Soccer games are definitely worth attending in Mexico City to really experience the local culture and have fun watching a competitive sport, no matter which team you support.

Going To Soccer Games In Mexico City (Everything You Need To Know)

ByHaley Posted on Updated on
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Looking For More Info On Going To Soccer Games Or What Teams Play In Mexico City?

Outside of places I’ve lived, Mexico is the country I’ve visited most and Mexico City’s my favorite part since I became a huge fan of Club America over a decade ago, and now I return as often as I can while still watching my team (and most Mexican League soccer games) on a regular weekly basis, so I’ll share all the info I have and everything you’ll need to know to go to one of these exciting games while you’re in CDMX.

⚽️ How To Find Soccer Games In Mexico City

While going to soccer games in Mexico City is mostly straightforward, there are some details to know before going to keep from being confused and to have a fun and safe time.

Soccer Teams In Mexico City

There are three soccer teams in Mexico City, but my favorite is the all time champions, Club America.

There are 3 top league (Liga MX) soccer teams as well as the Mexico National team that play games in Mexico City:

  • Club América (pictured above): top winning Liga MX team (16 League Titles, 6 Copa Mexico Titles, 7 CONCACAF Titles) with more than 10 million fans
    • Home Stadium: Estadio Azteca (now called Estadio Banorte)
    • Mascot: Eagle 🦅
    • Colors: Blue & Yellow-Cream

*️⃣ Other Liga MX teams like Toluca, Pachuca, & Puebla (near the Cholula Pyramid), are only about an hour away from Mexico City

Soccer Stadiums

Getting to the stadiums is typically pretty easy and cheap, but leaving the stadiums can be a bit more difficult.

Each Mexico City soccer team plays their games in a different stadium within the city (though sometimes they share when stadiums undergo renovations), and the Mexico National team shares stadiums with Club America.

  • Estadio Azteca (now called Estadio Banorte, pictured above): one of the largest stadiums in the world that seats almost 90,000 fans (currently undergoing renovations for the 2026 World Cup)
  • Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes: seats just over 30,000 and home to both Cruz Azul and Atlante FC (second division team)
  • Estadio Olímpico Universitario: one of the oldest stadiums in Mexico (circa 1952) and part of UNAM University

➡️ Estadio Azteca is a site worth seeing on it’s own, and it can be toured for less than $10 or as a stop on a tour to UNAM, Coyoacan, and Xochimilco

Soccer Schedules

There are two seasons in the Liga MX, the apertura and the clausura.

The Liga MX (Mexican soccer league) schedule has 2 seasons, the Apertura and the Clausura, and they typically follow this schedule (with soccer games taking place just about every weekend in Mexico City, sometimes midweek too):

  • Opening Season (Apertura): typically runs from July through early December with playoffs starting immediately after (and lasting about a month)
  • Closing Season (Clausura): typically runs from early January to early May with playoffs starting immediately after

*️⃣ Tip: Mexico City has pretty great year round weather, but summer/fall is the rainy season and soccer games do get played through the rain, so come prepared

🏟 How To Go To Soccer Games In Mexico City

Once you’ve found a spot to squeeze in some soccer games on your Mexico City itinerary (which I think is definitely worth it), there are a few things to know about getting tickets, getting to/from stadiums, and the Fan ID requirement.

Getting Tickets

There are two ways to get tickets to soccer games in Mexico City depending on what type of game you want to see.

There are 2 options for getting tickets to soccer games in Mexico City depending on the game:

  • At The Gate: if the Mexico City soccer team you’re wanting to watch is playing an easier, bottom of the league team, tickets can be bought right at the gate just before the start of the game (still be there early to get in line though)
  • Online: big rivalry, high competition, or playoff games are always high demand so tickets need to be purchased online in advance (for Club América/Chivas, pictured above, I had to purchase through StubHub & pickup at a hotel the day before)

*️⃣ FAQ: Tickets for soccer games in Mexico City vary in price, but I’ve spent 200 pesos (about $10) for easy team games and $200 (US) for big rivalry games (which was well worth it to me)

Getting To The Stadium

Each Mexico City soccer team plays their games in a different stadium throughout the city.

Getting to the soccer stadiums in Mexico City is usually pretty easy because its during the day and people show up at all different times so taxi/Uber prices don’t typically surge. Public transportation is also available, but I don’t recommend it because it’s not always the safest option and it gets very very crowded (not good for sensory issues).

