Latest news with #Azteca
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Sport
- Business Standard
Azteca Stadium to feature modern amenities for FIFA World Cup 2026
A hybrid field, updated locker rooms, elevators and hospitality zones are among the new features of Azteca Stadium for the 2026 World Cup. Ollamani, the sports entertainment company that owns the stadium, also confirmed Wednesday that Azteca will reopen March 26, which will be 75 days before the start of the World Cup as Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada announced recently. The centerpiece of the stadium's renovation is the people who visit it. Our main objective is to substantially improve their experience in every way, stadium director Felix Aguirre said in a statement. The iconic venue closed last May for renovations ahead of next year's 48-team competition hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada. The 83,000-seat Azteca, which recently was renamed, will host five games including the tournament opener. It also hosted the first matches in the 1970 and 1986 World Cups. Ollamani, which is affiliated with Grupo Televisa, Mexico's largest television network, also said the stadium will have bigger capacity, but did not specify how many extra seats it will have. It will be the second time that Azteca has a hybrid pitch one was installed in 2018 but returned to natural grass a year later. The poor field conditions in November 2018 forced a last-minute change of venue for an NFL game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Rams. The pitch, being subjected to intensive use, will have a new ventilation and suction system, thereby achieving better recovery, stability and resistance, Ollamani said in a statement. The new locker rooms will be located at the center of the stadium under the luxury boxes and with a tunnel leading to the pitch. Before, they were located in the north and south part of it. The project includes new facilities in the competition areas, improving the experience of the player, fans and media in line with the most modern stadiums in the world," the company said. The plan includes installing large LED screens inside and outside the stadium. Before the renovations, the stadium had just two big screens that were installed in 2015. Ollamani did not provided specific details about elevators or escalators. In the past, the only way to move between the lower and upper sections was using an old ramp. The hospitality zones were also a necessity. The old stadium had a small concession area outside the venue, but inside there were no food courts and the fans were forced to buy from the vendors roaming the seating area. Among other renovations, the stadium owner also announced a new press box area, improved restrooms, a 200-unit CCTV surveillance system and a new sound system. Originally, a major renovation was planned including a shopping center and hotel, but residents of Santa rsula, a popular neighborhood located south of the capital, opposed them. Ollamani said that the facade and the roof will be renovated to improve the stadium appearance without losing its essence. Earlier in the year, images were released of work done on the pitch and the lower seats. The luxury boxes apparently haven't been touched because some owners refuse to release them to FIFA. The box owners recently filed a complaint with Mexico's consumer protection agency seeking clarity over use of the seating for the 2026 World Cup.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
FIFA World Cup 2026: Azteca Stadium in Mexico to feature hybrid field, modern amenities
A hybrid field, updated locker rooms, elevators and hospitality zones are among the new features of Azteca Stadium for the 2026 World Cup. Ollamani, the sports entertainment company that owns the stadium, also confirmed Wednesday (June 11, 2025) that Azteca will reopen March 26, which will be 75 days before the start of the World Cup as Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada announced recently. 'The centerpiece of the stadium's renovation is the people who visit it. Our main objective is to substantially improve their experience in every way,' stadium director Felix Aguirre said in a statement. The iconic venue closed last May for renovations ahead of next year's 48-team competition hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada. The 83,000-seat Azteca, which recently was renamed, will host five games including the tournament opener. It also hosted the first matches in the 1970 and 1986 World Cups. Ollamani, which is affiliated with Grupo Televisa, Mexico's largest television network, also said the stadium will have bigger capacity, but did not specify how many extra seats it will have. It will be the second time that Azteca has a hybrid pitch — one was installed in 2018 but returned to natural grass a year later. The poor field conditions in November 2018 forced a last-minute change of venue for an NFL game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Rams. 'The pitch, being subjected to intensive use, will have a new ventilation and suction system, thereby achieving better recovery, stability and resistance,' Ollamani said in a statement. The new locker rooms will be located at the center of the stadium under the luxury boxes and with a tunnel leading to the pitch. Before, they were located in the north and south part of it. 'The project includes new facilities in the competition areas, improving the experience of the player, fans and media in line with the most modern stadiums in the world," the company said. The plan includes installing large LED screens inside and outside the stadium. Before the renovations, the stadium had just two big screens that were installed in 2015. Ollamani did not provided specific details about elevators or escalators. In the past, the only way to move between the lower and upper sections was using an old ramp. The hospitality zones were also a necessity. The old stadium had a small concession area outside the venue, but inside there were no food courts and the fans were forced to buy from the vendors roaming the seating area. Among other renovations, the stadium owner also announced a new press box area, improved restrooms, a 200-unit CCTV surveillance system and a new sound system. Originally, a major renovation was planned including a shopping center and hotel, but residents of Santa Úrsula, a popular neighborhood located south of the capital, opposed them. Ollamani said that the facade and the roof will be renovated 'to improve the stadium appearance without losing its essence.' Earlier in the year, images were released of work done on the pitch and the lower seats. The luxury boxes apparently haven't been touched because some owners refuse to release them to FIFA. The box owners recently filed a complaint with Mexico's consumer protection agency seeking clarity over use of the seating for the 2026 World Cup.
