Guadalajara has closed its FIFA World Cup 2026 chapter in style, hosting four group-stage matches at near-full capacity and cementing its status as one of football's most storied tournament cities.

A record attendance and a royal visit

Guadalajara Stadium, located in the suburb of Zapopan, drew an average crowd of 45,233 across its four fixtures — equal to 99.1% of its tournament capacity. The venue's final match, played on 26 June, saw Spain defeat Uruguay 1-0 in a tense Group H decider watched by a crowd of 45,065, among them Spain's King Felipe VI.

That result lifted Guadalajara's all-time FIFA World Cup match tally to 21, the second-highest of any city in the world. Only Mexico City has staged more. Crucially, both cities now share a distinction no other has matched: hosting the FIFA World Cup on three separate occasions.

A tournament full of landmark moments

Guadalajara's involvement in FIFA World Cup 2026 began even before the opening whistle. In March, the city staged two inter-confederation play-off matches that sent DR Congo to the finals for the first time in 52 years — when they last participated, they competed as Zaire.

On 11 June, the tournament's opening day, Korea Republic produced a comeback 2-1 victory over Czechia at Guadalajara Stadium, with Oh Hyeon-gyu netting the decisive goal in the 80th minute.

A week later, on 18 June, Mexico played a FIFA World Cup match in Guadalajara for the very first time. El Tri's 1-0 win over Korea Republic secured top spot in Group A and made Mexico the first nation to advance to the round of 32.

DR Congo returned to the venue on 23 June to face Colombia, but fortune did not favour them this time. Daniel Muñoz's goal midway through the second half gave Colombia a 1-0 victory and a place in the round of 32.

Three tournaments, three stadiums, decades of history

Guadalajara's FIFA World Cup legacy stretches back over half a century. The city hosted eight matches at the Estadio Jalisco during the 1970 tournament, a run that included Brazil's semi-final victory over Uruguay. In 1986, both the Jalisco and the Estadio Tres de Marzo hosted games, with West Germany's 2-0 semi-final defeat of France among the defining moments.

Although the stadium has gone quiet, the celebrations are not over. Guadalajara's FIFA Fan Festival at the Plaza de la Liberación remains open — free of charge — until the tournament final on 19 July.