THE APEX TIMES
El Paso Matachines win MiLB’s 2026 Copa de la Diversión, earning MiLB-wide recognition for Latino fan engagement
Minor League Baseball named the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas as the 2026 winner of its season-long Copa initiative after a Matachines identity campaign built around kermés-style community events.
Minor League Baseball has named the El Paso Matachines, the identity behind the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas’ Copa programming, as the winner of MiLB’s 2026 Copa de la Diversión.
The award was announced during Minor League Baseball’s Fall Business Summit in Louisville, as MiLB continued its season-long event series aimed at expanding connection between MiLB clubs and Latino fans in their local communities.
MiLB said 94 teams participated in Copa in 2026, with El Paso standing out as the top entry in the program’s ninth season.
El Paso’s Copa campaign centered on its Matachines branding, designed to reflect the ritual-dance tradition and the Indigenous, Spanish, and Mexican influences MiLB described as part of the borderland’s cultural fabric.
According to the release, the Chihuahuas worked with local Hispanic-focused community and cultural organizations to develop and promote the Matachines identity, and built each of its seven Matachines home games to feel like a kermés through themed food and beverage, merchandise, giveaways, and partner activations.
MiLB credited El Paso with measurable momentum during Copa nights, including a 27% attendance increase over the prior year, and said Matachines merchandise sold well across the season.
The Chihuahuas’ next step, MiLB reported, is expanding kermés-style community events throughout the year.
Why It Matters
- Copa de la Diversión is one of MiLB’s flagship platforms for building targeted engagement with Latino and Spanish-speaking communities, and El Paso’s win sets a standard for the program’s next cycle.
- MiLB’s description of the Chihuahuas’ campaign emphasizes identity-led ballpark experiences tied to local partnerships, not just one-off theme nights.
- For El Paso, the recognition elevates a franchise branding initiative from an in-market promotion to a league-wide model during MiLB’s business summit season.
- For other MiLB clubs, the announced finalists underscore the competitive field and the range of community approaches being recognized across the league.
Key Facts
- The El Paso Matachines won MiLB’s 2026 Copa de la Diversión.
- The winner was announced during Minor League Baseball’s Fall Business Summit in Louisville.
- MiLB reported that 94 teams participated in Copa in 2026.
- El Paso’s program used a Matachines identity connected to the ritual-dance tradition MiLB says reflects the borderland’s Indigenous, Spanish, and Mexican influences.
- MiLB said El Paso worked with local community and cultural organizations to develop and promote the identity.
- MiLB reported El Paso attendance on Copa nights rose 27% over the prior year, and Matachines merchandise sold out through the season.
- MiLB listed other 2026 Copa finalists including teams such as the Norfolk Tides, Tacoma Rainiers, and Albuquerque Isotopes.