Los Angeles FC facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Los Angeles FC

Full name	Los Angeles Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Black and Gold The Black and Gold Falcons
Short name	LAFC
Founded	October 30, 2014; 10 years ago (October 30, 2014)
Stadium	BMO Stadium Los Angeles, California
Stadium capacity	22,000
Managing owners	Bennett Rosenthal Brandon Beck Larry Berg
Executive Chairman	Peter Guber
President	Larry Freedman John Thorrington
Coach	Steve Cherundolo
League	Major League Soccer
2024	Western Conference: 1st Overall: 3rd Playoffs: Conference semifinals
Home colors Away colors Third colors

The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) is a professional soccer team from Los Angeles, USA. They play in Major League Soccer (MLS) as part of the Western Conference. The club started on October 30, 2014, and began playing in the 2018 season as a new team joining the league. LAFC plays its home games at BMO Stadium, a special stadium built just for soccer in Exposition Park.

Some of the main owners of the club are Brandon Beck, Larry Berg, and Bennett Rosenthal. Many other famous people also own parts of the club, including actor Will Ferrell, baseball star Nomar Garciaparra, soccer legend Mia Hamm, and basketball icon Earvin "Magic" Johnson. The team's first head coach was Bob Bradley, who coached from 2017 to 2021. The current head coach is Steven Cherundolo.

In their second season in 2019, LAFC won the Supporters' Shield, which is given to the team with the best regular season record. Their captain, Carlos Vela, also won the league's MVP Award that year. In 2022, the club won its first MLS Cup, completing a "league double" by also winning their second Supporters' Shield. LAFC was also a runner-up in the CONCACAF Champions League in 2020 and 2023. In 2024, they won their first Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Over its short history, LAFC has been home to many well-known players. These include Gareth Bale, Olivier Giroud, Hugo Lloris, Walker Zimmerman, Giorgio Chiellini, Bradley Wright-Phillips, and Carlos Vela.

Team History: How LAFC Started and Grew

Starting the Club (2014–2018)

The Beginning of LAFC

Los Angeles FC was created on October 30, 2014. This happened after MLS decided to add a new team in Los Angeles. The previous team, Chivas USA, had stopped playing. On September 15, 2015, the club announced that "Los Angeles Football Club" would be the official team name. This name had been used as a temporary name, and the owners felt it was a "timeless" choice.

In July 2017, LAFC announced Bob Bradley as their first head coach. He worked with general director John Thorrington to find players. Mexican forward Carlos Vela was the first "designated player" signed on August 11, 2017. A designated player is a special player whose salary doesn't fully count against the team's salary cap, allowing teams to sign big stars.

First Season in 2018

LAFC played its very first MLS game on March 4, 2018. They won 1–0 against Seattle Sounders FC in Seattle. Diego Rossi scored the club's first goal, helped by Vela. LAFC had their first MLS loss on March 31 against their rivals, the LA Galaxy. They lost 4–3 in the first "El Tráfico" game. Even with that loss, LAFC won 4 of their first 6 away games. This was a great start for a new team.

LAFC had the best regular season for an MLS expansion team ever, earning 57 points. They also scored 68 goals, which was the second-highest for a new team. On October 6, 2018, LAFC made it to the playoffs for the first time. They finished third in the Western Conference. However, they were knocked out in the first round by Real Salt Lake, losing 3–2 at home.

Winning the Supporters' Shield and Pandemic Years (2019–2021)

2019: A Record-Breaking Season

LAFC won the Supporters' Shield in 2019 with a record-setting 72 points. This was an amazing achievement in only their second season. Carlos Vela won the MLS Golden Boot for scoring the most goals in the league (34 goals). He was also named the league's MVP. In the playoffs, LAFC beat their rivals, the LA Galaxy, 5–3. This was their first win against the Galaxy in the playoffs. However, LAFC was then eliminated by Seattle Sounders 3–1 in the Western Conference Final.

2020: Playing During the Pandemic

The 2020 MLS season was paused in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It started again with a special tournament called the MLS is Back Tournament in Florida. LAFC did well in the group stage and made it to the knockout rounds. They beat Seattle Sounders FC but lost to Orlando City SC in a penalty shootout. The regular season then continued with games played without fans in the stadiums. LAFC scored 47 goals, with Diego Rossi winning the Golden Boot for scoring 14 of them. The team finished with 9 wins, 8 losses, and 5 ties. They were eliminated from the playoffs by Seattle Sounders FC again.

