Sunday, October 25 | 6:00 p.m. PT
🏟 | BMO Stadium - Los Angeles, CA
đź–Ą | WATCH:Â Apple TV |Â Coupang Play (Korea), SpoTV (Korea), Local Bar Partners
đź“» | LISTEN:Â 710 AM ESPN, ESPN LA App, SiriusXM FC 157, KFWB 980 AM La Mera Mera (Spanish), & KYPA 1230 AM (Korean)
LAFC hosts the Galaxy at BMO Stadium on Sunday evening in a high-stakes, late-season derby match, featured in prime time on Apple TV’s Sunday Night Soccer.
Considered Major League Soccer’s fiercest rivalry, the LAFC-Galaxy matchup dates back to 2018, LAFC’s first year in MLS, and is currently tied across all competitions, with each club having 10 wins.
LAFC enters the 28th edition of “El Trafico” with three games remaining in its 2026 regular season and in sixth place in the Western Conference standings with a record of 12W-9L-10D. The Galaxy are in eighth place at 10W-11L-10D. With a win, LAFC can seal its spot in next month’s MLS Cup Playoffs. The Black & Gold could also qualify for the playoffs with a tie or even a loss, but would need other MLS results to fall its way this weekend.
LAST TIME
Only three months have passed since LAFC defeated the Galaxy 3-0 in Carson, but it seems like forever. It was both clubs’ first MLS match following the lengthy FIFA World Cup break, and it saw LAFC star Son Heung-Min score in his first LA derby appearance, a 57th-minute finish from 18 yards out that provided LAFC’s third and final goal in the shutout win. The match also saw Denis Bouanga score in his seventh straight match against LAFC’s top rival. Bouanga’s second-half penalty that night was his eleventh goal against the Galaxy, more than he’s scored against any other MLS opponent except San Jose (also 11 goals). Only LAFC legend Carlos Vela (12 goals) has more goals in this series, for either team, than Bouanga.
Yevhen Cheberko made his debut for LAFC in the July matchup in Carson, starting at left back and holding his own against speedy Galaxy winger Joseph Paintsil during his 75-minute shift. Cheberko has started every match since, manning multiple positions as LAFC’s roster has churned due to injuries, transfers, and international play.
LAFC’s win over the Galaxy on July 17 improved its record to 8W-5L-3D. Since then, the Black & Gold has gone 4W-4L-7D in MLS play, a substandard run that contributed to the club’s decision to replace head coach Marc Dos Santos with interim head coach Xavi Tamarit. In Tamarit’s three games in charge, LAFC is unbeaten, tying Vancouver 1-1 at home, defeating Austin 3-1 at home, and tying NYCFC 1-1 last Saturday in New York City.
THE SERIES
Each club holds an identical 10W-10L-7D record against its rival. LAFC has never led the series, but the rivalry has been tied twice before, in 2020 [2W-2L-3D] and 2024 [9W-9L-5D].
The Galaxy, founded in 1996 as one of MLS' original clubs, have won just one of its last six meetings with LAFC – a 4-2 win in Carson on September 14, 2024 – and have won just three of the last 12.
LAFC WILL WIN IF
Tamarit’s preferred style of possession attacking continues to take hold within a squad that has only been under his leadership for three weeks. With a full week of recovery and training – the first such week of Tamarit’s tenure – LAFC enters the Galaxy match rested and more rehearsed in the tactics Tamarit seeks to implement.
LAFC’s defending has held down the fort all season, having allowed the third-fewest goals in all of MLS (33). The club’s attack - with new additions including Leo Walta and Armindo Sieb - will seek to add to the club’s 48 goals (15th in MLS) through greater connections to and with the league’s current assist leader (Son, 15) and its top goal scorer over the last four years (Bouanga).
GALAXY CAN WIN IF
They defend collectively, build through LAFC’s midfield, and pierce a back line that has proven itself among the league’s best at box defending (preventing entries into its penalty area).Â
In their most recent match, a 2-2 home draw with San Diego FC, the Galaxy were fluid and dynamic in a first half that saw all four goals scored, with right back Harbor Miller earning MLS Team of the Matchday honors for his goal-line-to-goal-line performance.Â
The Carson club has become more potent with summer additions Sergi Roberto and Pablo Ruiz providing midfield steadiness. Striker Joao Klauss scored a goal and threatened several other times against San Diego, having recovered from the hamstring injury that sidelined him for several weeks earlier this year. The team’s MVP, though, is Reus, the three-time Bundesliga Player of the Year whose leadership and on-the-ball quality has helped the Galaxy grind its way into the playoff race despite scoring just 43 goals (21st in MLS) and conceding 52 (20th-most in MLS).