The Sun
06-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Azteca Stadium Renovation for 2026 World Cup Underway
MEXICO CITY: Decades after hosting victories by Pele's Brazil and Diego Maradona's Argentina, Mexico City's legendary Azteca Stadium is undergoing a major revamp as it prepares to feature in an unprecedented third World Cup. Mexico's previous World Cups are widely regarded as two of the best ever, evoking the magic of Pele and the 1970 Brazil team and the genius of Maradona in the 1986 tournament won by Argentina. But the Azteca's glory has since faded, leaving the six-decade-old stadium in need of an overhaul before the 2026 World Cup, which Mexico will co-host with the United States and Canada. Construction has progressed 'considerably,' according to officials at the stadium, which will be the venue for five World Cup matches including the opening clash on June 11. With much of the renovation kept under wraps, even the man who oversaw the original construction of what he calls 'an icon of Mexican architecture and engineering' is unsure what to expect. 'I have no idea what it's going to look like, but I hope it turns out very well,' architect Luis Martinez del Campo told AFP. 'One flaw' For the 2026 World Cup, FIFA required more comfortable seating, Wi-Fi for spectators, and hybrid turf made from a combination of natural grass and synthetic fibers. The capacity will increase from 83,264 to 90,000. A major improvement will be a new players' tunnel. 'The stadium only has one flaw that we knew about since we were designing it,' said Martinez del Campo, now 90. Due to the location of a water drain, players previously arrived from the locker rooms through a tunnel behind the goal. Next year, they will burst into view at the side of the pitch. In February, the stadium's owner, Grupo Ollamani, revealed that investment in remodelling the venue had reached nearly $80 million. The next month, Ollamani said that it had agreed to rename the stadium after the Banorte bank in return for more than $100 million to continue the renovation. The sponsorship deal means the venue will be called Banorte Stadium for 12 years, to the dismay of fans. Martinez del Campo believes that while the Azteca Stadium name is 'timeless,' anyone who invests a lot of money in the venue 'deserves to have their name on it.' Since FIFA does not allow commercial names on stadiums during championships, it will be called Mexico City Stadium during the World Cup. VIP box row Controversy also surrounds the luxury boxes and seats that people bought to finance the stadium's construction, giving them the right to attend all the events there for 99 years after its inauguration in 1966. During the 1970 and 1986 World Cups, box and seat owners were allowed to attend matches, but FIFA wants to have access to all the seats by 2026. An association of box and seat owners is negotiating with stadium officials to defend its rights. The Azteca Stadium has hosted a record 19 World Cup matches, which will increase to 24 next year, including a third opening match. In the northern city of Monterrey, the remodeling continues at the BBVA Stadium, which will host four matches. The revamp required three major improvements, Alberto Molina, director of operations for local team C.F. Monterrey, told AFP. The pitch will also have a hybrid turf that workers aim to lay by next month, Molina said. The overhaul, which also includes remodeling the VIP boxes and expanding the press area, is on track to be completed this year, Molina said. At the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, which will also host four matches, a revamp involves new lighting and sound systems, high-speed Wi-Fi and hybrid turf. The city, located in one of Mexico's most crime-plagued states, will deploy several thousand police officers to provide security during the World Cup.
