Roger Goodell confirms NFL returning to Mexico City in 2026

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced the league will return to Mexico City in 2026, confirming the next game at Estadio Azteca, as the venue nears completion of its World Cup renovation.

"We'll be back in Mexico City next year, which we're thrilled about," the commissioner said at the Leaders in Sport conference in London, marking the league's first on-the-record timetable for a Mexico game since the stadium closed for upgrades.

The commitment aligns with Azteca's planned reopening ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mexico City officials have said that the revamped stadium will be ready in early 2026, following a multi-year overhaul to meet FIFA standards. That construction forced the NFL to pause its Mexico games from 2023 through 2025.

Estadio Azteca last hosted the NFL in 2022, when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 38-10 on Monday Night Football. The league had staged multiple regular-season matchups there across the past two decades, including the landmark 2005 game that marked the first NFL regular-season contest played outside the United States.

Specifics for the 2026 return -- date, teams and broadcast details -- will be announced at a later date. But Goodell's confirmation formalizes what had been widely anticipated once Azteca's timeline firmed up. The venue's upgrades include revamped player facilities and hospitality areas, along with seating changes tied to World Cup hosting.

--Field Level Media