Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium is a 15-kilometer journey from the Zócalo—more or less the center of the metropolis of 18 million inhabitants. The drive can take the 18 minutes predicted by Google Maps, but it can easily exceed an hour if you happen to be in the middle of what my driver calls “the peak,” the time when the city’s perpetual swarm of cars swells to bursting.
The first feeling on seeing the Coloso de Santa Úrsula— the nickname given to the stadium where both Pelé and Maradona played legendary games—is that of being in a place suspended between past and future. The venue’s seemingly immobile dinosaur skeleton exterior hides a vast work in progress as the whole stadium is being modernized for 2026 World Cup.
On March 26, 2026, a friendly match between Mexico and Portugal will serve as a dress rehearsal for the June 11 inaugural ceremony and subsequent first World Cup match.
How the Azteca Is Transformed
Azteca Stadium as it looks today with work in progress.
Foto: Gabriele Nava
The icon of Mexican soccer is undergoing an unprecedented metamorphosis. Renovations to Azteca Stadium, essential to its status as a designated venue for five matches, are in their most critical and visible phase.
The goal is to modernize the Colossus to meet the most demanding international standards, improving the spectator experience and the functionality of the facility while maintaining its historic soul.
The current state is that of a construction site in full swing. The stands, completely empty and devoid of their signature signs and colors, reveal the gray of concrete and scaffolding. The empty bleachers, lit by the white lights of a construction site, are enlivened only by teams of technicians and engineers working day and night. The field, the heart of the stadium, is now a sea of dirt and mud, where heavy machinery works to level and reinstall the drainage system and put in the 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 only reinforced while keeping its iconic shape intact.
Foto: Gruppo Reforma
The Architectural Design
The stadium may be new inside, but the outside is keeping its identifying features. The main structure of the stadium has only been strengthened, but not significantly altered. However, the upgrades do include some flash. The exterior will be embellished with LED banners mounted on the characteristic columns and cross beams that will enhance the appearance of the stadium and allow for colorful choreographed light shows.
From the field level, the biggest change is immediately noticeable: The new metal and glass ring roof is almost complete and will protect much of the stands. “We didn’t want to erase the original silhouette,” a team engineer explains, “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 Populous—completely renovates the electrical, water, and ventilation systems, and includes the installation of a smart energy management system. It also introduces new FIFA evacuation standards. While the official capacity of the Azteca is about 83,000, the renovations would take the facility closer to 90,000 seats, although neither the government nor FIFA has confirmed the final number. For sure, it will radically change the experience: individual ergonomic seats replace many of the old seats, increasing space and comfort for every spectator. Accessibility and sight lines for fans have been optimized thanks to a revised bleacher layout.
