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Coordinates: 19°18′10.48″N 99°9′1.59″W / 19.3029111°N 99.1504417°W / 19.3029111; -99.1504417
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It is served by the Azteca station on the [[Xochimilco Light Rail]] line. This line is an extension of the [[Mexico City metro]] system which begins at [[Metro Tasqueña]] station and ends in the Xochimilco Light Rail Station.
It is served by the Azteca station on the [[Xochimilco Light Rail]] line. This line is an extension of the [[Mexico City metro]] system which begins at [[Metro Tasqueña]] station and ends in the Xochimilco Light Rail Station.
Tickets are available, up to kick-off times, from the ticket office which is located at the front of the stadium, just down the exit ramps from the Azteca station. Tickets start from as little as 150 [[Mexican peso|pesos]] (15 U.S. Dollars as of 2009). For bigger matches such as Club América's games against Chivas de Guadalajara, Cruz Azul and [[UNAM Pumas]] where sellouts are common, numerous touts circulate offering tickets at competitive prices.
Tickets are available, up to kick-off times, from the ticket office which is located at the front of the stadium, just down the exit ramps from the Azteca station. Tickets start from as little as 150 [[Mexican peso|pesos]] (12 U.S. Dollars as of 2010). For bigger matches such as Club América's games against Chivas de Guadalajara, Cruz Azul and [[UNAM Pumas]] where sellouts are common, numerous touts circulate offering tickets at competitive prices.


==Names==
==Names==

Revision as of 14:51, 30 September 2010

Estadio Azteca
Aztec Stadium
Coloso de Santa Úrsula
An internal view of the stadium.
Map
LocationMexico City, Mexico
OwnerTelevisa
OperatorAmérica
Capacity104,000 [1]
Field size105 x 68 m
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Broke ground1961
OpenedMay 29, 1966
Renovated1985
Construction costMXN$ 260 million
ArchitectPedro Ramírez Vázquez
Rafael Mijares Alcérreca
Tenants
Mexico national football team (1966–present)
América (1966–present)
Necaxa (1966–70 and 1982–2003)
Atlante (1966–82, 1996–2001 and 2004–2007)
Atlético Español (1970–1982)
Cruz Azul (1971–1996)

Estadio Azteca (Spanish pronunciation: [esˈtadjo asˈteka], Aztec Stadium) is a stadium in Mexico City, Mexico. It is the official home stadium of the Mexico national football team and the Mexican team Club América.

The stadium was the venue for football soccer in the 1968 Summer Olympics and is the only stadium ever to host two FIFA World Cup final matches, in 1970 and 1986.[2] It also hosted the 1986 quarter-final between Argentina and England in which Diego Maradona scored both the "Hand of God goal" and the "Goal of the Century". The stadium also hosted the "Game of the Century", when Italy defeated West Germany 4-3 in extra time. With a capacity of 105,000, it is the largest stadium in Latin America and fifth largest in the world.

Outside part of the stadium.

History

The opening game was between Club América and Torino F.C. on May 26, 1966, with seats for 107,494 spectators. The first goal was scored was by Brazilian Arlindo Dos Santos Cruz and the second one by Brazilian José Alves "Zague"; later, the Italians tied the game, which ended 2-2. Mexican President Gustavo Díaz Ordaz made the initial kick and FIFA President Sir Stanley Rous was the witness.

A modern illumination system was inaugurated on June 5, 1966 with the first night game between Valencia C.F. and Necaxa. The first goal of the game was scored by Honduran José Cardona. In this game Roberto Martínez o Caña Brava scored the first goal made by a Mexican. The final score was 3-1 in favor of Valencia C.F..

There is a Commemorative plaque with the names of the first goal scorer in the first daylight match and in the first night game.

Estadio Azteca is also the site in which Pelé, and Diego Maradona (during the 1970 and 1986 FIFA World Cup), considered by many as the two best football players of all time, lifted the trophy for the last time (The Jules Rimet Trophy and the current FIFA World Cup Trophy, respectively).

The stadium has also hosted international club tournaments such at the Copa InterAmericana and the Copa Libertadores de América.

