Abstract: A novel mesoporous Ni-CaO-ZrO₂ catalyst with high surface area and pore volume was prepared by one-pot template-free method and applied in CH₄-CO₂ reforming. The mesoporous Ni-CaO-ZrO₂ catalyst was characterized by means of nitrogen sorption, SEM, TEM, XRD, H₂-TPR and TG-DSC. The results indicated that a strong metal support interaction (SMSI) present in the Ni-CaO-ZrO₂ catalyst induces an intimate contact between Ni and ZrO₂ nano-particles, which is favorable for the surface reaction of adsorbed reactant species for CH₄-CO₂ reforming. Owing to the mesoporous framework and SMSI, the Ni-CaO-ZrO₂ catalyst shows promising activity and stability in CH₄-CO₂ reforming. Most of the carbonaceous deposits on the catalyst surface are in whisker form, which does not cover the active sites and then has little influence on the catalyst stability.