Mexico granted three venues for 2026 World Cup
It’s been a huge week in the Mexican soccer world, topped by the news that Estadio Azteca will become the first stadium on the planet to host three World Cups.
On Thursday, FIFA announced the 16 sites at which games of the 2026 World Cup will be played and we learned that Mexico City’s iconic Estadio Azteca will be joined by Monterrey’s Estadio BBVA Bancomer and Guadalajara’s Estadio Akron.
The 23rd men’s soccer world championship will include 48 teams for the first time (up from 32) and it will also be the first time the tournament is staged across three host nations.
Toronto and Vancouver will be the Canadian host cities while the other 11 sites are in the United States.
Another medal for El Mini Tri
Mexico’s Under-21 side traveled to Toulon, France, to participate in the prestigious Maurice Revello Tournament and came home with the third-place trophy.
LA Galaxy star Efráin Álvarez and Newcastle United ingenue Santiago Muñoz were the heroes on Sunday, leading El Tri to a 2-0 win over Colombia to claim the bronze medal.
Mexico finished third at the 55-year-old tournament for a second straight time and now has medaled three consecutive times. El Tri has reached the medal round eight of the past 18 times the event has been held, winning in 2012.
Star defenseman returns to Mexico
Friday morning broke with news that defender Néstor Araujo will be coming home after all.
The El Tri back-liner has spent the past four years in Spain playing for Celta de Vigo. Araujo – a two-time Liga MX champion with Santos Laguna – had been reluctant to leave La Liga, but América convinced him to come home to Mexico by agreeing to a hefty two-year contract with a third-year option.
Playing in Mexico will make the 30-year-old defender more readily available to play for El Tri in the two remaining exhibition contests (in September) before the World Cup.
Liga MX names new Referees Commission boss
Two-time World Cup referee Armando Archundia has been placed in charge of Liga MX referees, tasked with restoring confidence in the officials who call games in Mexico.
Poor officiating and controversial decisions have been a constant source of irritation for league and club executives the past several years, with fans growing increasingly impatient at the perceived ineptitude constantly exposed by former referees whose analysis populates television and print media across Mexico.
Next. 4 top contenders for Premier League Golden Boot. dark
Archundia will oversee the Mexican Soccer Federation referee training programs while also managing evaluation and disciplinary operations. The 57-year-old former ref must avoid the appearance of cronyism and favoritism that was an accusation leveled against the outgoing regime and work to promote and develop and new generation of quality officials.