The renovation of Estadio Azteca is raising growing concerns just months before the World Cup. Statements from the stadium’s owner suggest the venue may not be fully ready in time, putting the organisation of the opening match into question.

Tight schedule and Club América owner's doubts

In recent days, Emilio Azcárraga Jean, owner of the stadium and Club América, has raised public concern with his statements about the progress of Estadio Azteca's modernization work. The renovation plan involves three phases: the first is scheduled to finish by the end of February, the second by the end of March, and the third just before the World Cup inauguration planned for June 11, 2026, when Mexico is set to face South Africa.

Despite assurances from construction firms, Azcárraga maintains distance from the timelines presented to him. The builders say yes. I'm not an expert in construction, they set deadlines, we meet every week [...] I don't think their deadlines are final, but the truth is that everything is going very well, commented the facility's owner. A key test for the venue will be its reopening at the end of March, highlighted by a friendly match between Mexico and Portugal.

© Grzegorz Kaliciak | For Estadio Azteca, this will be the third World Cup in the venue's history.

Phased renovation – what will be missing during World Cup?

The most controversial information conveyed by Azcárraga is the fact that Estadio Azteca will not be fully completed in time for the tournament. Due to logistical delays and a late start to the work, designers are forced to postpone some construction to the post-tournament period.

Azcárraga openly listed elements that will not be finalized before the referee's first whistle. Problems concern external infrastructure and structural aesthetics, among other things. Then there are things that cannot be done due to the complexity of the work, for example the parking lot we will have to do after the World Cup, there is also the issue of column lighting that was not done well, explained the entrepreneur.

He also admitted that in the past there was a lack of a permanent maintenance system for the facility, which is now being addressed with this major investment. However, the stadium vision that fans knew from scale models will require considerable imagination from visitors, as the final touches will only be applied to the building after the players depart.

© Grupo Reforma | It is uncertain whether the Estadio Azteca will be ready for the opening match of the 2026 World Cup.

Risk of FIFA sanctions

The stadium owner's candor shed new light on potential consequences from the International Football Federation. The situation was analyzed by Rubén Rodríguez on the FOX One program. According to the journalist, FIFA takes exclusive control of all World Cup arenas (in Mexico, USA and Canada) as early as May 2026. If at the time of inspection the facility does not meet rigorous safety and operational readiness requirements, the federation may take drastic steps.

In March the stadium will not be 100% ready, that's a fact. On May 3 or 4, FIFA will say: 'Give me the stadium, I'm taking control because we want to prepare everything.' If FIFA finds out that the stadium won't be ready in May, it will take away our opening match and hosting rights.

The scenario outlined by Rodríguez is pessimistic. Stripping Estadio Azteca of the right to host the tournament's inauguration would be a massive image blow to Mexico. Experts agree that the current situation is the result of a serious logistical error and the too-late start of key modernization work.