Mexico City has two major football venues: Estadio Azteca (capacity 87,000+, located in Coyoacán) and Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes (capacity around 20,000, in Noche Buena). Azteca will almost certainly host World Cup matches given its legendary status. Ciudad de los Deportes is less likely for World Cup action but hosts regular Liga MX matches if you want the full CDMX football experience.
Getting to Azteca requires taking Metro Line 2 to Taxqueña, then the light rail (Tren Ligero) to Estadio Azteca station. Plan at least 45-60 minutes from central neighborhoods like Roma or Condesa. Ciudad de los Deportes is accessible via Metro Line 3 (Nativitas station).
Location: Holbein 185-Pb, Noche Buena, Benito Juárez, 03720 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico (walking distance from the stadium)
What you need to know: This is a no-frills taqueria known locally for trompo pastor and grilled meats. Expect plastic tables, loud music, and portions that could feed two people. Cash only (as of 2025). Most tacos run 20-35 pesos each.
Real talk: I can't verify this place will survive until 2026, but it's the type of neighborhood institution that's been feeding local fans for years. If it's gone, any taqueria within three blocks of the stadium will serve similar food.
Street Food Reality Check: Around Azteca, you'll find vendors selling tamales (15-25 pesos), gorditas (25-40 pesos), and tacos. The food is generally safe if the vendor has a crowd of locals. Bring small bills—nobody's making change for a 500-peso note.
Location: Zona Rosa area
Why it matters: This has become the de facto European expat bar. If you want to watch with Germans, English, or Dutch fans, you'll find them here. Full bar, pub food, multiple screens. More expensive than Mexican spots (beers 60-80 pesos) but the atmosphere during European matches is unmatched.
Location: Roma Norte
Cash only: Seriously, they don't take cards. This place shows both Mexican football and NFL games. Dive bar aesthetic, cheap beer (30-50 pesos), basic Mexican snacks. Gets absolutely packed for Mexico national team matches.
Target audience: Expats and locals who want a cleaner, more predictable sports bar experience. You'll pay more (beers 70-100 pesos, food 150-300 pesos) but you'll get comfortable seating and working bathrooms.
Every visitor asks "where are the best tacos?" and the answer is: it depends on what you want.
Al Pastor: Look for a trompo (vertical spit) with a pineapple on top. Good pastor should have crispy edges, sweet pineapple, and be served on small corn tortillas with cilantro, onion, and salsa. Areas like Condesa, Roma, and Centro have hundreds of options. Price: 15-25 pesos per taco.
Carnitas: This is slow-braised pork. Order "surtida" (mixed) to get different cuts. Sunday mornings are prime carnitas time. Price: 20-30 pesos per taco.
Barbacoa: Traditionally lamb, cooked underground. Weekend specialty. Served with consomé (broth). Price: 25-40 pesos per taco.
Campechano: Mixed meats on the grill. Usually beef and chorizo. Less common than pastor but delicious. Price: 20-30 pesos per taco.
Don't expect to sit down at most taquerías. You'll stand at a counter, order, eat, and leave. This is normal.
Location: Constitución 817-Oriente, Centro, 64000 Monterrey, N.L., Mexico
Specialty: Cabrito (roasted young goat)
This is one of the few places I'm comfortable recommending by name because it's been around since 1969. They do one thing—roasted goat—and they do it well. Expect to pay 300-500 pesos per person. It's not cheap, but it's a genuine CDMX institution. Make a reservation if you're going on a weekend.
The goat comes with tortillas, salsas, and sides. It's rich and gamey. If you've never had goat, this is your chance.
These neighborhoods are 15-20 minutes from Centro by Uber (60-100 pesos) and offer the densest concentration of restaurants, cafes, and bars.
Bella Aurora (Roma Norte): Mexican-Italian fusion. Good for a sit-down meal between match days. Expect 400-600 pesos per person with drinks.
Real talk about these neighborhoods: They're great for exploring but they're also touristy and more expensive than other parts of the city. You'll find everything from craft beer bars to upscale restaurants to hole-in-the-wall taquerías. Just walk around—you can't really go wrong, and most places have English menus if needed.
Mercado de San Juan (Centro): Famous for exotic ingredients but also has excellent prepared food stalls. Tacos, quesadillas, and stews for 40-80 pesos per plate.
Mercado Roma (Roma Norte): Upscale food hall. More expensive (100-250 pesos per dish) but clean, touristy, safe choice for nervous first-timers.
Mercado de Coyoacán: If you're near Azteca, swing through Coyoacán neighborhood. The market has tostadas, sopes, and traditional dishes for 50-100 pesos.
Market hours are typically 8am-6pm. Go during lunch (1-3pm) for the freshest food and biggest crowds.
Cash: Many places don't take cards. Have 500-1000 pesos in small bills (20s, 50s, 100s) on you at all times.
Tipping: 10-15% at sit-down restaurants. Round up a few pesos for street vendors and taquerías. Nobody expects 20%.
Water: Don't drink tap water. Bottled water (agua) or bottled drinks only. Most restaurants know this and won't serve tap water.
Timing: Mexicans eat late. Lunch is 2-4pm, dinner is 8-10pm. Many restaurants close between 5-7pm. Street tacos are available all day but are freshest during meal rushes.
Safety: CDMX is generally safe in tourist areas but use Uber instead of street taxis, don't flash expensive items, and stick to well-lit, populated areas at night. The neighborhoods I've mentioned (Roma, Condesa, Centro, Coyoacán) are all safe for tourists.
Language: English is common in Roma/Condesa but rare everywhere else. Learn basic Spanish: "una orden de tacos de pastor" (an order of pastor tacos), "¿cuánto cuesta?" (how much?), "la cuenta, por favor" (check, please).
Here's what nobody tells you: the "best" place to eat during the World Cup in Mexico City probably won't be any place on this list. It'll be the taquería you stumble into at 11pm after a match, exhausted and starving, where you can barely communicate but the pastor tacos are perfect and cost 20 pesos. It'll be the market stall where an abuela serves you pozole and refuses to let you leave without trying her salsa.
This guide gives you a framework, but CDMX rewards exploration and risk-taking. Use these recommendations as anchor points, then wander. Get lost. Eat things you can't identify. Ask locals where they eat. That's how you'll find the real Mexico City.
And double-check everything before you go. Restaurant hours change, places close, new spots open. Use Google Maps, recent TripAdvisor reviews (from 2026), and ask your hotel concierge for current recommendations when you arrive.
The World Cup only comes around every four years. Make it count.
Note: All prices, locations, and recommendations current as of publication. Verify details closer to your travel dates, especially given World Cup demand.
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