Mexico City’s The Azteca Stadium is a 15-kilometer walk from the Zócalo—more or less in the center of a city of 18 million inhabitants. The drive can take 18 minutes predicted by Google Maps, but it can be over an hour if you happen to be in the middle of what my driver called “the peand of the burning city explodes.
The first feeling of seeing the Coloso de Santa úrsula – the nickname given to the stadium where both Pelé and Maradona played famous matches – is that of being in a place set between the past and the future. The entrance of the place where the boneless dinosaur appears outside hides a big job as the entire World Cup is 2026.
On March 26, 2026, the friendly match between Mexico and Portugal will serve as the pride of the dress for the June 11 World Cup celebration and the next World Cup match.
How the azteca is transformed
The icon of Mexican football is undergoing an unprecedented metamorphosis. The renovation of the Azteca Stadium, important for its status as a venue for five games, is in their critical and visible phase.
The goal is to modernize the colossus to meet the world’s most demanding standards, improve the spectator experience and the performance of the facility while preserving its historic soul.
The current situation is that the building is in full swing. The signs, completely empty and devoid of their signature colors, reveal gray concrete and scaffolding. Empty bleachers, illuminated by white lights in the construction site, are installed only by teams of technicians and engineers who work around the clock. The field, the heart of the stadium, is now a sea of dirt and mud, where heavy machinery is working to level and re-install the water system and put in an aeration area that includes natural ventilation, drainage and air injection systems.
Construction design
The stadium may be new on the inside, but the exterior retains its identifying features. The main structure of the field is only strengthened, but not changed much. However, the upgrade involves some flash. The exterior will be covered with LED BANNERS placed on simulated columns and Cross beams that will enhance the appearance of the stadium and allow for a colorful light appearance.
From the field level, the biggest change is immediately visible: The Metal and Glass Ring Ring is almost perfect and will protect some values. “We didn’t want to erase the original silhouette,” the team’s engineer explains, “but to update it with simple materials that can better withstand the weather and incorporate photovoltaic systems that are invisible to the naked eye.”
The project—by KMD arquitectos in collaboration with a lot—remodels the electricity, water, and air systems, and includes the installation of a Smart Energy energy management system. It also sets new FIFA immigration standards. While the official capacity of the Azteca is about 83,000, the reconstruction would take the place closer to 90,000 seats, although the government or FIFA has not confirmed the final number. For sure, it will change the experience a lot: Individual ergonomic seats replace many old seats, increasing the space and comfort in every round. Availability and sight lines for fans have been improved thanks to the revised bleacher structure.