I do recommend getting to the stadium early so you don’t miss anything, plus you can shop around for some souvenirs on the streets outside of the stadium or find more official soccer gear from something like the Club America Estadio Azteca store.

Fan ID (required)

You must have a Fan ID before going to any soccer games in Mexico City.

The Fan ID is a newer security system to keep fans safe (because of some past incidents), and it’s a necessary requirement to go to any soccer games in Mexico City and Mexico in general.

Steps To Create Your Fan ID (do this before going):

  • go to https://fanliga.mx (English and Spanish)
  • click the blue “Go to Incode ID Wallet” button
  • (for computer users) scan the QR code or input your phone number to get the link to continue the Fan ID registration on your phone
  • click “Register”, input your phone number (be sure to change it to USA or wherever you’re coming from), and accept the terms and conditions
  • a verification code will be sent to your phone, input that code to continue
  • take a picture (front and back) of your identification card (you can also use a passport)
  • information from your identification pictures will be entered into the system, make sure it’s correct and fill in any blanks
  • take a clear photo of your face
  • it may take a minute to verify, but once it does, accept the privacy terms and click to activate the Incode ID Wallet
  • the QR code should be ready; save it and use this to enter the stadium

Finding Your Seats

Finding your seats isn't too difficult, but you can also tip someone to take you straight to them.

Your tickets will have specific seats and you can find them on your own if you want, or you can tip one of the workers to take you directly to your seats.

The first time I went to a Club America game at Estadio Azteca I went with a friend from Mexico City and she just tipped the guy 10 or 20 pesos for showing us to our seats.

Leaving The Stadium

Soccer games are definitely worth attending in Mexico City to really experience the local culture and have fun watching a competitive sport, no matter which team you support.

Leaving the stadiums after a game can be a little more difficult because it’s usually late at night, extremely busy, and pretty chaotic. The less amount of time you spend on the street waiting for a ride after a game, the better.

Tips For Safe Rides After A Game:

  • I’ve found that private transfers or upgraded Ubers are the safest and quickest ways to get a ride after the game
  • you can leave early to try and avoid the surge, but if you’re a huge sports fan like me, you won’t want to leave early
  • don’t hail taxi’s, they’re generally considered unsafe so it’s not worth the risk
  • don’t wander away from populated areas
  • don’t stare at a phone or be super distracted

🇲🇽 Other Mexico City Soccer Tips

There are a few other soccer related things to see or do in or near CDMX.
  • stadiums in Mexico City have typical rules, but some additional items not allowed in include belts, scarves, food/drinks, smoking (although many still smoke 🤢), balls, selfie sticks, bottles, laser pointers, noise makers, umbrellas, and backpacks
  • fans are crazy about soccer here and with alcohol added in, it has gotten violent in the past, though it’s typically not a problem (I’ve never experienced any issues), just don’t agitate anyone and leave the area if a fight breaks out
  • while umbrellas aren’t allowed inside, rain ponchos or rain jackets are great for possible rain storms and flying beer (when goals are scored, beer and other similar smelling liquids go flying)
  • areas around the stadiums aren’t typically the nicest, so choose a safe hotel in CDMX and get reliable/safe transportation to and from the games
  • 1.5 hrs north of Mexico City is the Centro Interactivo Mundo Futbol (Interactive Soccer World) in Pachuca, which claims to be the birthplace of soccer in Mexico when it was brought over by English miners in 1900
  • outside of going to soccer games in Mexico City, each team also has training facilities that can sometimes be visited (tell them you’re visiting from another country and they may let you in, me & Oribe Peralta pictured above at Club America’s)

*️⃣ FAQ: The most famous, popular, and successful soccer team in Mexico is Club América, and it also happens to be my favorite 😊 so I highly recommend going to one of their games while visiting this city

🔁 Sum Up: Mexico City Soccer Games

Soccer is such a huge sport in so many countries around the world and going to games is such a great way to experience local cultures, especially in Mexico City where there are three professional teams within the city limits, one of which holds the record for the most trophies (Club America) and which I highly recommend watching live, and even better if you can attend one of their big rivalry games (the atmosphere at these games does not disappoint).

Haley

Haley is the owner and author of Adventure Evermore, a travel blog that encourages users to explore, adventure, & bucket list around the world, no matter what anxieties or other difficulties they may have. When she's not writing blog posts about her favorite destinations, she's reading, playing soccer, or watching sports, movies, or TV (especially The X Files).