2020 CONCACAF Champions League Journey

Los Angeles FC played in the CONCACAF Champions League for the first time in 2020. They had a tough start, losing 2–0 in the first game against Club León. But they came back strong, winning the second game 3–0 to advance. The tournament was then put on hold due to the pandemic. When it restarted, LAFC beat Cruz Azul (2–1) and Club América (3–1) in exciting comeback wins. They became the third MLS team to reach the final. In the final, they lost 2–1 to Tigres UANL.

2021: Rebuilding the Team

LAFC made many changes to their team during the 2021 MLS season. They did not make it to the MLS Cup playoffs that year. Diego Rossi moved to another team in September 2021. Carlos Vela was injured for much of 2020 and 2021. After missing the playoffs, coach Bob Bradley left the team on November 18, 2021. Steve Cherundolo became the new head coach on January 3, 2022.

2022: Winning the MLS Cup

In the 2022 MLS season, LAFC aimed for the league's all-time points record. They finished with 67 points, winning their second Supporters' Shield. They tied with the Philadelphia Union in points but won the Shield because they had more wins. LAFC then beat the Galaxy 3–2 in the playoffs and Austin FC 3–0 to reach their first MLS Cup final.

Los Angeles FC won the 2022 MLS Cup by beating the Union in a penalty shootout. The game was a thrilling 3–3 draw after extra time. Gareth Bale scored a goal in the 128th minute, one of the latest goals in MLS Cup playoff history, to tie the game. LAFC then won the shootout 3–0. Their substitute goalkeeper, John McCarthy, was named the most valuable player of the match for his great saves.

Recent Seasons (2023–Present)

2023: Busy Schedule and Finals

After their successful 2022 season, Los Angeles FC played in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League. They had a very busy schedule, playing in the Champions League, U.S. Open Cup, and the new Leagues Cup. LAFC finished as runner-up in the MLS Cup 2023 to the Columbus Crew. They also lost in the final of the CONCACAF Champions League to Club León. The team traveled over 63,000 miles and played 53 matches, which was a record for an MLS team in one year.

2023 CONCACAF Champions League Final

In 2023, Los Angeles FC reached the final for the second time in four years. They beat teams like Alajuelense, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and Philadelphia Union to get there. In the final, they faced Club León, a team they had played before in 2020. LAFC was expected to win. However, Leon won the first game 2–1, with Denis Bouanga scoring a late goal for LAFC. In the second game, LAFC lost 1–0, losing the final 3–1 on total goals.

2024: Open Cup Win and Playoff Run

For the 2024 season, LAFC brought in new players like Lewis O'Brien, Eduard Atuesta, Olivier Giroud, and Hugo Lloris. They also saw some key players leave, including Carlos Vela and Giorgio Chiellini. The team had a tough start but then went on a 13-game unbeaten streak. They won the Western Conference (regular season) by goal difference over the LA Galaxy. LAFC reached the final of the 2024 Leagues Cup but lost 3–1 to the Columbus Crew. In the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs, LAFC beat Vancouver Whitecaps FC but then lost to Seattle Sounders FC 2–1 in extra time, ending their season.

2024 U.S. Open Cup Title

LAFC played in the 2024 U.S. Open Cup and started their journey in the Round of 32. They beat Las Vegas Lights FC 3–1. In the Round of 16, they easily won against Loudoun United FC 3–0. They then beat New Mexico United 3–1 in the Quarter-finals. In the Semifinals, LAFC faced their rivals, Seattle Sounders FC. It was a very defensive game until Denis Bouanga scored a penalty kick in the 83rd minute, giving LAFC a 1–0 win. This win was special because it was rare to beat the Sounders at their home field, the Starfire Sports Complex.

As a result, Los Angeles FC advanced to the U.S. Open Cup Final to play against Sporting Kansas City at home. The first half of the final had no goals. In the second half, Olivier Giroud scored a header for LAFC in the 53rd minute, making it 1–0. Kansas City tied the game at 1–1 with a goal from Erik Thommy in the 60th minute. The game went into extra time. Omar Campos scored for LAFC in the 102nd minute, making it 2–1. Then, Kei Kamara scored another header in the 109th minute, making it 3–1. LAFC won the 2024 U.S. Open Cup, becoming the fourth team from the Los Angeles area to win this trophy.

