FIFA World Cup 2026: Which stadium will host the opening match?
The iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico will host the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Published : Feb 05, 2024 01:38 IST , Chennai - 1 MIN READ
The Azteca Stadium will be one of the three venues in Mexico for the 2026 World Cup. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
FIFA announced the 48-team tournament schedule for the 2026 World Cup, along with the host city for the opening match and the final of the tournament that will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico on Monday.
The iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico will host the World Cup 2026 opener and the opening ceremony before that.
The Azteca Stadium is located in Mexico City and is the home stadium of Club America and the Mexican national team. Sitting at an altitude of 2,200 m (7,200 feet) above sea level and with a capacity of 87,523, it is the largest stadium in Latin America and the eighth-largest association football stadium in the world.
The iconic stadium has already hosted two World Cup finals in 1970 (where Brazil defeated Italy 4–1) and 1986 (where Argentina beat West Germany 3-2).
This will make the Azteca the first stadium in history to host matches in three different World Cups.
The legendary stadium has also had the unique privilege of being the only stadium to see Brazilian legend Pele and Argentina great Diego Maradona lift the World Cup title.
It was at this stadium where Maradona scored both the “Hand of God goal“ and the “Goal of the Century“ against England in a quarterfinal match of the 1986 World Cup.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will start on June 11 and conclude on July 19.