Mexico's Chivas Will Now Wear Nike; Apertura '26 Jersey Unveiled July 18

Liga MX side Club Deportivo Guadalajara—also known as simply "Chivas"—has announced an exclusive sports sponsor and gear manufacturing deal with NIKE, Inc., bringing an end to the 10-year deal it has with PUMA.

The move arrives a year after the Swoosh ended its storied partnership with the Jalisco-based club's national rivals, Club América, and around the same time Pumas UNAM and the Oregon-headquartered sportswear giant end their relationship. Chivas—which includes women’s and men’s teams, youth academy, Esports team, and technical staff—wearing Nike-branded jerseys, training gear, and other products is a momentous occasion for not only the Mexican club, but also sports in Latin America-at-large.

"Chivas de Guadalajara holds a unique place in football culture defined by its rich history, identity and connection to generations of fans," shared Camilo Andrade, VP/GM, Nike Football. "This partnership represents Nike’s long-term commitment to football in Latin America and a shared vision to build on that foundation while shaping what comes next. Through innovation and by listening to the voice of the athlete, we are focused on supporting the club as it continues to inspire players and communities across Mexico and beyond. This partnership brings together two brands that share a belief in the power of football to create lasting impact on and off the pitch."

Nike's commitment is being touted as Futuro Sagrado.

The "Rebaño Sagrado" has worn many iconic kits throughout its 120-year history and Nike's designs for the club could go down as highly-memorable. What's particularly interesting about the partnership between the Swoosh and Chivas is that it arrives almost 30 years after both institutions first worked together, during the Liga MX Torneo Invierno 1997.

Fresh off winning its 10th league title, Chivas signed a six-year deal with Nike. New kits for the "Rojiblancos" featured the club's iconic vertical stripes all throughout and were well-received by "ChivaHermanos." After just two matches into the winter tournament, however, Chivas and Nike cut ties due to discrepancies that arose as the football organization switched shirt sponsors; Cervecería Cuauhtémoc and Mexicana de Aviación were not too fond of the Swoosh's vision.

The Invierno 1997 Away kit for Chivas was never worn, while the Home shirt was only played in across five matches—two of them official Primera División games.

Some fans of the Chivas Rayadas view a return to Nike as a good omen.

Chivas will debut its Apertura 2026 Home kit against Toluca on Saturday, July 18, in the tournament's home opener. It's likely gear goes on sale then, through Nike.com and Tienda Chivas.

For more news related to "the beautiful game," check out what's new with the adidas F50 franchise.