2025 Season and FIFA Club World Cup

For the 2025 season, the club added new players like Jeremy Ebobisse, Yaw Yeboah, and Mark Delgado. They also signed Igor Jesus and Artem Smolyakov. These changes came after players like Maxime Crepeau and Giorgio Chiellini left the team.

Los Angeles FC qualified for the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup. They defeated the Colorado Rapids and the Columbus Crew. LAFC then reached the quarter-finals, where they faced Inter Miami. LAFC won the first game 1–0 but lost the second game 3–1, which meant they were eliminated from the tournament. On April 18, 2025, LAFC announced that head coach Steve Cherundolo would step down after the 2025 season for personal reasons.

On March 21, 2025, FIFA announced that Club Leon and CF Pachuca would not be able to play in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. This was because both clubs are owned by the same company, which is against the rules. As a result, LAFC, who were the runner-up in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League, got a chance to play for a spot. On May 16, 2025, FIFA announced a special play-in game between LAFC and Club America to decide the last spot. LAFC won this match 2–1 after extra time. This means LAFC will play in Group D of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 against Chelsea FC (England), Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia), and Flamengo (Brazil).

Team Colors, Logo, and Sponsors

The LA monogram used on LAFC caps.

The club's colors and logo were shown to the public on January 7, 2016. The main colors are black and gold, with red and gray as extra colors. The logo is inspired by Art Deco style. It has a shield shape like the city seal, with a winged "LA" design and the words "Los Angeles" and "Football Club."

Team Sponsors

On January 31, 2018, LAFC announced that YouTube TV would be their first official shirt sponsor. This also meant YouTube TV would show the club's local games in English. Target became their first sleeve sponsor in October 2019.

On March 26, 2021, FLEX, a power tool company, became the main shirt sponsor. Then, on March 30, 2021, Postmates became the second sleeve sponsor for the 2021 season. YouTube TV no longer had the exclusive rights to show the games.

For the 2022 season, LAFC partnered with PepsiCo to make Rockstar energy drink the sponsor for their training kits. This agreement ended after the season.

Before the 2023 season, MLS announced a new deal with Apple. Apple now has the exclusive rights to stream all league games through its service, Apple TV+, for the next 10 seasons. To promote this, the Apple TV+ logo appears on the left sleeve of all league teams starting in 2023. Also, Ford became a top sponsor for LAFC in 2023, with their logo on the team's right sleeve.

Denis Bouanga wearing the 2023 kit with the new BMO Bank sponsor, which replaced the FLEX sponsor in 2024.

LAFC's Home: BMO Stadium

BMO Stadium

Address	3939 South Figueroa Street
Public transit	Expo Park/USC
Capacity	22,000
Surface	Bermuda grass
Construction
Broke ground	23 August 2016
Opened	18 April 2018
Architect	Gensler

On May 17, 2015, the team chose the site of the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena to build a new 22,000-seat stadium. The stadium, now known as BMO Stadium, cost about $250 million. The old arena was torn down, and the new stadium was built over three years. On May 6, 2016, the Los Angeles City Council approved the stadium plans.

Construction began on August 23, 2016. At the groundbreaking event, LAFC announced a 15-year, $100 million deal for the stadium's naming rights with Banc of California. The Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena was completely demolished by October 2016.

The stadium officially opened on April 18, 2018, with a public practice. The club's first home game was on April 29, 2018, against Seattle Sounders FC. LAFC won 1–0, with Laurent Ciman scoring the winning goal in the final moments. The stadium was renamed BMO Stadium on January 19, 2023.

Los Angeles FC shares the stadium with NWSL team Angel City FC, which started playing there in Spring 2022. LAFC also has a training facility on the California State University, Los Angeles campus. This facility includes a 4,000 square foot indoor space and a training field with the same type of grass as BMO Stadium.

LAFC Club Culture

The 3252 Supporters showing their first large banner (tifo) at the first home game against the Seattle Sounders.

When LAFC was first created, fans were asked for their ideas on many early decisions. This included the team colors, the look of the logo, and the design of BMO Stadium. The club focused on attracting younger fans and decided to play near downtown Los Angeles. LAFC also built its team by starting an academy and signing young, promising players.

LAFC Supporters

LAFC supporters are known as "The 3252." This name comes from the official capacity of the safe standing section at BMO Stadium, which holds 3,252 fans. When you add the numbers 3, 2, 5, and 2 together, they equal 12. This is a nod to the "12th man" in sports, which refers to the fans who support the team.

