Soccer Across the Border: Ultimate Fan Guide to FC Juarez Matches

By Alberto Urueta

With the new year behind us and January almost half way through the start of the Liga MX and Liga MX Femenil is here! Many El Pasoans love supporting the Locomotives but have yet to venture out to Estadio Olimpico Benito Juarez to see the Bravos take on a Liga MX rival. Having grown up a fan of Los Indios de Juarez, which played in the First Division from 2008-2011, I have been attending Bravos matches since they were taking on the Dorados of Sinaloa coached by the late Diego Armando Maradona. As a frequent flier here's why you should buy season tickets and start attending these matches across the border with me.

The pro level soccer alone should draw your eyes towards the Bravos. Teams like America, Chivas, Rayados, Tigres, and Cruz Azul all come to the Borderland to compete. Players like Andre-Pierre Gignac, Cesar Huerta, Henry Martin and Uriel Atuna can all be seen at Estadio Olimpico. Lots of talent travels to the area and seeing them is easier than one might think.

The team provides a free bus service from Paseo del Norte International Bridge that I always use to facilitate everything for myself on gameday. To take advantage, I park at a city lot just across the bridge and ride the bus roundtrip to the stadium. The brand new Sprinter Vans with team decals really helps you lock in and get game ready. I also usually grab the first bus back to the bridge to avoid the surge of people at the bridge. After the final whistle you can see significant wait times even at the pedestrian crossing. The free bus is even better when coupled with the overall great prices.

The Bravas fans can take advantage of a season ticket prices that start at 350 pesos, or around $20.. A large amount of high quality seats remain despite being one game into the season and this is where you get the most bang for your buck. Bravas host Chivas, Santos, Mazatlan, Atlas, Xolos, Toluca, Monterrey, and the reigning champs America. When you do the math and realize eight home matches for just twenty dollars, paying just $2.50 per match is an absolute steal. The proof is in the pudding there, I usually like to get some tacos outside the stadium, and then a burger and soda inside. The burger runs you 150 Pesos which is roughly $9 and a $2 dollar soda. I truly am a kid in a candy shop at that point. The Bravas games are smaller in scale and only one side of the stadium gets opened and are more of a family-friendly environment. You see more kids and couples who are looking to enjoy some high level soccer.

The Bravos season ticket prices are a different story but the spectacle that is game day makes up for it. The starting price for a season ticket is roughly $120 ($1995.00 Pesos) in the South goal. The North goal shoots up to roughly $130 ($2160.00 Pesos), which is not a bad price for nine home games that you get. The hardest thing to overcome there in my opinion would be the cement bleachers you sit in. Season seats parallel to the benches range from $215 to $365 . Even the steepest price is worth it when you factor in the seats you’ll get and the view during the game. The price breakdown for the highest tier of season tickets is $40 a game, a great deal considering the high level soccer.

All the concessions at the men’s games are taken to another level. everything from Wendy's to mixed drinks is being offered to you during the entire game and you rarely have to move. I usually go for a double decker Wendys burger and a soda for around $15 in total. I never leave a game unsatisfied or disappointed.

Last season the Bravos opened the season with a comeback win against eventual champions America. Through seven games, the Bravos were competitive. They had accumulated fourteen points and were playoff contenders. It seemed to be working out like a dream season until the last ten matches where the Bravos only managed to win one and miss the playoffs. This only leads me to believe that the right parts are there for the team, it's just about finding a way to put it together during the entire season and through the playoffs.

Hopefully I see some of our listeners at the games this coming season!