The Chivas game everyone is searching for is the Clásico Nacional — Club América vs. Chivas de Guadalajara, Matchday 9 of the Liga MX 2026 Apertura, played overnight on September 19–20, 2026, at Estadio Banorte in Mexico City. With the two giants separated by a single point at the top of the standings and a live audience spiking across the United States, this edition of Mexico’s fiercest rivalry is one of the most-watched Chivas games of the season.
This complete match-day guide covers the Chivas game kickoff time in every timezone, how to watch in the US and Mexico, ticket information, team form, head-to-head stats, players to watch, and the story of the club — plus quick answers to the questions fans are asking most.
Chivas Game: Key Facts at a Glance
- Match: Club América vs. Chivas (Clásico Nacional)
- Competition: Liga MX 2026 Apertura, Matchday 9
- Date: Saturday night, September 19–20, 2026
- Venue: Estadio Banorte, Mexico City
- Kickoff (per OneFootball’s preview): 9:00 PM Central Mexico time — 11:15 PM ET / 8:15 PM PT on Saturday; 4:15 AM Sunday in the UK
- Watch in the US: TUDN USA, Univisión Deportes, VIX Premium
- Watch in Mexico: Canal 5, TUDN, Layvtime
- Latest from the game: Live coverage had Chivas leading 2–0 in the second half at the time of writing — check an official live score for the confirmed final result
What Is the Chivas Game? The Clásico Nacional Explained
The Clásico Nacional (“National Classic”) is the name given to every meeting between Club América and Chivas de Guadalajara — the two most successful and most popular clubs in Mexican football. The two sides, described by US coverage as sharing “the distinction of being the two most successful teams in the Mexican first division,” are also the only two clubs that have been in Mexico’s top flight since the very beginning, having never been relegated.
The meetings, often called Super Clásicos, are played at least twice a year — once per short tournament (Apertura and Clausura) — and each one is treated as a national event. The rivalry goes beyond the pitch: América, based in Mexico City and backed by enormous corporate power, are cast as the establishment club; Chivas, from Guadalajara, are the people’s team, with an all-Mexican squad policy that makes them a symbol of national pride.
This weekend’s Chivas game carried extra weight: the pair jostled for top spot in the Liga MX 2026 Apertura, with Chivas second on 17 points and América one point behind with a game in hand, according to OneFootball’s match preview. That is why “chivas” and “chivas game” surged on Google Trends in the US — a top-of-the-table Clásico Nacional on a Saturday night is appointment viewing for millions of fans on both sides of the border.
Chivas Game Kickoff Time: When and Where
The Chivas game was scheduled for Saturday night, September 19, 2026, kicking off at 9:00 PM Central Mexico time at Estadio Banorte in Mexico City, the home of Club América. For viewers elsewhere, OneFootball’s preview listed the kickoff as 11:15 PM Eastern Time (ET) / 8:15 PM PT on Saturday night, and 4:15 AM Sunday in the United Kingdom.
A separate matchday-nine fixtures guide listed América vs. Chivas as the round’s closing fixture on Saturday at 21:00 Mexico time — so if you set an alarm for the Clásico Nacional, Saturday night is the night, spilling into the early hours of Sunday for East Coast and European viewers. Because this is a live, developing story, kickoff times for future Chivas games should always be confirmed against the club’s official schedule or Liga MX listings before matchday.
How to Watch the Chivas Game: TV and Streaming in the US
Fans in the United States had several ways to watch the Chivas game, all in Spanish-language coverage. Per OneFootball’s preview and the matchday-nine fixtures guide:
- TUDN USA — the primary US broadcaster for the Clásico Nacional
- Univisión Deportes — listed in the fixtures guide alongside TUDN
- VIX Premium — the streaming option for the US audience
In Mexico, the match aired on Canal 5, TUDN, and Layvtime. For the next Chivas game, the pattern usually holds: Liga MX rights in the US are split between TUDN/Univision platforms and streaming services, so checking TUDN’s schedule on matchday morning is the safest move. Many fans also follow minute-by-minute live blogs — VAVEL ran a live English-language broadcast of this Clásico Nacional, and BolaVIP carried live second-half updates.
Tip for US viewers: because kickoff lands late on Saturday night (11:15 PM ET), many bars in cities with large Mexican communities — Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Dallas, New York — screen the Clásico Nacional live. Arrive early; the biggest screen in the house fills up fast for this fixture.
Chivas Game Tickets: How Fans Get Into the Stadium
Tickets for a Chivas game at the Clásico Nacional level are among the hottest in North American club football. For this edition, América were the home side at Estadio Banorte, so tickets were sold through the club’s official channels and its authorized ticketing partners in Mexico.
