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Saint Petersburg, FL
The FIFA World Cup 2026 begins on Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Mexico City at the iconic Estadio Azteca, with the host nation Mexico facing South Africa in the opening match, reenacting their famous 2010 World Cup opener.
The global meet will take place in 16 cities across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, including Vancouver, Toronto, Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle. However the title decider of the marquee completion will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Today will have a look at the venue for the opening match of the forthcoming global tournament, named-Estadio Azteca officially known as Estadio Banorte which is located in Coyoacán, Mexico City. It is the official home of football team as well as the Mexico national team.
The stadium sits at an altitude of 2,200 m [7,200 feet] above sea level having the capacity of 87,523, it is the largest stadium in Latin America and and the eighth largest association football stadium in the world.
Regarded as one of the most famous and iconic football stadiums in the globe it is the first to have hosted two FIFA World Cup Finals that include the 1970 World Cup Final where Brazil defeated Italy 4-1 followed by the 1986 World Cup final where Argentina beaten West Germany 3–2. It also hosted the 1986 quarter-final match between Argentina and England, where Diego Maradona scored both the “Hand of God” goal and the “Goal of the Century.”
The Estadio Azteca is the only football stadium in the world to have both Pele [1970] and Maradona [1986] win the FIFA World Cup, both of whom are considered among the greatest football players of all time. The famed venue also hosted the “Game of the Century” when Italy defeated West Germany 4–3 in extra time in one of the 1970 semifinal matches.
The stadium was also the main venue for the football-tournament of the 1968 Summer Olympics and the 1971 Women’s World Cup.
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