Estadio Akron · Profile

Estadio Akron stands in Zapopan, Jalisco, on the western edge of the Guadalajara metropolitan area, and has been home to Club Deportivo Guadalajara since it opened on 30 July 2010. It holds close to 50,000 spectators and has a 105 by 68 metre pitch. The ground has carried three commercial names: Estadio Omnilife from 2010 to 2016, Estadio Chivas from 2016 to 2017 and Estadio Akron after a sponsorship deal signed in December 2017. During the 2026 World Cup it was called Estadio Guadalajara, under FIFA's sponsorship rules.

Project and construction

Guadalajara unveiled the project in February 2004, aiming to leave Estadio Jalisco, which it had shared for decades, and own its ground. Delays pushed back the start of work until May 2007. French designers Jean Marie Massaud and Daniel Pouzet drew up the concept, Populous handled the sports architecture and the firm VFO served as architect of record. The cost was around 200 million US dollars. Conceived as a volcano topped by a cloud, the stadium has 133 executive suites.

Opening and early years

The stadium opened on 30 July 2010 with a friendly between Guadalajara and Manchester United, won 3-2 by the hosts. The first goal came from Javier “Chicharito” Hernández in the eighth minute; the striker had just joined the English club and played one half for each side. Two weeks later, on 11 August 2010, the ground hosted the first leg of the Copa Libertadores final, which Guadalajara lost 1-2 to Internacional of Porto Alegre. For its first two seasons the pitch was artificial turf. Complaints from players and coaches led the club to announce a change in May 2012, and natural grass was in place by July that year.

Pan American Games and U-17 World Cup

In 2011 the stadium had its busiest international year. In June and July it was a venue for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, staging eight matches, including the semi-final in which Uruguay beat Brazil 3-0. In October it was the main stage of the Guadalajara Pan American Games, hosting the opening and closing ceremonies and every match of the men's and women's football tournaments. On 28 October 2011 Mexico won the men's gold medal there, beating Argentina 1-0 in the final.

Guadalajara's finals

On 28 May 2017, under the name Estadio Chivas, the ground saw Guadalajara win the Clausura 2017 final: they beat Tigres 2-1 in the second leg, with goals from Alan Pulido and José Juan Vázquez, to take the tie 4-3 on aggregate and claim their twelfth league title. Less than a year later, on 25 April 2018, the renamed Estadio Akron staged the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League final against Toronto FC. The Canadians won 1-2 on the night, the aggregate finished 3-3 and Guadalajara prevailed 4-2 on penalties in front of 36,977 spectators. It was the club's first confederation title since 1962 and earned a place at the 2018 Club World Cup.

Mexico national team and other events

Mexico first played at the stadium on 4 September 2010, losing a friendly 1-2 to Ecuador. They returned on 15 October 2024 to beat the United States 2-0, with goals from Raúl Jiménez and César Huerta, and drew 1-1 with Ecuador on 14 October 2025. The venue has also staged other events: the boxing bout between Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez and John Ryder in May 2023, a concert by The Weeknd in October 2023 and two shows by Shakira in March 2025.

2026 World Cup venue

Guadalajara was one of Mexico's three host cities at the 2026 World Cup. In March that year the stadium hosted two inter-confederation play-off matches: Jamaica beat New Caledonia 1-0 and then lost 1-0 after extra time to DR Congo, who qualified for the tournament. In the group stage it staged four games. On 11 June South Korea beat the Czech Republic 2-1; on 18 June Mexico defeated South Korea 1-0 through a Luis Romo goal to secure first place in Group A; Colombia beat DR Congo 1-0 with a goal from Daniel Muñoz on the second matchday of Group K; and on 26 June 2026 Spain beat Uruguay 1-0 thanks to an Álex Baena goal, a result that knocked the Uruguayans out.