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Where to Eat, Play, and Stay in Mexico City for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
If there's one iconic place to catch the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it's Mexico City's Estadio Azteca.
On June 11, 2026, soccer fans from around the world will throw a massive party in Mexico City. On that day, the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at Estadio Banorte, historically known as Estadio Azteca, marking the third time the iconic stadium has hosted a World Cup opener in the soccer-crazed city’s Huipulco neighborhood.
The event couldn’t come at a more exciting time for Mexico City and the venue. Renovations to modernize the stadium will have just wrapped up. The event marks the third time the stadium has opened the World Cup, which the country hosted in 1970 and 1986. Mexico’s national team will play on opening night — and you can bet on it being a rowdy time to be in the Mexican capital. Traveling to CDMX for the World Cup will be unforgettable. Here’s how to plan your trip.
What to know about visiting Mexico City for the 2026 World Cup
Photo: evgenii mitroshin /Shutterstock
Like most major international capitals, Mexico City is made up of a collection of distinctive and diverse neighborhoods. Tourists generally stay in the heart of the city, in neighborhoods like La Condesa, Roma Norte and Roma Sur, Juárez, and Polanco. Farther south and closer to the stadium, Coyoacán is a historic neighborhood home to boutique hotels, a thriving market, and the iconic Frida Kahlo House Museum.
While it’s tempting to stay as close as possible to the games, the immediate area around the stadium is mostly residential, with limited hotel options and nightlife. It’s far better to stay in a well-connected neighborhood and travel to the stadium via light rail (Tren Ligero), Uber, or authorized fan shuttles. Avoid renting a car — driving here is a nightmare, and parking anywhere near the FIFA Fan Festival or stadium will be even worse.
Instead, stay and party near the designated fan zone. The official FIFA Fan Festival is expected to take place at Zócalo Square, and there will also be 16 smaller fan zones (one in each district of the city).
If you head to a match at Estadio Azteca, plan to arrive early. The stadium will be surrounded by fans and vendors selling food, drinks, souvenirs, and just about anything else you can imagine. Buying food and drink is cheaper outside than inside. Bring cash, and if you buy from the vendors selling seat-to-seat inside, give them 20 pesos as a tip.
The best neighborhoods to eat, play, and stay in Mexico City for the 2026 World Cup: La Condesa, Hipódromo, Roma Norte, Roma Sur, and Juarez
Photo: Santiago Castillo Chomel /Shutterstock
- Distance from stadium: 40 minutes by car with no traffic, one hour 20 minutes by train
The neighborhoods of La Condesa, Hipódromo, and both Roma Norte and Roma Sur consist of tree-lined boulevards, historic apartment flats, and iconic commercial boulevards with a strong cafe culture. Here, tables spill onto the sidewalks as diners and revelers patronize the coffeehouses, restaurants, and pubs along Avenida Tamaulipas and Avenida Durango, and around Parque México. The area is popular with expats and travelers, and is home to many hotels and Airbnbs.
Take a soccer-focused tour
Mexico City is full of die-hard soccer fans. Show up when league play is happening in Mexico and you can join an experience such as the “Best Futbol Matchday Experience,” which includes pick-up in Condesa, Polanco, or Roma; pre-gaming over tacos and beers; and a game.
What’s on offer during the World Cup may vary — keep an eye out for reliable Airbnb Experiences during your stay for tours that take you beyond the game itself.
Price: From $153 per person
Parque México
Photo: Wirestock Creators /Shutterstock
Watch parties tend to pop up in Parque México during major events, the World Cup included. Even if you plan to head to a pub or to the stadium itself, the park is a good meeting place for people staying in the central part of the city. It’s also often the best way to keep tabs on what’s going on elsewhere.
Parque México: Av. México s/n, Hipódromo
The Dog House Pub
Photo courtesy Dog House Pub
If watching matches in a park isn’t your jam, head to The Dog House Pub in Juárez, a Brit-owned soccer bar. The place pulsates on match days and will be a central hub for the World Cup, especially when European teams are playing. Walls are lined with massive TVs and soccer memorabilia.
The Dog House Pub: Sinaloa 61, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700
Where to stay in La Condesa, Juárez, and Roma
We hope you love the spaces we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay.
Andaz Mexico City Condesa
A hotel that serves a high-class buffet breakfast on its rooftop patio is always welcome, but especially after a late night celebrating a World Cup match. Andaz, a Hyatt subsidiary, is a comfortable hotel in a walkable location just south of Parque México. Rooms are contemporary with design elements that reflect the building’s mid-century modern aesthetic. The rooftop pool offers a spectacular view.
