The Superclásico is upon us: How are Boca and River doing, and how to watch

The Superclásico, the clash between Argentine football giants Boca Juniors and River Plate, is set to be played once again on Sunday at the iconic La Bombonera stadium.

First played in 1908, every game adds a chapter to the most heated rivalry in the country, with British football magazine FourFourTwo calling it “the biggest derby in the world.”

Whether you’re hoping to see the game live or on TV, here’s everything you need to know to watch the next Superclásico.

Boca Juniors: On the upswing After an irregular start to the year under Claudio Úbeda, which saw the Xeneize drop out of the Copa Libertadores and a Torneo Apertura round of 16 exit, the team is having a strong second half of the season under new head coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena.

Boca is currently second in the Torneo Clausura Group A with 27 points, leading the Annual Table with 57 points, and remains in contention in the Copa Argentina and the Copa Sudamericana.

A win could not only cement this upswing in form but also virtually confirm the Xeneize’s spot in next year’s Copa Libertadores, leaving the team with a 2-point cushion in the top three of the Annual Table, with just three left to play for.

River Plate: A slow recovery The Millonario is another team trending up, although from a far deeper abyss. River had its worst start to a season since 1911 in the second half of the year under former head coach Eduardo Coudet, racking up five straight defeats in the Torneo Clausura and being eliminated from the Copa Argentina and Copa Sudamericana.

Former player Leonardo Ponzio took over as interim head coach, and the rebuilding has so far trended in the right direction. River has now six wins in its last eight, with a single defeat (2-1 to Huracán).

With nothing left to play for in the season, the Torneo Clausura is River’s biggest shot at a Copa Libertadores berth for 2027. The Millonario will also be aiming to avenge its 1-0 loss to Boca in April.

What time is Boca Juniors vs River Plate? The next Superclásico between Boca and River will be played on Sunday, November 1, at 3:00 p.m., at La Bombonera. 

The match is part of Matchday 15 of the Torneo Clausura, part of the Fecha de los Clásicos, which sees teams go up against their biggest rival in the First Division (or a stand-in team).

The referee for the match will be Nicolás Ramírez. The 39-year-old referee will be officiating his fourth Superclásico, with two wins for River and one for Boca so far.

Watching live at the stadium Boca’s La Bombonera and River’s Monumental stadiums, two of the biggest in Argentina, are almost always packed for the season’s biggest game.

Tickets for fans sell out in the days before the game, as both clubs have massive fan bases and priority systems for allocating tickets. 

For tourists, hotels and tour sites offer tickets and experience packages, although prices can be hefty.

Match-going in Argentina isn’t dangerous, but you have to stay alert for flare-ups and heated arguments.

Watching on TV The second-best option is to watch on TV from the comfort of your home or hotel, or attend a bar that’s showing the game. To watch, you need a subscription to premium channels ESPN Premium and TNT Sports from your cable provider.

If staying put is not an option, several bars across Buenos Aires will be showing the game. Locos x el Fútbol (Las Heras 2101, Recoleta) is one of the city’s biggest sports bars, with several giant screens and lots of football-themed decorations.

For those hoping for a classic pub experience, Sullivan’s (Jorge Luis Borges 1702, Palermo) was the first Irish sports pub established in Palermo and offers a wide selection of beers and foods.

El Banderín (Guardia Vieja 3601, Almagro), one of Buenos Aires’s traditional bars, opened in 1923 and takes its name from the incredible collection of team flags from across the world that adorn its walls.