Mexico City, Mexico Travelogue

Mexico City rises from the ancient basin of the Valley of Mexico with a kind of defiant grandeur – an urban sprawl built atop the ruins of empires, now preparing to welcome the world once again.

On June 11, when Mexico faces South Africa in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup, the city will lean into its long tradition as a global stage, echoing memories of another moment when all eyes turned there: the 1968 Summer Olympics, hosted in the very same high-altitude capital of Latin America.

Home to more than 9 million people within the city proper, and over 21 million in its greater metropolitan area, Mexico City is one of the largest and most dynamic urban centers on Earth. Its geography is both dramatic and defining. Situated at an elevation of roughly 7,350 feet above sea level, the city rests in a high-altitude basin ringed by mountains and volcanoes, including the towering Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. This elevation gives the air a thin crispness, a factor that has historically challenged athletes, including those who competed in the 1968 Olympics and those who will take the field in the 2026 World Cup opener.

^{2 FIFA World Cup 2026™ 104 Matches}

^{3 FIFA World Cup 2026™ Group Stage fixtures}

Long before Spanish conquistadors arrived, Mexico City was known as Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Aztec Empire, built on an island in Lake Texcoco. Today, that legacy lives beneath the modern streets, quite literally, as archaeological discoveries continue to surface beneath colonial and contemporary structures alike.

Visitors arriving for the World Cup will find a city that rewards curiosity and stamina. Among its many landmarks, five stand out as essential stops.

First is the Zócalo, one of the largest public squares in the world and the historical heart of the city. Here, the Metropolitan Cathedral looms beside the ruins of the Templo Mayor, symbolizing the collision of civilizations that defines Mexico City’s identity.

A short walk away lies Chapultepec Park, a vast green expanse larger than New York’s Central Park. Within it sits Chapultepec Castle, perched on a hill with sweeping views of the city. The former imperial residence, and now a national museum, tells Mexico’s story through artifacts and art.

Art lovers will gravitate toward the Frida Kahlo Museum, known as La Casa Azul, located in the bohemian neighborhood of Coyoacán. It offers an intimate glimpse into the life of one of Mexico’s most iconic artists surrounded by vibrant colors and deeply personal works.

Equally compelling is the Palacio de Bellas Artes, a cultural jewel known for its stunning Art Nouveau and Art Deco architecture. Inside, murals by Diego Rivera and other masters bring Mexico’s revolutionary history to life, while performances of ballet and opera continue to animate the space.

^{4 Crative Studio Design / Shutterstock.com}

^{5 Tariq_Mahmud_Naim / Shutterstock.com}

Finally, no visit is complete without a trip to Teotihuacán, just outside the city. Though technically beyond the city limits, this ancient Mesoamerican city – with its massive Pyramid of the Sun and Pyramid of the Moon – offers a humbling reminder of the civilizations that flourished long before modern Mexico City emerged.

As the World Cup begins, the Estadio Azteca – one of the most storied stadiums in soccer history – once again takes center stage. It is the only stadium to have hosted two previous World Cup finals (in 1970 and 1986), and now it adds another chapter as the stage of a World Cup opener. Long considered a “temple of football,” the Estadio Azteca has a seating capacity of 87,000.

Mexico is co-hosting the 2026 tournament with the United States and Canada, with the World Cup final to be played on July 19 at MetLife Stadium on the outskirts of New York. 

Other World Cup host cities in Mexico include Guadalajara and Monterrey, while Toronto and Vancouver will be the site of matches in Canada. Host cities in the U.S. include Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Boston, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Seattle, and New York.

^{6 Arlette Lopez / Shutterstock.com}