The 3252 is a group of many different supporter groups, like the Black Army 1850, District Nine Ultras, and Expo Originals. The supporter section in the North End of the stadium is only for LAFC fans. Fans wearing gear from other teams are not allowed in this section. The 3252 has many chants they sing during games in English, Spanish, and Korean.

Falcon Program

The club has a special falcon program with three live falcons. These falcons take part in various game day and community events. Before each home game, one falcon is released by an honorary falconer, often a celebrity. The falcon then flies around the stadium. The first honorary falconer was co-owner Will Ferrell. The three falcons are named "Olly" (Olvera Street), "Fig" (Figueroa Street), and "Mel" (Melrose Avenue), after famous streets in Los Angeles.

Team Rivalries

The 3252 Tifo for the 2019 Conference Final against LA Galaxy. LAFC won this "El Tráfico" game 5-3.

Since LAFC started in 2014, they have had a strong rivalry with the LA Galaxy, another MLS team from nearby Carson, California. The games between these two clubs are called "El Tráfico" by fans. This name is a funny way to refer to the famous traffic in Los Angeles, and it's also a play on "El Clásico" (a famous soccer rivalry). LAFC also has a rivalry on the field with the Seattle Sounders FC. Both teams have often been at the top of the Western Conference and have met in important playoff games.

LA Galaxy Rivalry

LAFC's biggest rival is the LA Galaxy, who play in Carson, California. Their games are known as El Tráfico, which means "The Traffic" in Spanish. This name was chosen by fans and media because of the heavy traffic in Los Angeles. It's also a fun twist on the term "El Clásico," used for big rivalries in soccer. Some people also call it the "Los Angeles Derby."

Seattle Sounders FC Rivalry

LAFC's first-ever MLS game was a 1–0 win against Seattle Sounders FC on March 4, 2018. LAFC's first home game was also a 1–0 win against Seattle, with a dramatic goal in the 92nd minute. In 2019, Seattle got their revenge by beating LAFC in the Western Conference Finals, ending LAFC's record-setting season. In 2024, LAFC stopped the Seattle Sounders from winning their fifth U.S. Open Cup by beating them 1–0 in the semifinals. This rivalry is kept alive by the players, coaches, and fans of both teams.

Broadcasting LAFC Games

Since 2023, every LAFC match can be watched on MLS Season Pass through the Apple TV app. Some games are also shown on Fox or FS1. Before this streaming deal, LAFC games were shown on different TV stations and one other streaming platform.

From 2018 to 2020, YouTube TV showed LAFC's live games. This was the first time a major U.S. professional sports team sold its local broadcast rights to an online streaming service instead of a traditional TV channel.

Before the Apple deal, LAFC games were shown in Spanish on Estrella TV station KRCA. Radio coverage in English was provided by KSPN (ESPNLA 710), and in Spanish by KFWB (980).

Players and Staff

Current Team Roster

No. Position Player 1 GK Hugo Lloris 4 DF Eddie Segura 6 MF Igor Jesus 8 MF Mark Delgado 11 MF Timothy Tillman 12 GK Thomas Hasal 14 DF Sergi Palencia 15 DF Lorenzo Dellavalle 17 FW Jeremy Ebobisse 18 GK David Ochoa 20 MF Yaw Yeboah 21 MF Ryan Raposo 23 MF Frankie Amaya (on loan from Toluca) 24 DF Ryan Hollingshead

No. Position Player 25 DF Maxime Chanot 26 FW Javairô Dilrosun (on loan from América) 27 FW Nathan Ordaz (HG) 29 DF Artem Smolyakov 30 FW David Martínez 33 DF Aaron Long 43 MF Adam Saldana 45 DF Kenny Nielsen 56 MF Jude Terry (HG) 77 FW Adrian Wibowo (HG) 80 MF Odin Thiago Holm (on loan from Celtic) 91 DF Nkosi Tafari 99 FW Denis Bouanga (DP)

Players on Loan

No. Position Player 42 DF Luca Bombino (HG; at San Diego FC) FW Mario González (at Lech Poznań)

Coaching Staff

Head Coaches Through the Years

Team Management

The Ownership Group and Mayor Garcetti revealing the team colors.

