El Clásico de México puts Arizona in international spotlight as Club América faces Chivas

The exhibition game was played at State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals. While no trophies were on the line, fans showed up in full team colors, fiercely cheering on their sides and transforming the usual red sea into a vibrant display of different colors.

Fans come dressed not only in typical jerseys but also paint their faces, wear masks and wigs, and don classic Mexican attire. Luchador masks are a staple, and fans bring horns and noisemakers to make their support heard. It’s almost as if the crowd was copied and pasted from Mexico to Arizona, but it’s not.

These are fans who live in Arizona just as passionate, taking advantage of every opportunity to see a game from their country.

Soccer, or fútbol, is a staple in Mexico. The fans are passionate as every game is played not only for a win in the books, but also for pride. For many first- and second-generation Mexican Americans, the match was more than an exhibition. It was a piece of culture brought stateside.

Arizona is home to many Mexicans and Mexican Americans, so when there is an opportunity to watch a Mexican-based team, the games fill.

The match also highlighted Liga MX’s growing ambitions to become more marketable outside Mexico, especially by bringing a popular rivalry to the United States. Targeting states with the most passionate soccer markets, like Arizona, helps reinforce interest in the sport.

El Clásico also comes a few months before the FIFA World Cup, which begins in the summer of 2026. The U.S., Mexico and Canada are set to host the prestigious soccer tournament. In a way, the exhibition match serves as a preview of what fans may see next summer, as some players on Club América and Chivas could represent their respective countries in the tournament.

Despite the match ending in a 1-1 draw, the passion and turnout for El Clásico de México may have cemented it as a cross-border cultural event and could return to Arizona again soon.