If you are planning to attend a future Chivas game — home matches are played at Estadio Akron in Zapopan, Guadalajara — here is how it generally works:
- Buy from official channels: Chivas and América both sell through their official websites and authorized ticketing partners. Avoid unofficial resellers, especially for the Clásico Nacional, where counterfeit risk is highest.
- Buy early for the Clásico: América vs. Chivas and Chivas vs. América routinely sell out. General sale for rivalry games can vanish within hours.
- Membership and presales: Both clubs run membership/affiliate programs that unlock presale windows — worth joining if you attend more than one Chivas game per season.
- US-based fans: For Chivas games played in the United States (friendlies, Leagues Cup, or tours), tickets typically go through the host stadium’s official seller — for example, past US fixtures have been sold via the venue’s own site.
Ticket prices for the Clásico Nacional vary widely by section and demand; for an exact figure, always check the official seller on the week of the game rather than trusting third-party listings.
Chivas Form: Gabriel Milito’s Team Arrives in Rhythm
Chivas arrived at the Clásico Nacional in arguably the better form of the two sides. After an inconsistent opening to the campaign, Gabriel Milito’s team responded with back-to-back victories over Atlético de San Luis and Pumas, per OneFootball’s preview — and live coverage noted the squad had “left their shaky start behind” and was “once again showing the solidity and dynamism that have characterized Milito’s tenure.”
The underlying numbers back up the momentum story. Across their recent run, Chivas carried a two-match winning streak, with four wins and no defeats in their recent match history, plus one draw (per Tips.GG’s form data). Their last-10 record stood at 6 wins, 3 draws and just 1 defeat, averaging 1.8 goals per game (per Nostrabet’s statistical rundown).
And the live blog told the story of the night: with the second half underway in Mexico City, Chivas led Club América 2–0, continuing to threaten from crosses and looking every inch the team in rhythm. Santiago Sandoval was among the Chivas names featuring in live updates, and Daniel Aguirre’s 50th-minute yellow card showed the visitors were not backing down physically either. Chivas, per the live coverage, were “looking to maintain their perfect run against América.”
Club América Form: Guillermo Almada Under Pressure
Club América’s form going into the Chivas game was a tale of two narratives. On paper, the league record looked strong: per Americayya.net (via OneFootball), América had started brightly with five wins, one draw and one defeat, sitting one point behind Chivas with a game in hand — despite their reinforcements arriving late in the window.
But the live-match coverage painted a darker picture: América had lost the momentum that had fans excited at the start of Guillermo Almada’s tenure, coming into the Clásico off three consecutive defeats, including their recent Leagues Cup results, with Almada having already suffered a loss against Cruz Azul. Against that backdrop, BolaVIP’s live blog framed the night as potentially “a decisive moment in his relationship with one of the country’s most demanding fan bases.”
América’s probable lineup, per OneFootball’s preview, had Rodolfo Cota in goal; a back line of Israel Reyes (right), Cristian Borja (left), and a central pairing of Ramón Juárez with a potential debut for Santiago Mingo; a midfield of Ícaro da Conceicao partnering Erick Sánchez with Raphael Veiga ahead; and a front three of Brian Rodríguez (left), Alejandro Zendejas (right) and Miguel Borja through the middle. Dagoberto Espinoza and Kevin Álvarez were listed as injury doubts. Live updates showed Almada turning to his bench early in the second half, with Erick Sánchez and Oscar Perea introduced around the 52nd minute.
Their last-10 numbers (per Nostrabet) were formidable on paper: 7 wins, 2 draws, 1 defeat, averaging 2.2 goals per game — which is exactly why bookmakers gave América a 42% win probability against Chivas’s 36%, with a 28% chance of the draw.
América vs. Chivas Head-to-Head Record
The Clásico Nacional head-to-head is one of the most-played rivalries in the Americas, with hundreds of chapters stretching back decades. Zooming in on recent history, Nostrabet’s statistical rundown of the 18 previous meetings over the last four years shows:
- Club América wins: 9
- Chivas wins: 5
- Draws: 4
- Last meeting: February 15, 2026 — Chivas won 1–0
- Goals: América averaged 2.2 goals per game across their last 10; Chivas 1.8
- Betting line for this game: Over 2.5 goals priced at 1.82 (55% implied probability)
That February 1–0 Chivas victory is the recent psychological edge — and with Chivas leading 2–0 in the second half of this edition at the time of writing, the visitors were on course to extend their “perfect run against América” in 2026. For the full statistical breakdown, see Nostrabet’s Club América vs. Guadalajara Chivas prediction page.
Chivas Players to Watch
Beyond the starting elevens, a few names defined this Chivas game:
- Santiago Sandoval (Chivas) — featured prominently in live coverage of the Clásico Nacional, part of the attack that had América under pressure from crosses all night.
- Roberto Alvarado (Chivas) — the late-game hero of Chivas’s recent history, having sealed a 1–0 win over FC Juárez with a 96th-minute winner earlier in the 2026 season.
