Just hours before the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Cup, Fifa quietly changed the capacity of every stadium in the tournament – a move that vaulted Mexico City's Azteca Stadium into the position of largest venue. The Azteca, which hosts the opening match between Mexico and South Africa on Thursday, gained an extra 3,058 seats, pushing its capacity above the New York New Jersey Stadium, the site of the final. The New York New Jersey ground also received an increase – 2,087 more seats – but it was not enough to hold the top spot.
Fourteen of the 16 stadiums selected by Fifa for this year's tournament, which is being staged across Mexico, the United States and Canada, now have larger capacities than originally listed. BC Place in Vancouver saw the biggest jump, with 3,676 additional seats. However, two venues lost seats: the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium was cut by 564 to 68,827, and Toronto Stadium dropped by 1,279 to 43,036.
“Fifa changed every World Cup stadium capacity hours before the opener; Azteca is now the biggest.”
The changes come as the Azteca, after years of extensive renovations, stands ready to welcome the opening match. The BBC's Will Grant gained access inside the iconic arena ahead of kickoff, describing it as a massive venue that has been overhauled for the tournament. The ground, long a symbol of Mexican football, now hosts the first game of a record-breaking World Cup featuring 48 nations.
England, managed by Thomas Tuchel, will begin their campaign next Wednesday against Croatia at the 70,649-capacity Dallas Stadium. For Tuchel, the tournament represents a chance to end a 60-year wait for a men's World Cup title. But footballing legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, likely making their final World Cup appearances, have other ambitions. The stage is set – with capacities rearranged and an Azteca crowd ready to roar.