World Cup years have always been good to LAFC.
In 2018, the club embarked on its first year of play and set an MLS record for most points by an expansion team. In 2022, LAFC won its first MLS Cup title. This year has already seen the Black & Gold reach the Semifinals of the region's most prestigious club tournament while playing more matches (23) than anyone else in MLS. It has seen Los Angeles host the FIFA World Cup.
And we’ve only reached halftime.
What will the rest of 2026 bring?
COMING HOME
LAFC’s return to the training pitch following the World Cup break began quietly in mid-June, when Black & Gold players returned from their mandated hiatus and resumed training together at the Liquid I.V. Performance Center.
Missing from those sessions, of course, were World Cup participants Son Heung-Min of South Korea, and Canadians Jacob Shaffelburg, Mathieu Choinière, and Stephen Eustáquio — the latter group coming within one win of the World Cup Quarterfinals after falling to 2022 Semifinalists Morocco.
The future of Eustáquio, whose loan from FC Porto in Portugal was scheduled to expire this summer, remains uncertain, according to LAFC Co-President and General Manager John Thorrington, who spoke with the media in early July.
Eustáquio’s deal “was structured as a loan with an option to buy and nothing has been finalized, so there's nothing to speak about in terms of clarity moving forward," Thorrington said. "What we are all happy to have been a part of is: he wasn't getting the minutes he wanted at Porto and we were able to step in and provide him those minutes knowing that it would be in preparation for the World Cup … To play that part to prepare him, not to mention our other guys, for the World Cup and to see the success that they have had to date, and the goal [Eustáquio] scored … we’re certainly happy for him, for Shaff, for Choinière.”
The Eustáquio situation should be clarified by July 17, when LAFC visits the Galaxy (see below) in both sides’ first MLS game since May 24.
AFTER REVIEW
In LAFC's final match before the World Cup break the club defeated Seattle, 1-0, at BMO Stadium, with midfielder Timmy Tillman scoring the late matchwinner. Tillman then spent the next six weeks supporting his younger brother Malik, who performed heroically for the United States during the World Cup, with two goals, one assist, and countless off-the-ball contributions during the Americans’ thrilling run to the Round of 16.
"Right before we drove to the first game, I was just talking to [my mom], my girlfriend, and our agent,” Timmy Tillman told Goal.com. “I was asking them, 'Who would have thought that we would be here in LA, I would live here, and we would go to a World Cup game to watch Malik play?' … [Malik] knew that we were in the stands, and I think that's just the biggest accomplishment. It was so cool for all three of us."
Now – like the rest of us – it’s time for Tillman to shake off his World Cup reverie and return to life’s regularly scheduled programming. The difference is that there’s nothing regular about the Black & Gold’s first game following the break.
CARSON CLASH
Fueled by the momentum of the world’s greatest sporting event, Major League Soccer returns with a bang as LAFC heads 12 miles south to take on the Galaxy in Carson, Calif., on July 17, two days before the World Cup final. The league is presenting five rivalry matches on July 16 and 17, and is highlighting the SoCal derby by broadcasting it on FOX and FOX Deportes as well as Apple TV. The 3252 and the rest of LAFC’s fanbase is ready to trek south.
The Galaxy match will likely mark Son Heung-Min’s first appearance in MLS’s greatest rivalry, and will mark these two clubs’ first meeting in nearly a year.
On July 19, 2025, LAFC played the Galaxy to 3-3 draw at BMO Stadium, with star forwards Denis Bouanga and Gabriel Pec each recording a brace in a match that the Black & Gold led 3-1 before late goals from Pec and Maya Yoshida salvaged a point for the visitors. LAFC was carrying a secret at the time; the club was nearing an agreement with Son, the Korean superstar who arrived in Los Angeles less than three weeks later and has since recorded 25 goal contributions (12 goals, 13 assists) in just 26 MLS appearances. This year Son led all players in Concacaf Champions Cup with seven assists. He has not, however, experienced the emotion-rich spectacle known in some circles as El Trafico.
LAFC and the Galaxy have met 26 times across all competitions, with the Galaxy carrying a slim 10-9 edge in wins, including LAFC’s 2-0 advantage in playoff victories.
LAFC currently stands in fifth place in the Western Conference while the Galaxy are in ninth. The Galaxy’s roster changed during the World Cup break, with defender Mauricio Cuevas transferring to Liga MX side Santos Laguna, and leading scorer Pec moving to Brazilian club Cruzeiro.
LAFC’s all-time leading scorer, Denis Bouanga, has thrived against the Galaxy, having scored in each of his last six appearances in the derby. Bouanga is the only player in the rivalry’s history to score in six straight meetings.
In fact, of the 112 goals Bouanga has scored in Black & Gold, he has scored more against the Galaxy (10) than any other club. Only LAFC legend Carlos Vela (12 goals) has scored more often in this series.
