Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Published on 11 Jun 2026
Fireworks, a spectacular show and performances by Shakira, Burna Boy and J Balvin opened the 2026 World Cup in front of more than 80,000 fans at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
On Thursday, team-mates Mexico kicked off the 48-team tournament by playing South Africa at the concrete stadium, also known as the Mexico City Stadium but also known as the Azteca.
The stadium, which hosted the World Cup in 1970 and 1986, has now become the first venue to hold the tournament three times, with Mexico taking on the United States and Canada.
Inside, fans are waving flags, singing and filming star-studded performances on their phones as the world’s showpiece returns to one of football’s most iconic venues.
Outside, protests erupted near major transport routes and fan zones, with protesters criticizing the cost of hosting the World Cup, tight security cordons around working areas and what they say is disruption to residents in the stadium’s shadow.
Police and security forces cordoned off surrounding streets and chased supporters through the streets, as Mexico City began its football month under intense scrutiny.