Estadio Azteca has also been used for musical performances throughout its history. Michael Jackson (in 1993)[3], U2 (in 2006 and 2011), Luis Miguel (in 2002), Elton John, Maná, Juan Gabriel, Gloria Estefan, Jaguares, Lenny Kravitz, *Nsync, Hanson, Ana Gabriel, and The Three Tenors all have become part of the stadium's main spectacle. The stadium has also been used for political events, including Mexican president Felipe Calderón's campaign closure in 2006, as well as religious events, like the appearance of Pope John Paul II in 1999.[4]

Notable events

Spectators outside Estadio Azteca

Estadio Azteca has hosted a variety of international sporting competitions, including:

Access and entrance

It is served by the Azteca station on the Xochimilco Light Rail line. This line is an extension of the Mexico City metro system which begins at Metro Tasqueña station and ends in the Xochimilco Light Rail Station.

Tickets are available, up to kick-off times, from the ticket office which is located at the front of the stadium, just down the exit ramps from the Azteca station. Tickets start from as little as 150 pesos (12 U.S. Dollars as of 2010). For bigger matches such as Club América's games against Chivas de Guadalajara, Cruz Azul and UNAM Pumas where sellouts are common, numerous touts circulate offering tickets at competitive prices.

Names

Estadio Azteca.

The name "Azteca" is a tribute to the Aztec heritage of Mexico City. The stadium has never been the Olympic Stadium. This role in 1968 was for Estadio Olímpico Universitario. The stadium is now owned by Mexican TV consortium Televisa. In order to avoid people associating the stadium's name with that of its rival TV Azteca, Televisa officially changed the stadium's name to Guillermo Cañedo, a top executive, long-time football advocate at Televisa and prominent member of the executive committee of FIFA. The change took place in 1997, following Cañedo's death on January 20, 1997.[5] However the change did not go well with the general population, who generally refused to refer to the stadium by its formally new name. Following a schism where two of Cañedo's sons, who worked at Televisa, switched camps and went to TV Azteca,[6] Televisa quietly returned the stadium's name to its original version. Some people did not even notice, as they usually referred to the stadium as "Azteca" during the name change.

Plaque commemorating the "Game of the Century" played between Italy and Germany.

The stadium has been given the nickname of "Coloso de Santa Ursula" which, in English, means "Colossus of Saint Ursula", due to its large structure. Santa Ursula refers to the part of town where the stadium resides in Mexico City.

Monuments and Memorials

A bronze plaque of Maradona's "Goal of the Century" was placed outside the stadium. In addition, a monument memorializes the "Game of the Century."

See also

References

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ 1968 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. Part 1. pp. 78-9.
  3. ^ "Cronología Estadio Azteca". Retrieved 2007-09-13.
  4. ^ "Pide Juan Pablo II "superar" deficiencias en el progreso social". Retrieved 2007-10-12.
  5. ^ "Mexican businessman Guillermo Cañedo died yesterday". Retrieved 2007-09-13.
  6. ^ Martínez, César. "Cañedo Whites go to TV Azteca". Retrieved 2007-09-13.

Further reading

19°18′10.48″N 99°9′1.59″W / 19.3029111°N 99.1504417°W / 19.3029111; -99.1504417

Preceded by Olympic Football tournament
Final Venue

1968
Succeeded by
Preceded by FIFA World Cup
Final Venue

1970
Succeeded by
Olympiastadion
Munich
Preceded by FIFA World Cup
Final Venue

1986
Succeeded by
Preceded by FIFA Confederations Cup
Final Venue

1999
Succeeded by
Preceded by CONCACAF Gold Cup
Final Venue

1993
Succeeded by
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Los Angeles
Preceded by CONCACAF Gold Cup
Final Venue

2003
Succeeded by
Preceded by
first venue
National Football League
Host stadium of international regular season game
San Francisco 49ers v. Arizona Cardinals

2 October 2005
Succeeded by
Wembley Stadium, London, England
New York Giants v. Miami Dolphins
28 October 2007