Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes

About Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes

Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes sits in a dense Mexico City neighbourhood — a 34,253-seat stadium that opened on October 6, 1946, that has had four names in nearly 80 years, and that was built in a former brickworks pit where the playing field sits below street level.

The sunken design is the first thing you notice — you walk down to your seat, not up. The stadium was constructed in the pit left by the Ladrillera brickworks, giving it a natural bowl that solved the problem of building a large venue in an already-crowded city. Next door sits the Plaza de Toros México, the world’s largest bullring, built the same year — together they form the Ciudad de los Deportes (Sports City) complex.

The stadium’s tenants have changed repeatedly. Club América played here from 1947 to 1955. Atlante came and went across multiple stints. Cruz Azul made it home from 1996 to 2018 — the “Estadio Azul” era — before returning briefly in 2024. In January 2025, Cruz Azul relocated to the Estadio Olímpico Universitario, then to Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla. Club América is the current primary tenant, using the venue while Estadio Azteca undergoes renovations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In November 2024, authorities temporarily closed the stadium for lacking safety certifications — a reminder that a nearly 80-year-old venue in one of the world’s largest cities faces constant pressure between historic preservation and modern standards. It reopened five days later with new regulations.

Getting to Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes

Public Transit

The Mexico City Metro is the best way to reach this stadium — the venue has no parking, and match-day traffic in this neighbourhood is brutal.

Metro fare is 5 MXN ($0.25 USD) per ride. The system runs until midnight — time your return carefully for evening matches.

Driving + Parking

The stadium address is Calle Indiana 255, Ciudad de los Deportes, Benito Juárez, 03810, Mexico City.

There is no dedicated parking lot. The stadium was built in 1946 in a dense neighbourhood with no space for surface lots. Street parking is extremely limited and heavily restricted on match days. Take the Metro or rideshare.

Rideshare

Uber and DiDi are widely available. From Centro Histórico, expect 60-100 MXN ($3-$5 USD). From Polanco, 70-120 MXN. After matches, walk a few blocks toward Insurgentes before requesting your ride — the streets around the stadium become gridlocked.

From the Airport

History of Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes

Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes was built in the mid-1940s as part of Mexico City’s ambitious Ciudad de los Deportes complex, alongside the Plaza de Toros México bullring. Both venues opened in 1946, transforming a former brickworks site into a sports district.

Opening (October 6, 1946): The stadium opened as Estadio Olímpico de la Ciudad de los Deportes with a capacity of approximately 35,000 — one of the largest football venues in Mexico at the time.

Club América Era (1947-1955): Club América was the stadium’s first major tenant, playing here before moving to Estadio Azteca when it opened in 1966.

First NFL Game Outside the US (August 5, 1978): The New Orleans Saints defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 14-7 before 30,546 fans — the first NFL regular-season game ever played outside the United States, predating the London Games by 29 years.

Estadio Azulgrana (1983-1996): Renamed for Atlante’s blue-and-red (azulgrana) team colours during their tenure as primary tenant.

Cruz Azul and the Estadio Azul Era (1996-2018): Cruz Azul moved in and gave the stadium its most recognized name — “Estadio Azul” — for 22 years. The venue was renovated in 1996, 2004, and 2010 during this period.

2024-Present — Club América: With Estadio Azteca under renovation for the 2026 World Cup, Club América returned to the stadium where it played in the 1940s and 50s. In November 2024, authorities briefly closed the venue over safety concerns before reopening it with new regulations.

From its sunken brickworks origins to the first NFL game outside America, Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes is where nearly 80 years of Mexican sports history lives — a venue that has outlasted four names, a dozen tenants, and the constant threat of demolition.