The Mexico national team is looking for high-caliber friendly matches to complete its preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Portugal seems in line to play a friendly match in Mexican soil.
According to TV Azteca’s David Medrano and various other outlets, Mexico will host Portugal on March 28 in a match that will serve as the reopening of the iconic Estadio Azteca. The stadium, which has hosted two World Cup finals in the past, will be the venue of the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening game.
A massive renovation project has been underway since the summer of 2024 to make sure the Azteca is ready to become the first stadium ever to host three separate World Cups. With so much excitement building towards the stadium’s reopening, El Tri want to mark the special occasion with a game against a formidable opponent.
In comes Portugal with all its world class stars, most importantly Cristiano Ronaldo. The friendly match would mark the first time Ronaldo plays a game on Mexican soil. It would be a momentous occasion for a country with a very large and passionate Real Madrid and Ronaldo fanbase.
Although Ronaldo has never played on Mexican soil, he has played against El Tri. Ronaldo was on the pitch and provided an assist when Portugal and Mexico settled for a 2–2 draw in the group stage of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. The two nations faced off again in the third place match, but Ronaldo didn’t feature.
In the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo was an unused substitute when Portugal defeated Mexico 2–1 in group play.
Earlier in the week, it was reported that the USMNT are also planning to host Portugal in a friendly match during that same March international window. Roberto Martínez’s squad seem to want to travel to North America ahead of the 2026 World Cup begins in that same region.
Medrano’s report also indicated that El Tri is also looking to play against France during that same time frame, but nothing is official as of now.
In any case, these matches would only occur if Portugal and France have already qualified for the World Cup. If either country is forced to play the European playoffs that will award the final tickets to the World Cup, El Tri will need to find other opponents given those games are scheduled to happen during the proposed dates for the friendlies.
READ THE LATEST SOCCER NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MATCH REACTION
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Report: Mexico to Host Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in Historic Stadium Reopening.