OFF AND RUNNING
The Galaxy matchup will be the first of three matches for LAFC in just nine days, with home games against Real Salt Lake (July 22) and Sporting Kansas City (July 25) testing the Black & Gold’s depth right out of the gate. To meet that demand, LAFC recently acquired defender Yevhen Cheberko (pictured below) from the Columbus Crew. “we're really excited that we were able to get Cheberko,” Thorrington said of the 28-year-old Ukrainian. “I think that was a position of need where we had players that did a good job to compete in all of the matches that we had, but he brings something a little bit different in that position. He adds versatility. A left-footed player, very good on the ball, physically strong, quick; fits our model very well.”
Central midfielder Igor Jesus is also preparing to return soon, having recovered from the knee injury that ended his 2025 season. The reintroduction of Jesus, the 23-year-old defensive specialist and tempo-setter who played brilliantly before his injury last August, would counter the departure of Eustáquio should Porto bring him back to Portugal.
LAFC also said goodbye to forward and fan favorite Nathan Ordaz, who quite literally grew up with the club, having joined the LAFC Academy as a pre-teen – back before BMO Stadium was even built. Now 22, Ordaz made 98 first-team appearances for his hometown club before this week’s cash trade with DC United.
STARS ALIGNED
After the Galaxy-RSL-SKC tripleheader, LAFC will enjoy a full week of training and recovery, which includes the MLS All-Star Game in Charlotte, NC, on July 29.
Son has been selected by fans to join other World Cup players – including Lionel Messi, Sebastian Berhalter, Steven Moreira, and Petar Musa – on the MLS All Star roster, which takes on a Liga MX All Star team that will likely include players fresh off their World Cup Round-of-16 journey with Mexico.
After the All Star Week, LAFC leaps right back into the fire with a trip to Vancouver to face the defending Western Conference champion Whitecaps, who are currently in first place in the West and second place in the MLS Supporters’ Shield race. For LAFC, that pivotal matchup kicks off a run of seven matches in just 22 days – including Leagues Cup 2026.
LEAGUES CUP
Major League Soccer’s annual mid-summer battle against Liga MX, Leagues Cup is a month-long tournament featuring 36 clubs — every 18 LIGA MX team plus 18 from MLS.
LAFC will host its three Phase One matches at BMO Stadium in early August, including packed-house affairs against Mexican giants Chivas and Toluca – the club that defeated LAFC in the Concacaf Champions Cup Semifinals two months ago.
- ALSO READ: Leagues Cup 2026 format
When Phase One is complete, the top four MLS clubs and top four Liga MX clubs will advance to the Quarterfinals (which could result in some rescheduling within LAFC’s MLS regular-season schedule).
Leagues Cup Quarterfinals: August 25–27
Leagues Cup Semifinals: September 1–2
Leagues Cup Final: September 6
It’s a critical competition, with three qualification spots for the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup going to the champion, the runner-up, and the third-place finisher. All Leagues Cup matches will be broadcast on Apple TV, with select matches on TelevisaUnivision and FOX Sports.
ROAD TESTS
Following Phase One of Leagues Cup, and following a home match on August 15 against San Diego FC, the Black & Gold will play six of its next eight matches on the road, including high-stakes trips to Salt Lake (currently 3rd in Western Conference), San Jose (1st), and Dallas (2nd).
A relatively restful October will feature no road matches and three home matches, including two rivalry tilts at BMO Stadium against defending Western Conference champs Vancouver (Saturday October 10) and the Galaxy (Sunday October 25).
LAFC’s regular season closes with a flurry of three matches in one week – all of them against playoff teams from 2025: Minnesota, New York City, and a Decision Day showdown in Seattle.
“THIS IS WHAT YOU SIGN UP FOR”
All in all, the post-World-Cup chapter of LAFC’s 2026 campaign includes the pursuit of three coveted trophies, and the goal of finishing in the top four of the West for the fifth straight season– a feat that no other club has achieved over the last four years.
“This is what you sign up for at LAFC,” Thorrington said, adding that in the first half of 2026 “the team showed us what we can be.”
During the World Cup break, Thorrington continued, “I sort of turned the page and have had really productive meetings with the staff on how we think we can improve moving forward. There is certainly not a revolution needed. We can look back at things like the historic defensive start to the season, the big matches—beating Toluca at home, beating Cruz Azul at home, advancing against the [defending Concacaf] champions. All those sorts of things are certainly highlights that give me confidence looking ahead to the rest of the season.”
LAFC returns to MLS regular-season play on Friday, July 17, when the Black & Gold travels to Carson to face the Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. PT. The match will be broadcast on Apple TV, FOX, and FOX Deportes.
