One of the biggest rivalries in all of sports kicks off on Sunday.
El Clásico, the heated battle between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, has fuel added to the fire this time around.
To start, Barcelona clinched the La Liga championship this spring after defeating its Spanish foe. Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres each scored a goal en route to the 2-0 victory. It was the first time in the 100-year history of the rivalry that a club won the league championship as a result of the match.
The 2026 World Cup created added excitement for the sport across the world. Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé shone bright for France and won the tournament's Golden Boot, given to the player who scored the most goals. FC Barcelona's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal won the World Cup with
Spain. He did not play in this spring's El Clásico due to injury, but is expected in this fixture. He has a budding rivalry with England and Real Madrid rising star Jude Bellingham.
A bonus for this weekend's fixture is that FC Barcelona continues its kit series with Spotify. After collaborations with Drake, the Rolling Stones and Rosalía, this game will feature jerseys designed by the multi-talented Tyler, The Creator.
What is El Clásico?
El Clásico is a soccer match between rival clubs Real Madrid and FC Barcelona that has a rich history. The two Spanish teams first faced off in 1902, the year that Real Madrid was established. The first several years, the match was considered a friendly since there was little structure around the sport.
In 1929, La Liga was formed and the game took on extra importance. Real Madrid had the biggest win in the rivalry's history when, in the 1943 Copa Del Rey, they beat Barça 11-1.
There have been several matches that ended 5-0 or had a goal differential of five, which was celebrated with the term "La Manita." The phrase translates to "little hand" in English and each goal represents a finger. Johan Cruyff, Zamorano, Romário, Gerard Pique and Iván Zamorano are among the players who made statements in such matches.
Lionel Messi, playing for Barça, and Cristiano Ronaldo, playing for Real Madrid, boosted the rivalry further. They faced off not only in La Liga matches, but the Copa del Rey, Champions League and the Super Cup.
The series is currently tied with both teams capturing 106 wins and 52 matches ending in a draw.
When is El Clásico?
- Time: 4 p.m. ET
- Date: Sunday, Oct. 25
- Location: Camp Nou, FC Barcelona's home stadium
How to watch El Clásico Real Madrid vs. FC Barcelona
For the first time, El Clásico will air on ABC.
Manny de la Fe, vice president of production for ESPN Global Event & Studio Production, said that this summer's World Cup gave the network reason to make the decision.
"I think it's the prime time to be able to have an El Clásico on ABC," he said, "to reach a broader audience across the country and show them what these two teams put on."
- TV: ABC
- Stream: ESPN+
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When is El Clásico? How to watch rivalry match between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona
