TThe friendly match between Mexico and Portugal, scheduled for March 28, 2026, was not just an international match. There was something about it that made it feel big from the start, something that slowly built up anticipation.
The match marks the official reopening of one of world football’s most iconic venues, now known as Estadio Banorte (previously known as Estadio Azteca).
Anticipation began to build from the moment it was announced. For months, the possibility of seeing Cristiano Ronaldo in Mexico has been talked about, leading to demand for tickets to the point of selling out and resale at sky-high prices.
When did your perception of the game change?
Why is there a friendly match between Mexico and Portugal?
However, that perception of the match changed when it was announced that Ronaldo would not take part in the match due to a right hamstring injury and would be removed from the squad. Its influence went beyond the lineup and rapidly changed the way the event was perceived.
The change was immediately visible in resale. Tickets were reaching about 8,000 pesos (about 470 USD) in the upper section and started closer to 2,000 pesos (about 120 USD). The VIP area, which used to cost close to 100,000 pesos (about 5,800 USD), has dropped to about 30,000 pesos (about 1,700 USD), depending on availability.
The drop in resale prices revealed how much of the scale of the event was tied to the expectation of seeing Cristiano Ronaldo, and that while the event remained important, it no longer attracted the same level of demand.
