Pachuca is the capital of the state of Hidalgo in central Mexico, about 90 kilometres north of Mexico City. FIFA designated the city as South Africa’s official base camp for the 2026 World Cup.
From Cape Town, Pachuca lies roughly 12,500 kilometres away. A direct flight to Mexico City usually takes 15 to 16 hours; including the ground transfer to Pachuca, total travel time is about 18 hours depending on connections. Ground transfers from Mexico City International Airport (AICM) usually take 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes by highway.
Teams and delegations can also use Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA), about 60–70 kilometres from Pachuca and roughly a one-hour highway transfer. AIFA allows departures and arrivals without entering Mexico City, simplifying logistics for some match travel.
Match logistics listed for June include: June 11 vs. Mexico at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City (Pachuca is 90–100 km away, a roughly 1.5–2 hour car ride); June 18 vs. Czechia in Atlanta (departing from AIFA, a 3.5–4 hour flight to Atlanta with total door-to-door time of about 6–7 hours); and June 24 vs. South Korea in Monterrey (AIFA to Monterrey is about a 1.5 hour flight, with door-to-door times around 4–5 hours).
Pachuca sits at about 2,400 metres above sea level, an altitude noted in the briefing as similar to several areas in South Africa and potentially beneficial for physical adaptation. The climate is temperate with a summer rainy season from June to September: daytime averages run about 18–22°C, highs rarely top 25–30°C, and nights typically fall to 9–12°C. Afternoon and evening showers become more common in July and August.
The city offers high-level sporting infrastructure, which contributed to its selection by FIFA. Estadio Hidalgo, opened in 1993, seats roughly 26,000 and includes standard locker rooms, press facilities and technical areas. The University of Football and Sports Science provides natural and synthetic training fields, gyms, recovery zones and sports medicine and nutrition services.