- Raphael Veiga (América) — the creative hub tipped to play ahead of the midfield in América’s probable XI, the man tasked with unlocking Chivas.
- Miguel Borja (América) — the center-forward leading the line, flanked by Brian Rodríguez and Alejandro Zendejas.
- Rodolfo Cota (América) — the veteran goalkeeper standing between Chivas’s in-form attack and the net.
For minute-by-minute action from the night, VAVEL’s América vs. Chivas live blog and BolaVIP’s live second-half updates carried the game as it happened.
The Story of Chivas: Club Deportivo Guadalajara
To understand why a Chivas game moves millions of searches, you have to know the club’s story. Club Deportivo Guadalajara — universally known as Chivas (“Goats”) or El Rebaño Sagrado (The Sacred Flock) — is one of the oldest and most decorated clubs in Mexican football. (For a lighter date-driven celebration guide, see our Dolly Parton Day piece.)
- Founded: May 8, 1906, by Belgian shopkeeper Edgar Everaert as Unión Football Club; renamed Guadalajara in 1908
- Home: Estadio Akron, Zapopan (Guadalajara metropolitan area), capacity 46,600
- The all-Mexican policy: Chivas is the only club in Mexico that fields exclusively Mexican players (or those of Mexican descent) — a stance adopted in the professional era that remains central to the club’s pride and popularity
- Titles: 12 Liga MX championships, 4 Copa MX titles, 7 Campeón de Campeones, 1 Supercopa MX, and 2 CONCACAF Champions titles; runners-up in the 2010 Copa Libertadores
- Records: one of seven Mexican clubs never relegated; holds the league record of eight consecutive wins to start a season (Bicentenario 2010)
- Popularity: a 2016 study found Guadalajara the most-supported club in Mexico with 44.2% of supporters; Forbes’ 2020 valuation ranked it the league’s most valuable club at approximately $311.5 million, sixth in the Americas
The nickname “Chivas” itself began as an insult — a 1948 newspaper headline mocked the team as goats after a win over Tampico — and the fans embraced it so completely that it became the club’s identity. The red-and-white stripes and blue shorts nod to the club’s unusual origins: founded by French and Belgian emigrants, with colors honoring France’s tricolor and the flag of Bruges.
That identity — 100% Mexican, forever the people’s club — is why every Chivas game, and especially every Clásico Nacional, feels bigger than football. For the full club history, see the C.D. Guadalajara profile.
Chivas Game FAQs
When is the next Chivas game?
The Chivas game everyone searched for was the Clásico Nacional against Club América, played overnight September 19–20, 2026 (Liga MX 2026 Apertura, Matchday 9). For the next fixture after that, check Chivas’s official schedule or Liga MX listings — the Apertura regular season continues through the autumn, with the return Clásico scheduled in the Clausura tournament.
What time did the Chivas game kick off?
Kickoff was 9:00 PM Central Mexico time on Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 11:15 PM ET / 8:15 PM PT on Saturday night, and 4:15 AM Sunday in the UK, per OneFootball’s match preview.
How can I watch the Chivas game in the USA?
In the United States, the Clásico Nacional aired on TUDN USA and Univisión Deportes, with streaming on VIX Premium. Liga MX rights in the US generally sit with TUDN/Univision platforms, so check TUDN’s schedule on matchday for future Chivas games.
Where was the Chivas game played?
At Estadio Banorte in Mexico City, the home stadium of Club América. Chivas’s own home ground is Estadio Akron in Zapopan, Guadalajara (capacity 46,600).
What is the score of the Chivas game?
At the time of writing, live coverage had Chivas leading Club América 2–0 in the second half. Because this is a developing story, confirm the final score on an official live-score source or the clubs’ verified channels.
What is the Clásico Nacional?
The Clásico Nacional is the rivalry match between Club América and Chivas de Guadalajara — the two most successful clubs in Mexican football, both ever-present in the top flight since the league’s founding. They meet at least twice a year, once per tournament.
Why is Chivas called Chivas?
“Chivas” means “goats” in Spanish. The nickname started as a mocking 1948 newspaper headline after Chivas beat Tampico, and the fans adopted it as a badge of honor. The club is also known as El Rebaño Sagrado (The Sacred Flock).
Final Whistle
The September 2026 Chivas game will be remembered as a top-of-the-table Clásico Nacional — the night Mexico’s biggest rivalry doubled as a title-race showdown, with Chivas arriving in rhythm under Gabriel Milito and América fighting to steady Guillermo Almada’s project. Whether you watched on TUDN in the US, on Canal 5 in Mexico, or followed the live blogs into the early hours, this was the Chivas game of the Apertura so far.
Bookmark this page for the next Chivas game: kickoff times, TV channels, and ticket guides will be updated as the 2026 Apertura season unfolds.
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