Estadio Akron in Zapopan hosts 4 World Cup 2026 group-stage matches — including two Mexico home fixtures (Mexico vs South Korea Jun 18, Mexico vs Czechia Jun 24), the tournament's second-ever match (South Korea vs Czechia Jun 11), and DR Congo vs Colombia Jun 23. The 49,800-seat home of Chivas Guadalajara is in Zapopan, the wealthier suburb to GDL's northwest, ~12 km from Centro Histórico. Mi Macro Periférico BRT and dedicated FIFA shuttles link the stadium to downtown.
New in 2026: The 48-team format and Round of 32 explained. The 2026 World Cup is the first ever with 48 teams — up from 32. Here's how the bracket works: 48 teams are split into 12 groups of 4. The top 2 teams from each group (24 teams) plus the 8 best third-place finishers (8 teams) advance — giving 32 teams in total. These 32 teams then play the Round of 32 (the new first knockout round, replacing what used to be the Round of 16 in old formats). After that: Round of 16 → Quarterfinals → Semifinals → Final. This means your team now has a third-place safety net in the group stage — finishing 3rd no longer automatically eliminates you.
The Stadium
Estadio Akron
Estadio Akron (officially branded Estadio Guadalajara for FIFA WC 2026 under FIFA's clean-name policy; locally called Estadio Chivas, formerly Estadio Omnilife) opened in 2010 in Zapopan. Capacity 49,800. Distinctive futuristic exterior — a hovering oval shell on a green hillside. Home of C.D. Guadalajara (Chivas), the all-Mexican-player Liga MX club with the country's biggest fan base. The original Liga MX home of Guadalajara — Estadio Jalisco (1970 + 1986 World Cup venue) — is now Atlas's stadium, retired from WC duty.
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Capacity & layout
49,800 capacity. Steep, intimate bowl — every seat close to the action. Open-air; bring sun protection for daytime kickoffs and a light rain shell for the late-June afternoon thunderstorms (start of rainy season). Chivas atmosphere translates well to WC matches — expect a sea of green-and-red for Mexico's two home fixtures.
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Getting there
Mi Macro Periférico BRT from Centro to Estadio Akron / Periférico Norte = 35-45 min, ~$11 MXN ($0.65 USD). Plus dedicated WC shuttles from Plaza Patria, Centro, and GDL airport. Uber/Didi from Centro: 30 min, $200-400 MXN. Full transit guide ↗
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The history
Chivas Guadalajara's home since 2010 — replaced Estadio Jalisco. 12 Liga MX titles (only Club América has more). Famous all-Mexican-player policy means the most fervent fans see Akron as a temple of national football. Hosted the 2011 Pan American Games opening ceremony. Routinely tops 49,000 for big derbies; expect the same for Mexico WC matches.
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Tickets
Official only via FIFA Tickets. Mexico's two Akron fixtures (Jun 18 vs Korea, Jun 24 vs Czechia) are among the highest-demand matches of the entire group stage. Resale via Ticketmaster México or FIFA's resale platform. Avoid touts at the BRT station — counterfeits are real. Full ticket guide ↗
Matches at Estadio Akron
The Schedule
Estadio Akron hosts 4 group-stage matches per FIFA's post-draw schedule. The Akron's matchday-1 fixture (South Korea vs Czechia) is the second match of the entire tournament, kicking off after the Mexico vs South Africa opener at Azteca. Verify exact kickoffs on fifa.com.