Mexico City Stadium to host opening match of FIFA World Cup 2026

Mexico City Stadium has been confirmed as the venue for the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026, with hosts Mexico set to kick off the tournament on June 11, 2026.

FIFA announced that the historic stadium in the Mexican capital will become the first venue in history to host three World Cup opening matches, having previously staged the opening games and finals of the 1970 and 1986 tournaments.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the biggest edition of the tournament to date, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches across 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Mexico will play all three of its group-stage matches on home soil.

After opening the tournament in Mexico City, the team will play its second group match at Estadio Guadalajara on June 18 before returning to Mexico City Stadium for its final group fixture on June 24.

The stadium will also host a Group K match between Uzbekistan and Colombia, along with one Round of 32 match and one Round of 16 fixture.

Located in Mexico City, the stadium has a capacity of 83,000 and was originally opened in 1966. It is widely regarded as one of world football’s most iconic venues, having hosted legendary players such as Pelé and Diego Maradona during previous World Cup tournaments.

The stadium currently serves as the home ground for Mexican clubs Club América and Cruz Azul, while also hosting matches for the Mexican national team.

Mexico City Stadium also hosted the final of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2011, where a crowd of nearly 99,000 spectators set a tournament attendance record.