Introduction
Mexico City is the capital of a football-mad country. While few people will take a flight to Mexico just to see the football, many will find themselves in the capital as part of a longer holiday to the country, and while you’re there, seeing some football and tasting the Latin atmosphere should definitely be on your list.
It is likely that after only a few hours of walking through the city, you can already recognise the different football jerseys, though few will be able to match them to a specific club. There is the yellow of Club América, the blue with the red cross of Cruz Azul, the panther’s head of Pumas de la UNAM, and the white and red stripes of Chivas. Chivas are not from the city though, they are from northern Guadalajara, but count as the country’s most popular team and have ample support in the capital.
Chivas and the three clubs from the capital form the so-called “Big four” and play the clásicos amongst them. Two more clubs used to have the capital as their base, Necaxa and Atlante, but a lack of support drove them away to try their luck elsewhere.
Those spending more than a few days in the city and who fancy less-known stadiums, can make a trip to either Pachuca, Puebla, or Toluca. These are all a one to two-hour bus journey away, and can therefore easily be visited on a day trip. They all have something different to offer.
All the clubs mentioned thus far currently play in the Liga MX, Mexico’s highest division, but as most matches kick off at different hours during the weekend, one could easily catch two matches a weekend.
The Liga MX has few mid-week fixtures, perhaps one or two per (half-)season, but with a bit of luck there is a Libertadores or Concacaf Champions League match during the week. The national team also regularly plays mid-week.
There is one more team from Mexico City, or actually from the Nezahualcóyotl suburb, named Neza, who play in the second division. They play at one of the 1986 World Cup stadiums, Estadio Neza 86, but it is located in a rather dodgy area and is best to be avoided.
The clubs
Club América, Pumas de la UNAM, Cruz Azul, Puebla FC, Pachuca CF, and Deportivo Toluca FC
The city
Mexico City is a stop that lies on the itinerary of most tourists that visit Mexico on more than just a beach holiday. Even if this is only because most flights arrive at the capital, most will be spending one or two days in and around the city as there is much on offer.
Like most Latin cities, it is a city of contrasts. There is the old chaotic historic centre that is full of monuments and street salesmen, there are the upscale nightlife areas packed with fancy bars, there are the artistic areas where Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo were home to, and there are the endless neighbourhood that house the 20 million inhabitants, from rich to middle class and poor, and most filled with their own selection of shops, bars, and restaurants.
While the city counts as one of the biggest in the world, most visitors will find themselves only in a select few areas that can be easily navigated by metro.
The historic centre is full of life during the day when shops open and the streets fill with vendors and people looking for bargains. It has been heavily renovated in recent years and boasts a good selection of bars and restaurants, though it quietens down significantly after sunset. Your main reference points are the principal Zócalo square, the Palacio de Bellas Artes and adjacent Torre Latino Americano, and the Francisco Madero pedestrian street which runs between the two.
The other main reference point is Reforma Avenue, which runs from the western edge of the historic centre down to the business and nightlife area of the Zona Rosa, and further down to the more fancy nightlife area of Condesa. Reforma Avenue finally touches Chapultepec Park and the upscale Polanco area a little further south-west.
Somewhere halfway it crosses Insurgentes Avenue, one of Mexico’s other principal avenues, which runs further south to the UNAM university and is lined with bars, restaurants, and office buildings.
The city of Puebla is a tourist destination in itself, and if you therefore wish to combine a match with tourist activities, Puebla is your destination. It has a lovely historic centre that counts amongst the nicest of Mexico.
Pachuca and Toluca, on the other hand, offer very little. Toluca is the industrial capital of Mexico, while Pachuca is a small rather anonymous city, and you will likely just travel there to see the match. If you have a car, there is some nature in the surroundings that may be worth a visit though.
The stadiums
There is one stadium in Mexico that every football fan can mention: Estadio Azteca. It is one of the largest proper football stadiums in the world, and immensely impressive.
Estadio Azteca is the home of Club América, together with Chivas the most popular club of Mexico. Club América tend to play their home matches on Sundays, often late in the afternoon, but exceptions in the schedule are rife.
