With just a few days to go before the start of the 2026 Liga MX Apertura Tournament, Cruz Azul surprised its fans by confirming another venue change. La Máquina will not play its home games at Estadio Azteca and has already begun the process of returning to Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes, the venue where it played several matches during the renovation of the Coloso de Santa Úrsula.
The decision marks a new chapter in the sky-blue team’s quest for stability. In recent years, the team has changed home venues on several occasions while construction was underway on the now-renovated World Cup stadium.
Cruz Azul Officially Requested the Venue Change
Liga MX reported that Cruz Azul submitted a formal request to change its home venue for the 2026 Apertura and move its matches to the Ciudad de los Deportes Stadium. The request must go through the appropriate process to receive final authorization, although all signs point to it being approved.
The move comes just one week before the start of the season, so the club is working against the clock to finalize the logistics for its home games.
The Azteca will see less action in the new tournament
After reopening its doors following the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Estadio Azteca had hoped to once again host two of the country’s most popular clubs. However, with Cruz Azul’s departure, the stadium will serve solely as América’s home for the 2026 Apertura.
The decision marks another major change for the Cruz Azul organization, which has had to constantly adapt due to renovations and agreements related to the stadium’s use.
The Ciudad de los Deportes Stadium Returns as La Máquina’s Home
The Ciudad de los Deportes Stadium was recently used by Cruz Azul and is now set to become its home once again. The Cruz Azul fans are very familiar with the venue, so the return is generating excitement about the atmosphere that will be experienced during the tournament.
Although the club has not publicly detailed all the reasons behind the decision, various reports indicate that a formal request was submitted to Liga MX to play its home games there.
A New Challenge Ahead of the 2026 Apertura
Beyond the stadium change, Cruz Azul will seek to maintain the strong performance it has shown in recent tournaments and once again contend for the championship.
Now, the priority will be to adapt quickly to their new home and turn the Ciudad de los Deportes into a fortress from the very first matchdays of the 2026 Apertura, while fans hope that the venue change won’t affect the team’s performance in their quest for a new title.