The Sun
06-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Mexico's iconic Azteca Stadium revamped for third World Cup
MEXICO CITY: Decades after hosting victories by Pele's Brazil and Diego Maradona's Argentina, Mexico City's legendary Azteca Stadium is undergoing a major revamp as it prepares to feature in an unprecedented third World Cup. Mexico's previous World Cups are widely regarded as two of the best ever, evoking the magic of Pele and the 1970 Brazil team and the genius of Maradona in the 1986 tournament won by Argentina. But the Azteca's glory has since faded, leaving the six-decade-old stadium in need of an overhaul before the 2026 World Cup, which Mexico will co-host with the United States and Canada. Construction has progressed 'considerably,' according to officials at the stadium, which will be the venue for five World Cup matches including the opening clash on June 11. With much of the renovation kept under wraps, even the man who oversaw the original construction of what he calls 'an icon of Mexican architecture and engineering' is unsure what to expect. 'I have no idea what it's going to look like, but I hope it turns out very well,' architect Luis Martinez del Campo told AFP. ' One flaw' For the 2026 World Cup, FIFA required more comfortable seating, Wi-Fi for spectators, and hybrid turf made from a combination of natural grass and synthetic fibers. The capacity will increase from 83,264 to 90,000. A major improvement will be a new players' tunnel. 'The stadium only has one flaw that we knew about since we were designing it,' said Martinez del Campo, now 90. Due to the location of a water drain, players previously arrived from the locker rooms through a tunnel behind the goal. Next year, they will burst into view at the side of the pitch. In February, the stadium's owner, Grupo Ollamani, revealed that investment in remodelling the venue had reached nearly $80 million. The next month, Ollamani said that it had agreed to rename the stadium after the Banorte bank in return for more than $100 million to continue the renovation. The sponsorship deal means the venue will be called Banorte Stadium for 12 years, to the dismay of fans. Martinez del Campo believes that while the Azteca Stadium name is 'timeless,' anyone who invests a lot of money in the venue 'deserves to have their name on it.' Since FIFA does not allow commercial names on stadiums during championships, it will be called Mexico City Stadium during the World Cup. VIP box row Controversy also surrounds the luxury boxes and seats that people bought to finance the stadium's construction, giving them the right to attend all the events there for 99 years after its inauguration in 1966. During the 1970 and 1986 World Cups, box and seat owners were allowed to attend matches, but FIFA wants to have access to all the seats by 2026. An association of box and seat owners is negotiating with stadium officials to defend its rights. The Azteca Stadium has hosted a record 19 World Cup matches, which will increase to 24 next year, including a third opening match. In the northern city of Monterrey, the remodeling continues at the BBVA Stadium, which will host four matches. The revamp required three major improvements, Alberto Molina, director of operations for local team C.F. Monterrey, told AFP. The pitch will also have a hybrid turf that workers aim to lay by next month, Molina said. The overhaul, which also includes remodeling the VIP boxes and expanding the press area, is on track to be completed this year, Molina said. At the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, which will also host four matches, a revamp involves new lighting and sound systems, high-speed Wi-Fi and hybrid turf. The city, located in one of Mexico's most crime-plagued states, will deploy several thousand police officers to provide security during the World Cup.
Boston Globe
12-03-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
International labor union says FIFA blocking access to Azteca Stadium for inspection
The Azteca has been temporarily closed for renovations since May 2024 and stadium owner Emilio Azcarraga Jean recently said the plan is to reopen sometime this year. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Azcarraga Jean hasn't fully disclosed what modifications will be made to the Azteca for Advertisement The stadium, which opened in 1966, will host five games at the tournament and will become the first to host three World Cup opening matches. It also hosted the tournament openers of the 1970 and the 1986 World Cups. 'Building on past cooperation with FIFA, an agreement for joint inspections in Mexico, U.S. and Canada was negotiated, but FIFA pulled out before signing, blocking independent oversight at dangerous construction sites,' the BWI said in a statement. The Azteca Stadium director, Felix Aguirre, did not immediately respond to a request for an interview. A FIFA spokesperson told The Guardian that the stadium's renovation 'is not managed by FIFA' but that the the governing body 'strives to respect and promote the highest international labor standards and seeks to ensure that the rights of workers in the various activities directly related to its operations are upheld.' FIFA added that in cooperation with the Azteca Stadium, it is 'actively engaging with stakeholders and monitoring the conditions offered to the workers.' BWI claims to have inspected working conditions for the past four men's World Cups, as well as the past three summer Olympics. Advertisement According to the BWI, only 7 percent of the construction workers in Mexico belong to a union, making them vulnerable to poor conditions and wages. '
