Club World Cup logbook: Los Angeles FC

We begin a series profiling the teams in our FIFA Club World Cup group by focusing on Chelsea’s first opponents, Los Angeles FC.

The tournament begins a week today, on Saturday 14 June, when Inter Miami play Al Ahly. That fixture kickstarts a month-long festival of football, which involves clubs from 20 different countries.

Enzo Maresca’s Blues get underway with a fixture against Los Angeles FC in Atlanta on Monday 16 June, a game for which tickets are still available. You’ll also be able to watch the entire tournament for free on DAZN.

Here is some detail on our first opponents, who only sealed their place at the showpiece last Saturday…

Factfile

Full name: Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC)

Country: United States

City: Los Angeles

Formation: Founded in 2014. First game in 2018

Major honours: MLS Cup (2022), Supporters’ Shield (2019, 2022), US Open Cup (2024),

Head coach: Steve Cherundolo

2024 league finish: 1st in the Western Conference, knocked out in the Conference play-off semis

Stadium: BMO Stadium, Los Angeles

Colours: Black and gold

Nickname: The Black and Gold

Rivals: LA Galaxy

CONCACAF Champions League record

LAFC first qualified for the tournament contested by teams in central and north America in 2020. In a Covid-affected edition of the competition, LAFC reached the final, where they were beaten 2-1 by Club Tigres of Mexico.

LAFC’s next participation in the CONCACAF Champions League was in 2023, when they again reached the final, having progressed past Alajuelense, Vancouver Whitecaps and Philadelphia Union. A Mexican side again denied them the trophy; this time it was Club Leon.

Earlier this year, LAFC began their continental campaign with wins over fellow MLS sides Colorado Rapids and Columbus Crew, before losing to Inter Miami at the quarter-final stage.

2024 season

After 34 games, LAFC topped the 18-team Western Conference table ahead of city rivals LA Galaxy on goal difference.

They progressed to the play-offs where, in round one, they edged past Vancouver Whitecaps in a best-of-three series. Their league campaign came to an end in the semi-finals, however, when they were beaten 2-1 by Seattle Sounders after extra time.

LAFC enjoyed a successful season in the cups. They won the US Open Cup - the chief domestic cup competition in America - with an extra-time victory against Sporting Kansas City.

In the Leagues Cup, contested by teams in the US and Mexico, they reached the final, where they lost 3-1 to Columbus Crew.

2025 season and Club World Cup qualification

LAFC currently sit sixth in the MLS Western Conference table, albeit with games in hand on those above them. As mentioned, they lost to Inter Miami in the CONCACAF Champions League while they qualified for the Club World Cup on Saturday 31 May with a 2-1 victory against Club America of Mexico.

Extra time was again required to separate the sides following Igor Jesus’ 89th-minute equaliser for LAFC. Former Blue Olivier Giroud came off the bench to help change the tide, and he set up Gabon international Denis Bouanga’s winner five minutes from the end of extra-time.

LAFC replaced the team that had beaten them in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League final, Club Leon.

Current squad

As well as Giroud, a Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup winner at Chelsea, the Black and Gold count former Tottenham goalkeeper and fellow 2018 World Cup winner Hugo Lloris among their number.

Attacker Cengiz Under has played over 50 times for Turkey and had a brief spell at Leicester City, while full-back Ryan Hollingshead has over a decade of MLS experience.

Notable former players

LAFC have an enviable roster of former high-profile names considering their relatively short history.

Mexican attacker Carlos Vela is their record appearance maker, Gareth Bale played 16 times during the 2022 season, and Giorgio Chiellini retired after a short spell in LA the same year.

Former Barcelona winger Cristian Tello also once called LAFC home, as did Bradley Wright-Phillips, brother of former Blue Shaun, in 2020.

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