Stadiums Built Over Ancient Ruins and Historic Landmarks
7. Estadio Azteca – Mexico City, Mexico
Estadio Azteca is not only one of the most iconic football stadiums in the world, but it also sits at the heart of a city layered with centuries of history. Though no direct evidence has been uncovered beneath the stadium, historians strongly suspect that it lies near an ancient Aztec tlachtli ballcourt—a playing field for Mesoamerican ball games that predate modern football by over a thousand years. Tlachtli was a deeply ritualistic sport played by Aztecs and earlier civilizations like the Maya and Olmecs. Unlike today’s football matches, which are purely for entertainment, tlachtli often carried high-stakes religious and political significance. Some evidence suggests that losing teams—or at least their captains—were sacrificed to the gods as part of ritual ceremonies. The stadium’s proximity to Tenochtitlán, the ancient Aztec capital, means it likely occupies ground that was once a hub of ceremonial and sporting activity. Built Over: An Ancient Aztec Ballcourt?
