U de Chile and Colo Colo Meet in Chile's 200th Superclasico This Sunday at Estadio Nacional

Two hundred chapters later, the story is still just as wide open. This Sunday at 3:00 p.m. at Estadio Nacional, Universidad de Chile and Colo Colo will play the 200th edition of the Superclasico in Chilean soccer, this time in matchday 20 of the 2026 Liga de Primera. And as always when these two meet, the outcome of a single game can carry far more weight than three points.

The round number invites a look back. It all began on June 9, 1935, with a 3-2 win for Colo Colo, though the first match considered official wasn't played until August 7, 1938, and ended in a lopsided 6-0 win for the Whites, still the biggest rout in the derby's history. La U got its symbolic payback on April 29, 2012, thrashing Colo Colo 5-0 in the Torneo de Apertura with goals from Marcelo Diaz, a brace from Matias Rodriguez, Igor Lichnovsky and Angelo Henriquez, in a year that would end with the club crowned national tricampeon.

The all-time record in Chile's top flight shows Colo Colo as the clear dominant force: 90 wins to 51 for La U, with 58 draws in between. The goal difference also favors the Whites, 329 to 244. Two names still refuse to fade: Esteban Paredes and Carlos Campos share the crown as the derby's all-time top scorers with 16 goals each, while goalkeeper Misael Escuti holds the record for most appearances in the fixture, with 37 matches played.

But there's a separate chapter that has recently favored the Chuncho: direct title deciders. Of the seven finals the two clubs have played against each other across the Campeonato Nacional, Copa Chile and Supercopa, La U has won four. The most recent came in the 2025 Supercopa, a 3-0 rout at Santa Laura built on goals from Matias Sepulveda, Nicolas Guerra and Lucas Assadi. Before that, La U had celebrated in the 1959 Torneo Nacional playoff, the 1979 Copa Chile and the penalty shootout decider of the 2015 Copa Chile, with Johnny Herrera the hero from the spot. Colo Colo, for its part, prevailed in the 1940 Apertura, in the historic 2006 Apertura decider (with Claudio Bravo's unforgettable save and Miguel Aceval's goal) and in the 2019 Copa Chile, played in Temuco.

The most recent meeting came on March 1 of this year, when La U took a 1-0 win at Estadio Monumental thanks to a goal from Matias Zaldivia, a result La U will now look to repeat as it tries to close the gap on the league leaders.

A Player's Perspective

Nicolas Ramirez, a Universidad de Chile defender, spoke about the upcoming match and made clear that the week's preparation was centered on the details.

It's a special week, where we're trying to stay very positive, put even more energy into things, focus on every detail and above all bring the positive energy toward the result we want, in a match as important as Sunday's.Nicolas Ramirez

The defender also stressed the need to maintain the level shown in recent matches and not let up against a rival that's arriving hungry.

It's a rival hungry to win, but we have to show twice that hunger. The most important thing is to maintain our good level, improve it, focus on what's in our hands, perform well and pick up the points to reach our goal.Nicolas Ramirez

He also didn't overlook the home crowd factor, something that's never minor in a clasico of this magnitude.

I think we have the privilege of playing in front of fans who drive us forward, who cheer us on, and the stadium is going to look beautiful on Sunday.Nicolas Ramirez

Matchday 20 doesn't end with the Superclasico. Friday's action opens with Audax Italiano hosting Union La Calera at the Bicentenario in La Florida. On Saturday, Huachipato welcomes Deportes Limache and Universidad Catolica takes on Nublense at Claro Arena. On Sunday, before the big showdown in Nunoa, Deportes La Serena will host Cobresal and Deportes Concepcion will face Coquimbo Unido, while at night O'Higgins takes on Palestino. The round wraps up Monday with Everton hosting Universidad de Concepcion at Sausalito.