Despite being Mexico’s most popular club, América hardly ever fills the complete stadium. In fact, it often does not sell half of all seats and the atmosphere can therefore be a little desolate. This changes for the two local derbies, important playoff matches, and of course the Súperclasico versus Chivas.
The Mexican national team, on the other hand, does tend to fill up the stadium nicely. Even for a completely uninteresting match versus the likes of Guyana, one should not be surprised to see 60 to 80,000 people showing up.
Cruz Azul and Pumas de la UNAM have the same problem as América in the sense that the typical home match often attracts rather poor crowds.
This is probably the least of a problem for Pumas as most home fans pack together on both long sides, leaving the rest of the stadium empty. Even the more vocal fans have found a spot on the main stand, whereas one can usually find these behind the goals.
Pumas de la UNAM are the team of the UNAM university, the largest of Mexico. Their support, however, is larger than just students and alumni. Their crowds are definitely a bit more upper-middle class than those of the other teams though.
Pumas play at Estadio Universitario Olímpico, another massive stadium with more than 60,000 seats. It was used as the principal venue of the 1968 Olympics and therefore has the shape of a bowl, a running track, and everything else you expect from an Olympic stadium.
Pumas tend to play their home matches on Sunday morning at 12:00 noon, and many fans initially do look like they have just stepped out of the shower (though beers start flowing quickly).
The last team from the city is Cruz Azul. The team has been a consistent force in the last decade, but has failed to win a league championship in the last 15 years. And that while Mexico has two champions a year.
Cruz Azul plays at Estadio Azul, a large bowl-shaped uncovered stadium. The stands are rather close to the pitch though, and it has quite a cosy feel when a decent crowd shows up. It is therefore best to visit Estadio Azul for a high-profile match, or make sure to sit close to the home support behind the goal at the northern end. Cruz Azul tend to play their home matches on Saturday afternoon around 4:00 pm.
As both Estadio Azul and Estadio Olímpico are largely uncovered, make sure to bring a cap and sun lotion on a sunny day, or buy a plastic poncho on a rainy day (but rest assured they will be sold in the stadium as soon as it starts raining). If you don’t, you will likely get heavily sunburnt or soaking wet.
While some Mexicans may tell you that visiting a football match in Mexico can be dangerous, this is definitely not the case. Especially in the general sections on the long sides, people are generally very friendly, and fans supporting both the home and away team will peacefully sit together (this becomes particularly clear during the derbies).
As Mexico City has a lot of immigration from the other states, there tends to be quite a sizeable away support from people mostly living in the city.
The atmosphere is typical for those of matches in Latin-American countries, with a salsa band tirelessly playing along and the home crowd joining in enthusiastically or timidly depending on the excitement of the match. The good thing is that there is always noise, the bad thing that this noise gets rather tedious when one song gets repeated for 20 minutes.
Again, like all Latin-American stadiums, there are many food vendors walking up and down the stands. No need to get up from your seat, just wave, order, and pay. Beers and soft drinks are always available, as are Domino’s pizza, crisps, ice-cream, and other easy food.
Puebla plays at Estadio Cuauhtemoc, quite an impressive stadium with its two high “rampas” on both long sides. Puebla are typically one of the weaker teams in the league, but the stadium fills up nicely nonetheless. They tend to play their home matches on Sunday 12:00 noon, which requires an early rise if coming from Mexico City, but leaves the rest of the day open for sightseeing.
Pachuca plays at Estadio Hidalgo, somewhat of an odd stadium as it is part of a massive concrete mount that also includes the parking lot. Estadio Hidalgo is one of Mexico’s most modern stadiums, has excellent facilities, and would not look bad in any of Europe’s major leagues.
Pachuca tend to play their home matches on Saturday evening, usually at 7:00 pm, but there are still buses that can bring you back to the capital after the match.
Pachuca has celebrated several championships in recent seasons, has very decent attendances, and fills the stadium really well. As most seats are free seating, don’t arrive too late if you want a good covered seat. The atmosphere is very friendly and the stands seem packed with families and groups of children and teenagers. It lacks a large section of fanatical support though.
This fanatical support, on the other hand, is very much there in Toluca. Estadio Nemesio Diez is somewhat outdated, but the stands are right on the pitch, there is a reasonable amount of cover, and on the right day the atmosphere can be really intimidating. It has a bit of an English feel, also being helped by the houses hemming in the stadium.
