Roberto Alvarado of Chivas fights for the ball with Gilberto Sepulveda and Diego Valdez of America during the semifinals first leg match between Chivas and America as part of the Torneo Clausura 2024 Liga MX at Akron Stadium on May 15, 2024 in Zapopan, Mexico. (Simon Barber / Getty Images)
There’s nothing more emblematic of Mexicans’ passion for soccer than when its two major teams go toe-to-toe on the pitch.
Fans of the sport will get a chance to catch their favorite teams, las Águilas del América and las Chivas de Guadalajara, when they play el clásico de clásicos in Arizona this fall.
On Tuesday, the teams announced they’d bring their decades-long rivalry to the State Farm Stadium field in Glendale, Arizona, on Oct. 11, just as summer’s extreme heat starts to dissipate in the Valley.
"After almost a decade without coming to Phoenix, we are very happy to return to play El Clásico de México,” Javier Mier, sporting director of Guadalajara, said in a statement. The last time el Rebaño Sagrado played in Phoenix was in 2016 in a match against Pachuca.
“To do it in a game of this magnitude, and to meet again with our fans in the U.S., fills us with pride and motivates us to the maximum,” Mier said.
While this game will coincide with the Liga MX 2025-26 season, it will not be a part of the regular match days for the tournament.
The last and only time the clásico has been played in Arizona was in Oct. 2006, one of the earliest events ever hosted in the venue, which was inaugurated in August of that year.
“It is very important for the Club (América) to continue playing high-level matches on U.S. soil, while encouraging our loyal fans to maintain a special connection with Mexico and with the most successful team in the region, las Águilas,” Héctor González Iñárritu, president of operations for Club América said in a statement.
In addition to the much-anticipated match, a full-day, pre-game fan experience is also in the works, as organizers expect tens of thousands of fans to show up on game day.
“Working with the two most popular teams in Liga MX, Club América and Chivas de Guadalajara, is a privilege. We’re excited to bring this event to State Farm Stadium and give the passionate fútbol fans of Arizona a chance to cheer on their heroes in person,” said Jon Sheiman, senior vice-president at Unified Events.
Tickets for the match are expected to go on sale on Aug. 28 at 10 a.m. A presale will be made available on Aug. 26 to all who register at https://statefarmstadium.aidaform.com/clasico-de-mexico.
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