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Turlock’s Academica to host Chivas U23 squad this summer
Academica v Chivas

Some of the region’s best young soccer players and the future of one of Mexico’s most storied soccer franchises will come together at Turlock High School’s Joe Debely Stadium this summer for a special exhibition.

On Wednesday, Academica Soccer Club of Turlock announced that they will host the U23 team of Liga MX’s Chivas de Guadalajara (Mexico) for an international friendly on June 7. The Chivas squad, which won the Liga MX’s U23 league, features various players who have represented Mexico in the youth national ranks, including Eduardo Garcia and Leonardo Sepúlveda.

While the historic Mexican organization has visited California cities like San Jose, Sacramento, Santa Clara and Los Angeles in past years, June’s match will mark the first time ever that a Chivas team of any level has visited a city in the 209 area code. The event will also be the first time Turlock’s semi-professional soccer club has hosted a Mexican league team since 2018 when Mexico City’s Club America reserve team came to town for a friendly.

 "This has been years in the making. Ever since we brought Club America's reserve squad in 2018, we knew that at some point Chivas was going to be our next Liga MX side that we would want to bring on over,” explained Academica General Manager Michael Rocha. “I hope the fans come out and pack the stands for this historic night of soccer in the 209.”

Academica and Chivas are scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m.

According to Academica, Turlock High’s Joe Debely stadium was selected to host the game due to the expected size of spectators. The venue holds a capacity of just under 5,000.

“It’s exciting to bring one of the biggest clubs out there to the Central Valley,” said Academica head coach Sergio Sousa. “Obviously, Chivas have a massive fan base here. I hope to see a lot of people at the match so we can showcase our talent to more people.”

Tickets are on sale now at www.AcademicaSC.com. General Admission tickets are $20 during online presale and $25 at the door. Groups of 10 can currently buy a general admission package for $150. A limited number of VIP, field level seating are also available for $50. Additionally, 2024 Season Passes are valid for the match. Passes are available to purchase for $65 for adults and $30 for children.