Toluca has also won several championships in recent years. They too tend to play their home matches at Sunday noon.
How to get in and around
Mexico’s main international airport is located relatively central toward the east of the city. It has direct connections to various European capitals, most large cities in the USA, and most capitals in Latin-America.
Aeromexico is the national airline, but there are various low cost airlines that serve domestic and a few international destinations. These include Volaris, Interjet and Vivaaerobus. Flying can often be competitive in price with taking a long-distance bus.
To get from the airport to the city centre one can use the metro, though one or two transfers are required to get to most central areas, which can be uncomfortable if carrying a lot of luggage (especially during rush hour).
Alternatively, you can catch the recently opened new metrobus line 4 (see below) that connects the airport with the historic centre. Take a taxi though, which will likely set you back around MX$ 200.00.
Toluca airport also has a reasonable selection of domestic and international flights, as well as low-cost alternatives to Dallas and Fort Lauderdale with Spiritair. It requires a (shuttle) bus journey to get to Mexico City though, and then likely another metro or taxi ride to your destination, which will only be worth it if the price is significantly lower or if your destination is the Santa Fe financial district.
Most people will be happy enough to just use the metro to get around. The city has a wide network of lines that can bring you to most places. The new metrobus system (dedicated lane long bright-red buses) may be an alternative, especially to get to some of the stadiums, but a reasonable amount of knowledge of the city is required to get around using the smaller “pesero” buses.
Estadio Azteca is located furthest away of the centre, about 15 kilometres, but is not that hard to reach as it is on the metro network.
First take the dark blue metro line 2 to its last stop Tasqueña. The blue line can be boarded at several stops in the historic centre (e.g. Zocalo), or reached by transfer from most other central locations. Change to the light rail at Tasqueña, which looks very similar to the metro, but for which a separate ticket is needed. Get off the light rail at stop Azteca, right in front of the stadium.
It will normally take 45 to 60 minutes to reach the stadium from the historic centre, but there can be quite a bit of queuing at Tasqueña on matchdays, so one is advised to schedule at least 90 to 120 minutes for the journey.
The stadium lies in a predominantly residential area and there is nothing more around than the stadium itself. The area and nearby Avenida Tlalpan can be a bit dodgy at night so avoid the temptation to walk to whichever place (which would be too far anyway). Beware of pickpockets in the crowd that is waiting for the metro after the match.
Estadio Azul is located most central, about 8 kilometres south-west from the historic centre, but only 3 kilometres south from the popular Condesa and Roma areas. The stadium lies one block off the large Insurgentes Avenue, which means there are plenty of eating and drinking opportunities around the stadium, from cheap fast food joints to upscale restaurants and the obligatory American franchises. The area is completely safe.
If you want to stick to the metro, you can get to the stadium with the red line 7, which runs in the west of the city (e.g. through the Polanco area). You will likely need to transfer at stop Tacubaya. Get off at stop Mixcoac, from where it is a small walk to the stadium. If you are staying in the historic centre, taking the metro is probably quickest.
Alternatively, and especially if you are staying in the Condesa or Zona Rosa areas (around Reforma), you can use the metrobus to get to Estadio Azul. Line 1 of the metrobus runs all the way down Insurgentes Avenue. Find a station on Insurgentes, if it’s your first time buy a travel card in a machine, top up, go through the turnstiles, and take a bus in southern direction. Get off at stop Ciudad de los Deportes, from where it is a 5 to 10-minute walk to the stadium.
Estadio Olímpico Universitario is also on Insurgentes Avenue, but 6 kilometres further south. The stadium is part of the UNAM campus, which is a pleasant place for a walk or to sit down on the lawn. It boasts a few World Heritage monuments as well.
A bit further north, but definitely at walking distance, lies the San Ángel area, an area of cobbled streets, nice churches, and art galleries that has a large amount of (rather upscale) restaurants and bars and can be perfectly combined with a match at Sunday noon. You can also find the former house and workshop of Diego Rivera there, which is now an exhibition.
Estadio Olímpico Universitario can be reached with the same metrobus as Estadio Azul. Get off at stop Dr Gálvez and follow Insurgentes a few hundred metres further uphill.
