-red street decorations adorning the city center. South Africa travels as the underdog, but has shown that surprises are possible – even in the 2010 opening match in Johannesburg, South Africa could not hold back its own team, yet still provided a historic tournament on African soil.