Tuesday, Feb. 17 | 7:00 p.m. PT
š | Estadio Francisco MorazĆ”n; San Pedro Sula, Honduras
š„ | FS2, TUDN,Ā ConcacafGO, One Soccer (Canada), Coupang Play (Korea)
š» | 710 AM ESPN, ESPN LA App, KFWB 980 AM La Mera Mera (Spanish), & KYPA 1230 AM (Korean)
LAFC opens its 2026 competitive calendar with a 2,300-mile road trip to Honduras for the first of two matches against Honduran club Real CD EspaƱa in Round One of the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup.
The first leg, on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 7:00 p.m. PT, will be contested at Estadio Francisco MorazƔn in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. The clubs will play the second leg at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 7:00 p.m. PT.
Tuesdayās match marksĀ LAFCās second ever trip to Central America,Ā and its first competitive contest of 2026, following six preseason friendlies in January and February against teams from Germany, the U.S., and Mexico.Ā
LAFC OUTLOOK
Western Conference semifinalists a year ago, LAFC returns almost all of its roster following a season-ending run that saw the club goĀ 9W-2L-4TĀ after Korean star Son Heung-Min joined the Black & Gold last August. Sonās instant connection with Denis Bouanga, a three-time MLS All Star and LAFCās all-time leading scorer, only figures to grow in 2026 after that pairĀ accounted for 25 goals and eight assists after Son came on board last summer. At one point in ā25, Son and Bouanga scored 18 straight goals for LAFC, a new MLS record for a duo.
ALSO READ: Bouanga & Son: Year Two
New head coach Marc Dos Santos takes over after spending the previous four seasons as an LAFC assistant coach. In those four seasons, LAFCĀ won anĀ MLS Cup, aĀ U.S. Open CupĀ and more than 100 games in all competitions while scoring more goals and earning more wins and points than any other club in MLS.Ā
āMarc obviously had a lot to do with what we thought was really good about LAFC,ā Co-President and GM John Thorrington said two weeks ago, ābut he had some ideas on how to tweak things. And what is really impressive is Marc and the staff, both new and oldāāLAFC added assistant coaches Andy Rose and Xavi Tamarit this offseasonā"have begun implementing these tweaks. And the fact that they're already evident just a few short weeks into training is really impressive.ā
Dos Santosā ideas will be on display Tuesday in Honduras. The winner on aggregate (combined) goals over the two matches will move on to face Costa Rican club Alajuelense in another two-leg matchup in the CCC Round of 16 in mid-March.Ā
As Concacafās early rounds get underway, LAFC will simultaneously embark on its MLS regular season, which kicks off on March 21 against Inter Miami at the LA Coliseum. All told, the Black & Gold will playĀ four games in a 12-day span in both competitions. To meet those demands LAFC has added depth to its roster in the preseason, adding midfielders Stephen EustĆ”quio and Amin Boudri, and forwards Tyler Boyd and Jacob Shaffelburg, to an attack that already included Son, Bouanga, Nathan Ordaz (eight goals and seven assists in all competitions in ā25), and David MartĆnez (six goals, four assists).Ā
Ordaz (age 22) andĀ MartĆnez (20) were the only two teammates to rank in the Top 10 of MLSās annual 22 Under 22 list last season.
Additionally, every midfielder and defender who started LAFCās final playoff match last fall is back for 2026. Legendary goalkeeper Hugo Lloris begins his third season in Black & Gold as one of just two MLS goalies to earn at least 12 clean sheets in each of the last two seasons.
ABOUT REAL ESPAĆAĀ
Nicknamed Los Aurinegros (gold and black),Ā Real Club Deportivo EspaƱaĀ was founded 96 years ago and plays in Hondurasā top division, theĀ Liga Nacional de FĆŗtbol de Honduras.Ā Real EspaƱa has won the league title 12 times and earned its place in this yearās CCC by reaching the semifinals of the 2025 Central American Cup.Ā
EspaƱa will face LAFC on short rest. On Saturday, Feb. 14, Real EspaƱa played a Liga Nacional Clausura match against CD Choloma, winning 2-1 at home as defender Daniel Aparicio and center forward Eddie Hernandez provided the goals. Real EspaƱa is unbeaten in its last six league games (4W-0L-2D), conceding only five goals in that span. Los Aurinegros are currently in first place in the Liga Nacional Clausura standings.
Defender Devron Garcia (age 29) played briefly for MLS club Orlando City in 2016 and currently leads Real EspaƱa in minutes played this season.
SMALL WORLDĀ
This two-leg matchup will feature two World Cup veteran goalkeepers, both of whom have worn LAFC colors. First, of course, thereās Lloris, two-time World Cup finalist, 2018 World Cup champion, and LAFCās all-time leader in wins, clean sheets, and appearances in goal. Real EspaƱa goalie Luis āBubaā Lopez (pictured below) played for LAFC in 2018, on loan from Real EspaƱa. Lopez played one MLS match that season, a 2-0 loss to Sporting KC on Aug. 11, 2018Ā (in which he conceded a penalty-kick goal to SKC midfielder and future LAFC captain Ilie SĆ”nchez).
Lopez returned to Real EspaƱa following his loan period and has been there ever since. Now 32, Lopez has earned more than 50 caps for Hondurasā national team, which was eliminated from FIFA World Cup 2026 contention in November 2025.
Lopez was on Hondurasā roster for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He was Hondurasā first-choice goalkeeper at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where the Hondurans wereĀ eliminated byĀ BrazilĀ in the semi-finals. Lopez started the bronze-medal match in which Honduras fell toĀ Nigeria.
CENTROAMĆRICANO ROOTS
LAFC has had two Honduran players, defender Denil Maldonado (21 appearances, 19 starts in 2023), and defender Andy Najar (eight appearances, one start for LAFC in 2020) who was a 2025 MLS All-Star with Nashville SC. Both have played with Lopez on the Honduras national team.Ā
LAFC has no current players from Central America, although LA native Matt Evans joined the national team of Guatemala (which borders Honduras) last year during 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying.Ā
ABOUT CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP
The 61st edition of the Concacaf Champions Cup will be played between February and May 2026. The annual tournament is comprised of five direct elimination rounds and features the top 27 clubs from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Round One will begin in early February, followed by the Round of 16 in March, the Quarterfinals in April, the Semifinals spanning April and May, and the Final on Saturday, May 30.
LAFC advanced to the Final in its first two appearances in the competition, in 2020 and 2023, when it was known as Concacaf Champions League.
LAFC CAN WIN IF
Its world-class attacking talent imposes its will. The combination of Son, Bouanga, and whoever fills the other wing and attacking midfield spots (Ordaz? MartĆnez? Boudri? Tim Tillman?) is a lot for any club to handle. Real EspaƱa excels in its domestic league through airtight defending and the experienced goalkeeping of Lopez. If LAFCās runners can invade the home sideās 18-yard box early and often, the Black & Gold can return to BMO Stadium with an aggregate-goal lead and a clear path to the next round.
REAL ESPAĆA CAN WIN IF
It hangs on in the first half by defending in deep positions and attacking quickly on the break. If a successful counterattack, set-piece, or an LAFC error gives the Hondurans the gameās first goal, the 20,000 on hand at the MorazĆ”n will come alive, and believe.
LAFC kicks off its 2026 MLS regular season on February 21, against Inter Miami, at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Leg two of its CCC matchup with Real EspaƱa will be played at BMO Stadium on February 24. The Black & Goldās MLS home opener at BMO is scheduled for March 7 against FC Dallas. Visit the clubās 2026 scheduleĀ andĀ season ticket membershipĀ pages for more information.
