Major League Soccer returns after the 2026 World Cup break with one of its most intense matches. LA Galaxy will host LAFC this Friday, July 17, at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, in a new edition of “El Tráfico” that could set the course for both clubs during the second half of the season.
The game will begin at 10:25 p.m. ET, 9:25 p.m. CT, and 7:25 p.m. PT. In the United States, it will be broadcast on Apple TV, FOX, and FOX Deportes—a particularly appealing option for Hispanic viewers who want to watch the game with Spanish commentary.
LAFC Welcomes Back Its World Cup Players
LAFC is in fifth place in the Western Conference, with 24 points and a record of seven wins, five losses, and three ties.
Before the break, he had lost three consecutive games.
But they managed to snap that losing streak with a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders thanks to a late goal by Timothy Tillman.
The team coached by Marc Dos Santos is welcoming back several players who competed in the World Cup.
Among them is Son Heung-Min, captain of South Korea and the MLS assist leader with nine.
Although he is still looking for his first goal of the regular season.
Canadians Jacob Shaffelburg and Mathieu Choinière also returned.
Stephen Eustáquio also represented Canada, although his continued participation depended on the resolution of his loan from FC Porto.
“If you had to choose one game to return to, it would be this one,” Dos Santos said.
The person who described the LA Galaxy-LAFC matchup as the league’s most important rivalry (Filed under: LAFC vs. LA Galaxy).
Galaxy must replace Gabriel Pec
The Galaxy is in ninth place in the West with 20 points, the result of five wins, five draws, and five losses.
They went into halftime having lost only one of their previous six games, including a 1-1 draw against the Houston Dynamo.
Their main challenge will be figuring out how to replace Gabriel Pec, who has officially been transferred to Cruzeiro in Brazil for a club-record fee.
The forward left the Galaxy after recording 43 goals and 28 assists in 101 matches across all competitions.
In addition to being a key player in the team’s 2024 MLS Cup victory.
Before leaving, Pec had tallied five goals and five assists this season.
Without him, Marco Reus—with four goals and five assists—and Joseph Paintsil will have to take on more responsibility on offense.
The Galaxy also signed Finnish forward Robert Taylor, a free agent who most recently played for Austin FC.
And who previously won the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 Supporters’ Shield with Inter Miami.
He signed through the end of 2026, with an option to extend his contract through December 2027 (Filed under: LAFC vs. LA Galaxy).
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A rivalry that’s sure to be exciting
The head-to-head record reflects the tremendous parity between the two teams.
In 26 official matches, the Galaxy holds a slight edge with ten wins, nine losses, and seven ties.
In addition, it leads LAFC by just one goal in the aggregate: 57-56.
No El Tráfico match has ended with fewer than two goals.
A statistic that points to another night full of intensity, controversy, and excitement in Carson (Filed under: LAFC vs. LA Galaxy).
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