River Plate will host Belgrano at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Córdoba on May 24, 2026 at 2:30 PM in a Liga Profesional fixture billed as the Apertura Tournament final.
Both teams arrive in form and at the top of Clausura Group B: River sit inside the top five and had won three of their last four Liga Profesional matches ahead of the game, while Belgrano — also inside the top five and level with River at the top of the group — had won four of their last five. The Kempes, Argentina’s second largest stadium with a 57,000 capacity, will stage a match that VAVEL framed as carrying more weight than a routine league meeting.
River Plate’s recent run includes 1-0 wins over Rosario Central and a 2-0 win over Gimnasia de La Plata in the Liga Profesional, and a 1-1 draw with Red Bull Bragantino in their most recent outing across all competitions. Across domestic and international play, River arrive on a five-match unbeaten run and had won three of their last five matches, drawing one and losing none.
Belgrano’s path to this day was highlighted in VAVEL by knockout wins over Talleres, Unión and a semifinal passage past Argentinos Juniors on penalties after an injury-time equaliser; earlier knockout wins included a 1-0 round-of-16 victory over Talleres and a 2-0 win over Unión. In the 2023 Copa de la Liga quarterfinal River also beat Belgrano 2-1, with Salomón Rondón and Facundo Colidio scoring for River and Lucas Passerini replying for Belgrano.
The recent head-to-head record, after 44 official First Division matches, is described as favoring River Plate. The clubs met on April 5 in Matchday 13, where River won 3-0 — Tomás Galván scored twice and Facundo Colidio once — and Yael Falcón Pérez was the match official. Falcón Pérez is appointed again for the May 24 fixture; she has previously refereed River in 22 matches, with a River record in those games of nine wins, five draws and eight losses, and she has officiated Belgrano nine times, with three wins and six losses for Belgrano in those matches.
No injury or suspension concerns had been confirmed for either side ahead of the fixture, and no probable lineups were released for River Plate or Belgrano in the Goal.com article previewing the game. Broadcasters listed for US audiences include Fubo and Fanatiz, with Spanish-language coverage available on FOX Deportes and ViX; Fox One was also listed as a broadcast option for the fixture.
The match carries extra narrative weight beyond standings. River reached the final after finishing second in Group B of the Torneo Apertura with 29 points, eliminating San Lorenzo on penalties after a 2-2 draw in extra time in the round of 16, before beating Gimnasia de La Plata 2-0 in the quarterfinals and Rosario Central 1-0 in the semifinals via a penalty by Facundo Colidio. Belgrano’s run featured a dramatic semifinal win on penalties after a stoppage-time equaliser, underscoring their resilience heading into Córdoba.
There is friction beneath the form lines. River’s recent 3-0 April victory and a historical edge in First Division meetings favour Marcelo Gallardo’s side on paper, but Belgrano’s simultaneous run of results and their level position at the top of Clausura Group B make them far from an also‑ran. The referee’s familiarity with both clubs — and the fact Falcón Pérez already took charge of the season’s league meeting between these sides that ended 3-0 for River — adds another variable to a match where fine margins could decide the Apertura title.
The 2024 Superclásico at the Mario Alberto Kempes, remembered for a controversial save associated with the nickname "Chiquito," was also recalled in build-up; when asked about that moment in past coverage, Cristian Romero replied only, "Chiquito." The single practical question left for the reader: can Belgrano convert their recent momentum into a first major scalp of the run that has defined this season against a River side that looks built to close out the kind of matches that matter?
