To say that Mexico is a nation that’s keen on soccer would be something of an understatement. All around the country, there are fanatical followers of their local teams, not to mention very keen participants in football betting for their favorites. And when the national team, or El Tri as they’re popularly called, are in action everything all but grinds to a standstill.
Legend has it that the game was introduced by immigrant miners for the English county of Cornwall in the mid to late 19th century. It was this group that started the first-ever team in 1901 called F.C. Pachuca and the club still thrives today.
Mexico also has the stadiums that you’d expect from a country that has taken the beautiful game to its heart so fervently, and here are ten of the biggest and best of them.
- Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
With a capacity of 87,523, the massive stadium in Mexico City is as impressive as anything the ancient Aztecs managed to build. It will also be retaking its place on the soccer world stage in 2026 when it will be the second-largest stadium used for the FIFA World Cup. It’s also where Diego Maradona scored his legendary “hand of God” goal against England in the 1986 tournament.
(Estadio Azteca | Mexico 1970 & 1986 | FIFA World Cup)
- Estadio Olímpico Universitario, Mexico City
With a capacity of 72,000, this is the second largest stadium in the capital, and the country, and is the home ground for Pumas. Originally built back in 1952 it is as famous for its murals created by the artist Diego Rivera as it is for the action it has seen. It’s served many different purposes over the years including hosting the stadium events for the 1968 Olympic Games.
- Estadio Jalisco, Guadalajara
With room for 55,000 spectators, this is another of the country’s bigger stadiums and has also seen plenty of World Cup action in both 1970 and 1986. In the domestic season, it’s home to two different clubs who tend to play on alternate weeks – the Liga MX side Atlas and one from the lower Liga de Expansión MX, Club Universidad de Guadalajara.
- Estadio Chivas, Guadalajara
This is one of the newer stadiums in the country having hosted its very first game in 2004. It’s the home of the Club Deportivo Guadalajara and has been carefully designed to merge with the surrounding landscape. The effect, as you approach, is to give the impression of a huge UFO that’s landed on a grass-covered hill.
- Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe
An even more modern sight awaits you in Guadalupe in the Monterrey region of Mexico. The 51,000-seater was opened in 2015 and instantly earned the nickname “El Gigante de Acero”, or Steel Giant thanks to the principal material used in its construction. It’s also the most expensive stadium ever built in Mexico at $200 million.
- Estadio Cuauhtémoc, Puebla
The home ground for Club Puebla also holds 51,000 and first opened in 1968, just in time for the 1970 World Cup. A major financial contribution towards its construction was made by the Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma brewery, hence the name of the stadium. Major improvements were made in 2015 including the installation of plastic walls, said to create a very unusual atmosphere in the ground.
- Estadio Akron, Zapopan
The stadium had a long and much-interrupted construction process thanks to problems raising the money to complete it. But it was eventually able to welcome teams in 2010 when one of the first matches played was between home team CD Guadalajara and a touring Manchester United. Guadalajara won 3-2.
- Estadio Corregidora, Querétaro City
Located near the center of the country, this is where the Liga MX team Querétaro FC plays their home games. With a capacity of 33,162, it also serves as a major concert venue during the closed season and has hosted shows by artists ranging from Rod Stewart to Shakira.
- Estadio Corona, Torréon
Slightly smaller is the Estadio Corona which holds only 30,000 spectators. Club Santos Laguna has played there ever since 2010 – and is said to benefit from the very best grass pitch in the whole of Mexico.
- Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes, Mexico City
We return to the capital for the last in our list, the 33,00 seater and home to Atalante FC. It was previously the ground of Cruz Azul until they decamped to the Azteca in 2018. Most remarkably, there were plans to demolish the stadium in 2016 and again in 2018. But it continues to stand today.
So, there you have them. Ten of the biggest and best stadiums in the country. If you’re visiting when there’s a match on, try to get a ticket. Or, failing that, why not take one of the various stadium tours on offer to try to get a sense of the atmosphere?