In 2016, Brandon Beck, Larry Berg, and Bennett Rosenthal became the main owners of the club. Larry Berg is the lead managing owner. As of 2017, Peter Guber is the executive chairman, and Henry Nguyen is the vice-chairman. Other part-owners and investors include famous names like Will Ferrell, Nomar Garciaparra, Mia Hamm, Magic Johnson, and Giorgio Chiellini.

LAFC's first president was Tom Penn. He stepped down on August 18, 2020. Larry Freedman and John Thorrington then became Co-presidents.

Front Office Staff

Developing Future Stars

LAFC 2: The Reserve Team

Los Angeles FC 2

On August 4, 2022, LAFC announced they would have a reserve team called Los Angeles FC 2 (or LAFC2). This team plays in the MLS Next Pro league, which helps develop young players. LAFC2 plays its games at Titan Stadium. The current coach is Junior Gonzalez.

LAFC2 Coaching Staff

LAFC2 Head Coach History

LAFC Academy: Training Young Talent

On February 1, 2016, the club started the LAFC Academy. This academy trains young soccer players, starting with a U12 team of 26 players. On August 21, 2018, the U-13 team won the CONCACAF Champions League for their age group.

On July 8, 2020, LAFC signed its first three "Homegrown players" from the academy. These were Tony Leone, Christian Torres, and Erik Dueñas. Homegrown players are those who come up through the club's own youth system.

On June 9, 2025, Toni Hernandez became the new Academy Director. He used to be a technical coordinator for FC Barcelona's famous youth academy, La Masia.

LAFC Academy Coaching Staff

Affiliated Teams

Orange County SC (2016–2018)

LAFC had a partnership with Orange County SC, a team in the USL Championship, from December 7, 2016, until the end of the 2018 season.

Las Vegas Lights FC (2021–2023)

LAFC also partnered with Las Vegas Lights FC, another USL Championship club. This partnership lasted from March 12, 2021, until 2023, when LAFC started its own reserve team, Los Angeles FC 2.

Angel City FC (2024–Present)

On October 8, 2024, it was announced that LAFC bought a small share in NWSL team Angel City FC. Both teams share BMO Stadium. This partnership came about because of an agreement when Angel City FC signed their stadium lease.

Team Achievements

The MLS Supporters' Shield

In 2019, LAFC won their first big MLS trophy, the Supporters' Shield. They earned a record-breaking 72 points in only their second season. In 2022, LAFC won their second Supporters' Shield. They became only the second club to win two Shields within their first five seasons. LAFC then won the MLS Cup in 2022, beating the Philadelphia Union. In 2024, LAFC won the U.S. Open Cup with a 3–1 victory against Sporting Kansas City. This was the team’s first Open Cup win.

Team Trophies

Player Awards

Coach Awards

Staff Awards

Team Records and Statistics

Season-by-Season Performance

This table shows how LAFC has performed in recent seasons.

Season	League Play									Position		Playoffs	USOC	Continental Competitions			Average Attendance	Top Goalscorer(s)
	Games Played	Wins	Losses	Ties	Goals For	Goals Against	Goal Difference	Points	Points Per Game	Conference	Overall			CCL	LC	CC		Name(s)	Goals
2019	34	21	4	9	85	37	+48	72	2.12	1st	1st	WCF	QF	DNQ	DNE	DNQ	22,251	Carlos Vela	38♦
2020	22	9	8	5	47	39	+8	32	1.45	7th	12th	R1	NH	RU	NH	NH	22,117	Diego Rossi	18♦
2021	34	12	13	9	53	51	+2	45	1.32	9th	17th	DNQ	NH	DNQ	DNQ	NH	20,204	Cristian Arango	14
2022	34	21	9	4	66	38	+28	67	1.97	1st	1st	W	R16	DNQ	EXH	DNQ	22,090	Cristian Arango	21
2023	34	14	10	10	54	39	+15	52	1.53	3rd	8th	RU	R16	RU	QF	RU	22,155	Denis Bouanga	37♦
2024	34	19	8	7	63	43	+20	64	1.88	1st	3rd	WCSF	W	DNQ	RU	DNQ	22,122	Denis Bouanga	20
Total	192	96	52	44	368	247	+121	332	1.71	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	Carlos Vela	93

1. Avg. attendance includes statistics from league matches only.
2. Top goalscorer(s) includes all goals scored in League, MLS Cup Playoffs, U.S. Open Cup, MLS is Back Tournament, CONCACAF Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, and other competitive continental matches.

See also

In Spanish: Los Angeles Football Club para niños