The Azteca Stadium will reopen its doors after a major renovation carried out ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The first match at the renovated venue will be a friendly between Mexico and Portugal, scheduled for March 28. This game is part of the national team's preparation under coach Javier 'Vasco' Aguirre. The Portugal team will arrive in Mexico without Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be unable to play due to a muscle injury. The return of the 'Colossus of Santa Úrsula' to the top division marks the beginning of a new era for Mexican football. After the renovation work, the stadium will become the home for América, Cruz Azul, and Atlante clubs.
Mikel Arriola, commissioner of the Mexican Football Federation, confirmed that these three Liga MX clubs will play their home matches at the Azteca Stadium. 'The Banorte Stadium, which will be reopened next Saturday (March 28), represents an investment of almost 300 million dollars, which will give viability to Mexican football for the next 30 years,' he said at the launch of the 'When Mexico wins, we all win' campaign.
The return of these clubs is related to the replacement of Mazatlán's affiliation certificate, a process that was presented to the league owners' assembly. Currently, the team is playing in the Clausura 2026 in the Liga de Expansión MX, a category in which it has remained since its relegation in the Clausura 2014, where it has won three championships and four runner-up titles. Since its relegation, Atlante has played in seven cities, including Cancún, Mexico City, and the state of Morelos.
The Azteca is not unknown to the team, as it played at the venue during several periods between 1966 and 2007. Cruz Azul is also returning to the stadium after wandering through venues like Estadio Azul, the Olympic University Stadium, and the Cuauhtémoc Stadium. This match marks the return of international activity to the World Cup venue, which also hosted the FIFA tournament in 1970 and 1986.
