FIFA takes over Azteca Stadium, now ‘Mexico City Stadium,’ for World Cup
Soccer’s world governing body FIFA on Thursday formally received full control of Mexico City’s Banorte Stadium — better known as Azteca Stadium — only to learn that there remain logistical issues related to the arena’s box seats. With the handover, the venue has now been officially renamed Mexico City Stadium for the duration of the World Cup as FIFA prohibits corporate-sponsored names, a long-standing policy intended to prevent sponsors not affiliated with the organization from receiving exposure. Banorte Stadium management announced the administrative transfer in a social media post . “Throughout the 2026 World Cup, the stadium will be known as ‘Estadio Ciudad de México,’ as mandated by FIFA. … [T]he stadium’s operation and communications will be handled through FIFA and its official channels,” it said. The reassignment occurred two days later than originally planned as the stadium obtained special permission to delay the handover to allow Cruz Azul — one of the two Mexico ...