One can get to Puebla by taking a bus from the TAPO bus terminal, which can be reached with the pink metro line 1. ADO is the bus company with most service, at least once every half an hour, but generally much more often, and there is no reason to book in advance. The journey takes about 2 hours.
The bus arrives in Puebla at the CAPU terminal, from where it is easiest to take a taxi to Estadio Cuauhtemoc. It is a short ride. Estadio Cuauhtemoc is located in the north of Puebla, so to get from the stadium to the historic centre another taxi is needed. Or ask around which local bus can be taken.
Buses to Pachuca leave from Mexico City’s northern bus terminal (Terminal Central del Norte), which can be reached by metro or trolleybus from the Eje Central in the historic centre. Buses (e.g. ADO) to Pachuca leave regularly and again no reservations are needed. It may take time to get out of the city on a Saturday afternoon (especially when it rains) so add up an additional 30 to 60 minutes to the official journey time of 90 minutes.
Estadio Hidalgo lies right next to the bus terminal where you arrive, which is very convenient. Cross the road and the massive concrete structure will be unmistakeable.
If the match starts at 7:00pm, there will still be plenty of time to catch a bus after the game, but don’t linger around too much. According to the bus company there is always place on the bus, even on matchdays, so no need to book.
Toluca can be reached with buses that depart from the western bus terminal (Central Poniente), which lies right next to metro station Observatorio (on the pink line 1). The journey takes about 75 minutes.
In Toluca it is best to take a taxi to Estadio Nemesio Diez, which is not that far away. The stadium lies just south-west of Toluca’s historic centre, to which one can walk in about 15 minutes.
How to get tickets
América, Cruz Azul, and Pumas sell out few matches, which means that you can practically always buy tickets at the ticket windows (taquillas) of the stadium right before the match.
This is easiest at Estadio Azul, which has good indications of sections and prices and hardly any queues for the ticket windows. Ignore the people trying to sell you tickets and make your way to the ticket windows.
From practically every part of the stadium there is a good view on the pitch. The unnumbered seats at the top (“General”) are cheapest, but the ones in the middle (“Platea”) also still offer a good deal.
There tends to be a bit more queuing at Estadio Azteca and Estadio Olimpico Universitario, and therefore allow for at least half an hour for the typical match. Indications are poor, so it may be helpful to orientate yourself on the sections beforehand. If you speak some Spanish, the attendants will often be very friendly and willing to help you out though.
The cheapest tickets for Estadio Azteca are the unnumbered ones for the upper tier (“General”), but it is good value for money to spend slightly more and sit a bit lower. Ticket prices get increased for the top matches, which is very common in Mexico.
Tickets for the national team are generally rather expensive (a lot more than América), and you’ll pay easily MX$500.00 for anything that is not the upper tier. Try to avoid the lowest rows (more or less row 20 to 26) of the bottom tier as these often have restricted views.
Avoid the ends and corners at Pumas matches as these tend to be almost deserted. Instead buy a ticket for the “Planta Alta Pebetero” section, or alternatively for the other side. It is free seating, and if you come very early you even may find yourself a seat in the shade.
If you want to buy your ticket before, or if you want to be sure to have a ticket, you can use the familiar Ticketmaster system.
You can book online, or find one of the sales outlets and buy your ticket there. Of course, if you book in advance, you pay the Ticketmaster fee, so there is little reason to do so for regular matches. The Ticketmaster website is in any case very useful to learn the names of the different sections.
No identification is required to buy a ticket, but it may be sensible to take off your belt before visiting a match. They are not always allowed inside, and you will be forced to hand them in at one of the collection points, where you can pick them up after the match (which will cost you a small fee). These collection points seem rather dodgy at first sight, but are in fact reliable.
In Puebla, Pachuca, and Toluca you can also buy your ticket on the gate, though Pachuca fills up nicely so you may want to buy in advance for a high-profile match (Chivas and Mexico City clubs). Toluca also tends to sell out the very high-profile games, though tickets will generally be easily available for regular matches. Expect some queuing in Puebla, but less in Pachuca and Toluca.
