In the world of football, only a handful of stadiums have reached mythical status. The Maracana, Wembley or La Bombonera are all recognized internationally as hallowed turf for fans. However, none of those come even close to México’s Estadio Azteca when it comes to World Cup history.
On June 11, when the ball rolls for the first time in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it’ll set the record as the only ground to host the tournament’s opening game for a third time: 1970, 1986 and 2026.
Having recently celebrated its 60th birthday, let’s take a look at how the Estadio Azteca — literally, Aztec Stadium — came to be, how it got its iconic name and how it’s evolved through the ages.
The most famous stadium in all of México is the brainchild of two men, Emilio Azcárraga Milmo and Guillermo Cañedo.
Azcárraga, son of Televisa media network founder Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta, was a businessman who bought Club América in 1959.