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Volga
Just off Av. Paseo de la Reforma In Juárez, Volga is one of the most unique hotels in Mexico City. Each room overlooks a central interior lounge, with a rooftop “swimming channel” and bar that overlooks the city. Its restaurant, Elora, blends Mediterranean and Mexican flavors and highlights the hotel’s incredible cocktail program.
Check out Matador’s full review of Volga
Where to eat, play, and stay in Coyoacán for the 2026 World Cup
Photo: Santiago Castillo Chomel /Shutterstock
Distance from stadium: 25 minutes by car
If you plan to mix soccer with cultural history, stay and play in Coyoacán. The neighborhood sits roughly midway between the city center and Estadio Azteca, and it has a vibrant local soccer culture of its own. Pumas UNAM, one of three pro teams in CDMX, plays its home matches here at Estadio Olímpico Universitario. A mural by iconic artist Diego Rivera is featured on-site, and the surrounding Ciudad Universitaria, UNAM campus swells with fans on match days.
Sports and Chips Coyoacán
Every soccer-obsessed neighborhood needs a good sports bar, and in Coyoacán that bar is Sports and Chips Coyoacán. The local crowd hangs here alongside visiting fans, and all enjoy tapas plates and an endless flow of beers. Games are broadcast on the jumbotron-style screen in the center of the room.
Sports and Chips Coyoacán: Avenida Miguel Ángel de Quevedo, San Andrés 1144, Coyoacán, 04040
Where to stay in Coyoacán
First-floor loft with private patio
This first-floor loft in Mexico City is perfect for soccer fans who want to partake in a walking tour, with easy access to the market and surrounding murals. Its also only a quick rideshare to the UNAS stadium. Featuring a private patio, the space provides an inviting outdoor area to relax. The interior boasts contemporary design elements, including a fully equipped kitchen, high-speed Wi-Fi, and enough living space to chill between matches.
Three guests, one bedroom
Price: From $100 per night
Beautiful apartment with nice terrace
A patio is a necessity in Mexico, and this apartment offers a private one that is a good place to pregame before heading to the pub or the stadium. From here, you can walk or head to the transit station to get around, or call a rideshare to pick you up right out front. The bedroom opens right onto the patio, making this a great spot for couples.
Two guests, one bedroom
Price: From $100 per night
Where to eat, play, and stay in Polanco for the 2026 World Cup
Photo: Marcelo Rodriguez/Shutterstock
For the easiest access to Bosque Chapultepec, commonly called Chapultepec Park, Polanco is the place to be. This upscale neighborhood is the place for high-end dining and shopping (the iconic restaurant Pujol is located here) and the area has a distinctly international vibe. It’s possible to rent Airbnbs atop high-rise luxury apartment flats to enjoy both the atmosphere of Polanco as well as expansive views of the CDMX skyline. Importantly, there are plenty of soccer bars within walking distance.
La Cervecería de Barrio Polanco
La Cerverceria de Barrio is a chain with locations throughout the center city, and its Polanco outpost is particularly great for watching matches. The bar fills up and tends to git a bit rowdy, depending on who’s playing. The spot is especially popular when Mexican, American, and European teams play, with flowing beers turning the space into a festive hub of energy.
Cerveceria de Barrio: Euler 145, Polanco, Polanco V Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11560
Sylvestre
The players, coaches, and directors of the World Cup teams have to eat too. Your odds of seeing soccer royalty are pretty high at Sylvestre, a high-end steakhouse that tends to draw a celebrity crowd. Make a reservation as late as possible and you never know who you’ll run into at the bar.
Sylvestre: Anatole France 74, Polanco
Where to stay in Polanco
Historic Polanco loft
This historic Polanco loft blends vintage charm and modern comfort. The space features high ceilings, exposed brick walls, and large windows that flood the interior with natural light, creating an inviting atmosphere. It’s equipped with contemporary amenities, including a fully stocked kitchen and high-speed Wi-Fi, and is within walking distance to the heart of the neighborhood. To get to the FIFA Fan Festival you can walk, bike, or book a rideshare.
Two guests, one bedroom
Price: From $200 per night
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Elegant, spacious, and comfortable Polanco loft
Views of the city abound from this large flat high above street level. Polanco is all about stylish living, and this spot embodies that through an open floor plan with a cozy courtyard, onsite laundry, and a classic taco shop right up the road. This rental is affordable and great for groups and families.
Eight guests, three bedrooms
Price: From $200 per night