Toluca also uses Ticketmaster for online sales, but both Puebla and Pachuca use the Superboletos system.
Almost all tickets for Pachuca matches are unnumbered, and you can therefore sit anywhere in the stadium (apart from some dedicated fan sections). Puebla also has free seating, and in particular the upper-sections at the long sides (“Rampa”) are good value as they provide you cover. In Toluca, the covered Sombra Preferente side gets you best value for money.
Where to sleep
There are few options to stay close to Estadio Azteca. Basically, there is only a Fiesta Inn not far away near the Perisur shopping centre, though it is advised to take a taxi from there to the stadium anyway. A hotel in Mexico City’s historic centre will give you reasonably quick access to the stadium though. Do not get confused by the many hotels on nearby Tlalpan avenue as these are merely for “romantic” purposes.
There are neither many hotels near Estadio Olímpico, though there is a Holiday Inn further north from where you can just walk to the stadium. Alternatively, a strategically chosen hotel somewhere along Insurgentes avenue will get you to the stadium rather quickly.
There are a few options near Estadio Azul, which include Hotel El Diplomatico, Hotel El Greco, and a few more somewhat further north near the World Trade Center. Again, you will also have quick access from a hotel further north along Insurgentes or Reforma avenue.
In Pachuca, you will have choice between a few hotels close to the stadium, whereas in Toluca the city centre is not far away. In Puebla, you are likely best of finding a hotel in Puebla’s historic centre.
Where to eat and drink
Mexico City has everything you need in terms of eating and drinking, from cheap cantinas to fancy lounge bars, from typical Mexican fast food to top-rated restaurants, and many McDonalds.
As mentioned before, Estadio Azul and Estadio Olímpico Universitario lie in or close to areas with loads of bars and restaurants. Estadio Azteca is not situated in such area, but on matchdays there are plenty of stalls with Mexican fast food around (of course, also around the other stadiums).
The historic centre has many cheap restaurants during the day, and various traditional and modern bars at night. Most of them are located on Madero and the adjacent streets.
The Zona Rosa near Reforma Avenue is another nightlife area, though has a bit of a seedy edge.
More classy is the Condesa area, which is full of modern bars and restaurants in similar style as anywhere else in the world. The Irish pubs, of course, do not lack. Nuevo Leon and Michigan form the core streets.
Slightly more alternative, though mixed with more expensive options, is the Roma area adjacent to the Condesa area. Alvaro Obregon and its side streets form the most important part.
Coyoacan, located further to the south, has grown out of a village and has more of an artistic touch. In particular its main square is lined with many bars and restaurants.
What else to see and do
Mexico City’s historic centre is a great example of colonial Spanish architecture, and is well worth a walk around. Both the Coyoacan and San Ángel area, with cobbled streets and picturesque houses, are great alternatives for a more peaceful walk.
There are various museums in the historic centre, but arguably Mexico’s best museum, the Anthropological Museum, is located further south-west in the Chapultepec Park. This park is also Mexico’s best and particularly lively on the weekends. The Parque México and Parque España in the Condesa area are also nice.
If you are into Diego Rivero paintings you can travel all over the city to find his works. Of course, don’t forget to check out his mural on the facade of Estadio Olímpico. Both his and Frida Kahlo’s former houses have been converted into museums.
The Aztec pyramids outside of the city in Teotihuacan should be on anyone’s list. They are one of the highlights of the country and can be reached by bus from the northern bus terminal.
Also great for a day trip outside the city are the village of Taxco as well as the town of Tepoztlan, which both lie south of the city. Taxco has a spectacular setting, and Tepoztlan has an Aztec pyramid up on an adjacent hill. Puebla has already been mentioned as being worth a day trip.
Cheap shopping can be done in the historic centre of Mexico City, whereas one can find all the western brands in one of the city’s many shopping centres, called plazas. Many Mexicans go to the USA to get these brands though, so don’t expect many bargains. Most shopping centres also boost a cinema, if you are in need of some distraction. Films come in English with subtitles, but also dubbed in Spanish, so make sure to check before you buy a ticket.
There is a Six Flags amusement park in the south of Mexico for further entertainment. The zoo in Chapultepec Park is free and not shabby at all, and it is one of the few zoos in the world with pandas.
