América will face Cruz Azul this Thursday at Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes and on Sunday at Estadio Azteca. Besides aiming for the much-coveted 15th star to reinforce their status as the most successful and largest team in Mexico, this match might also mark the farewell to the iconic Coloso de Santa Úrsula.
It's no secret that Estadio Azteca needs significant renovation, driven by FIFA's requirements. As the global governing body for the world's most popular and watched sport, FIFA mandates certain standards and statutes for hosting a World Cup, such as the one scheduled for 2026.
Is América Heading to the United States?
Despite previous announcements that Estadio Azteca would be unusable this season due to upcoming renovations, América and Cruz Azul were initially set to play their home games at Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes. However, América managed to play the latter part of this tournament at Estadio Azteca, which led to speculation about their next venue.
At one point, rumors suggested América could play at the already famous Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes, or even at Nemesio Diez in Toluca or Corregidora in Querétaro.
"To my understanding, Sunday is the last game, and then they'll start working on the renovation. It would be a fitting end to this era of Estadio Azteca, and what better way to close it than with a title for América," said Santiago Baños.
However, Santiago Baños revealed the true future of América, making it clear that after the final, the Azulcrema team wouldn't just be playing outside Mexico City but also outside of Mexico itself.
"Based at Ciudad de los Deportes, there are also talks to play within Mexico, as we have many fans who would love to see us in their cities. We're also open to the possibility of playing home games in the United States," mentioned Santiago Baños.
Thus, while nothing is set in stone, the door remains open for América to become a more global team, bringing joy to their fans across the Republic of Mexico and potentially becoming a team that plays throughout the country and abroad.
Read the article in Spanish HERE.