Ordered mesoporous alumina facilely synthesized via improved evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) strategy was provided with large specific surface area, big pore volume, uniform pore size and excellent thermal stability. The obtained mesoporous material was used as the carrier of the Ni based catalysts for carbon dioxide reforming of methane. These mesoporous catalysts performed high catalytic activity and long stability. Typically, the catalytic conversions of the CH4 and CO2 were greatly close to the equilibrium conversion and no deactivation was observed during the 100 h long lifetime test. The advantageous structural properties of ordered mesoporous alumina contributed to high dispersion of the Ni particles among the mesoporous framework, which further accounted for the good catalytic activity due to more "accessible" Ni active sites for the reactants. The "confinement effect" of the mesopores could effectively prevent the thermal sintering of the Ni nanoparticles to some extent, committed to its long-term catalytic stability. Besides, the mesoporous catalysts possessed enhanced ability to withstand coke, although not any modifiers had been added. Properties of the coke over the mesoporous catalyst were also carefully investigated. Therefore, the ordered mesoporous alumina was a promising catalyst support for the carbon dioxide reforming with methane. Copyright (C) 2012, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.