Here’s What Azteca Stadium Will Look Like for the 2026 World Cup

of Mexico City The Azteca Stadium is a 15-kilometer ride from the Zócalo – the heart of the metropolis of roughly 18 million inhabitants. The drive may take the 18 minutes predicted by Google Maps, but it can easily exceed an hour if you’re in the middle of what my driver calls “the peak,” when the city’s perpetual swarm of cars erupts.

The first feeling of visiting the Colosso de Santa Ursula—named after the stadium where both Pele and Maradona played legendary games—is to be in a place suspended between the past and the future. The venue’s seemingly immobile dinosaur skeleton exterior hides a massive undertaking as the entire stadium is being modernized for the 2026 World Cup.

A friendly match between Mexico and Portugal on March 26, 2026 will serve as a dress rehearsal for the opening ceremony on June 11 and the first World Cup match to follow.

How Azteca Transformed

Azteca Stadium looks like work in progress.

Photo: Gabriel Nava

The icon of Mexican soccer is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. The renovations to the Azteca Stadium, essential to its status as a designated venue for five matches, are at their most complex and visible stage.

The goal is to modernize the Colossus to meet the most demanding needs international standardMaintaining its historic spirit while improving the visitor experience and functionality of the facility.

The current situation is a construction site in full swing. The stands, completely empty and devoid of their signature markings and paint, reveal the gray of concrete and scaffolding. The empty bleachers, lit by the white lights of a construction site, are staffed only by technicians and teams of engineers working day and night. The heart of the stadium, the field is now a sea of ​​dirt and mud, with heavy machinery working to level and reinstall the drainage system and install a state-of-the-art hybrid surface that combines natural grass with advanced ventilation, drainage and air injection systems.

The main structure of the stadium was reinforced only while keeping its iconic shape intact.

Photo: Sanskar Group

Architectural Design

The stadium may be new inside, but the exterior retains its identifying features. The original structure of the stadium has only been strengthened, but not significantly altered. However, the upgrades include some flash. The exterior will be adorned with LED banners mounted on feature columns and cross beams that will enhance the look of the stadium and allow for colorful choreographed light shows.

From field level, the biggest change is immediately noticeable: the new metal and glass ring roof is almost complete and will protect much of the stand. “We didn’t want to erase the original silhouette,” explains a team engineer, “but to update it with lighter materials that can better withstand the climate and integrate photovoltaic systems invisible to the naked eye.”

The project by KMD Arquitectos in collaboration with Populus completely renovated the electrical, water and ventilation systems and installed a smart energy management system. It also introduced new FIFA relegation standards. While the Azteca’s official capacity is around 83,000, the renovation will bring the facility closer to 90,000 seats, although neither the government nor FIFA have confirmed the final number. Certainly, it will radically change the experience: individual ergonomic seats replace many old seats, increasing space and comfort for every visitor. A revised bleacher layout optimized accessibility and visibility for fans.