Mexico City’s iconic Azteca Stadium is undergoing a significant transformation, with giant cranes and construction vehicles dominating the landscape as hundreds of workers race against time to prepare the venue for its grand reopening ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The historic stadium is set to make history itself, becoming the first ground to host three World Cup opening matches when Mexico takes on South Africa on 11 June.
However, its doors are scheduled to reopen much sooner, on 28 March, for a friendly fixture between Mexico and Portugal.
Located south of the capital, the stadium will host five World Cup games, adding to its legacy from the 1970 and 1986 tournaments.
Opened in 1966, Azteca has seen several refurbishments, most recently in 2016 to accommodate NFL games. It closed its doors in May 2024 for its latest, much-needed facelift.
The extensive project includes new seating across all sections, additional video screens, enhanced lighting, updated locker rooms, a new entrance leading to a hybrid pitch, a new Wi-Fi system, two new large screens, and a state-of-the-art sound system featuring 250 speakers.
Stadium director Felix Aguirre and owner Emilio Azcarraga Jean revealed that the new locker rooms and the pitch entrance proved to be the most challenging aspects, contributing to overall renovation delays.
Azcarraga expressed some scepticism regarding the contractors' timelines last month, stating: "The contractors say that yes (it will be ready), I’m not a construction expert, they set dates, there’s a meeting every week, I told them I’m not a specialist, but I don’t see their dates going accordingly as the (planned) dates. There was a lot of difficulty at the beginning."
Aerial images captured by The Associated Press on Tuesday show that all 82,000 new seats are now in place, alongside the new hybrid pitch.
However, crews are still actively working on hospitality areas and new luxury boxes.
A similar hybrid surface installed in 2018 led to an NFL game being relocated due to poor field conditions, prompting the installation of natural grass the following year.
The new pitch, however, boasts advanced ventilation and drainage systems designed to withstand Mexico City’s frequent heavy downpours. The stadium’s capacity is expected to reach 87,000 for the World Cup.
"The stadium has undergone a significant modernization process that will improve the experience for soccer fans in every way," Aguirre affirmed. "Rest assured, Mexico City’s iconic and emblematic stadium will be fully ready."
Despite this, one of the stadium’s car parks still contains a considerable amount of rubble, and old seats remain on the ground.
Azcarraga acknowledged the phased nature of the work: "This first stage, which ends on March 28 with the reopening, is important, and then we’ll continue with the remaining work for the World Cup. And then there’s a lot more to do; the complexity of the project doesn’t allow you to do everything at once."
Beyond the stadium, the Mexico City government is also enhancing local infrastructure.
An adjacent street will receive a new asphalt surface, an improved drainage system, and new pavements.
Work is also progressing at the light rail station opposite the Azteca, with upgrades to outdoor lighting and a pedestrian bridge.
On match days, the Xochimilco Light Rail, known as Tren Ligero, offers one of the quickest routes to the stadium.
The city has acquired 17 new trains for the World Cup, adding to its existing fleet of 20.
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