Fiel a la Bahía: 49ers takeover appears likely in Mexico City originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Fiel a la Bahía. Faithful to the Bay.
It’s a phrase that isn’t taken lightly by 49ers fans not just in the Bay Area, but around the world.
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That’s become evident south of the U.S. border as the 49ers get ready for their Week 11 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals in Mexico City on Monday Night Football.
The game will be played at Estadio Azteca as a neutral venue, but Arizona technically is the “home team.”
A history of the NFL abroad
American football continues international circuit in Mexico City on Monday night.
However, the 49ers Faithful will make up 82 percent of the crowd in the capital of Mexico, per the latest Vivid Seats projection.
The massive multi-purpose stadium has a capacity of 87,523. Estadio Azteca sits at 7,200 feet above sea level, higher than any other NFL stadium.
The NFL quickly has grown into Mexico’s second-most-popular sport, behind the other fútbol, or soccer.
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San Francisco played the Cardinals in Mexico City back on Oct. 2, 2005, which was the NFL's first regular-season game ever played outside of the U.S. The Cardinals came away with a 31-14 victory in that matchup 17 years ago.
On the 49ers' official schedule for the 2022 NFL season, they have nine actual home games listed. But the 49ers Faithful is ready to make Monday their 10th in the fifth-largest city in the world.
¡Vamos, 49ers!
