England’s route to the World Cup final runs through the hallowed turf of Estadio Azteca.
The only venue ever to host three World Cups, it underwent a $150million redevelopment to be ready for the tournament.
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Mexico’s reward for dominating Group A was to stay on home soil for the first two knockout rounds.
That is a massive advantage and their next opponents, the Three Lions, were far from convincing in edging past DR Congo.
El Tri have only lost two competitive games at the iconic venue and are unbeaten in 10 World Cup matches there.
The stadium sits 7,220ft (2,240m) above sea level – a nightmare for opponents not used to playing at altitude.
England’s highest pro stadium is The Hawthorns at 551ft (168m).
At altitude, barometric pressure is lower, which means thinner air and less oxygen taken into the bloodstream.
Increased heart rate, shortness of breath, dehydration, and fatigue are all potential drawbacks.
England have played at the stadium – an infamous quarter-final defeat by Argentina at the 1986 World Cup at the hand of Diego Maradona.
Mexico have played 14 times at the Azteca so far in the 2020s, scoring 23 goals and conceding only four.
“As an opponent, you know when you go there, you are going to suffer,” former Mexico captain Pavel Pardo told the BBC.
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This is El Tri’s last chance to make home advantage count with the winner setting up a quarter-final clash with Brazil or Norway at Miami Gardens.
Why iconic Estadio Azteca changed its name twice
The venue’s name was changed to Banorte in order to help fund the final stages of remodelling.
They received a loan of 2.1 billion pesos ($105million) from Banorte, a major bank in Mexico that will be repaid over the next 12 years.
The deal between the bank and Ollamani, the owners of the stadium, allows Banorte to have naming rights, as well as other promotions such as advertisements, signage and products in the venue.
The name change marked the second time in the venue’s 58-year existence that this has happened.
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It was briefly called the Estadio Guillermo Canedo in 1997, before being named the Azteca.
With the handover done, the venue has now been officially renamed again to Mexico City Stadium, or ‘Estadio Ciudad de Mexico,’.
This name change comes as FIFA prohibits corporate-sponsored names, a long standing policy with the aim to prevent sponsors not affiliated with the organization from receiving exposure.
Banorte Stadium management announced the administrative transfer in a social media post.
“Throughout the 2026 World Cup, the stadium will be known as ‘Estadio Ciudad de Mexico’ as mandated by FIFA,” the statement read.
“The stadium’s operation and communications will be handled through FIFA and its official channels.”
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The administrative handover was actually delayed by two days, with the stadium receiving special permission from FIFA so Cruz Azul could host a Liga MX playoff match against Pumas UNAM.
Banorte celebrated the stadium’s nearly two-year renovation project in a separate social media post, but FIFA got to work straight away.
They draped a banner over the Banorte Stadium lettering above the turnstiles on both sides of the stadium.
Internally, in addition to bringing seating capacity up to 87,500, the upgrades include new hybrid turf, a sound system with 250 speakers, LED video screens, upgraded locker rooms, VIP hospitality zones and 200 security cameras.
This transformation comes just as the iconic venue turns 60 years old (inaugurated May 29, 1966).
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Did the Estadio Azteca host World Cup games in 1986
With the upcoming event, it will officially become the first stadium in football history to host three different FIFA World Cups (1970, 1986, and 2026).
In 1970, on the grounds at the Azteca, FIFA’s ‘Game of the Century’ took place – a semi-final during which Italy defeated West Germany, with five out of seven goals scored during extra time.
That tournament saw Brazilian icon Pele win his third World Cup, which remains an unmatched individual record.
In 1986, it became the pitch where Diego Maradona scored both the infamous ‘Hand of God’ and the ‘Goal of the Century’ against England.
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