The Western Conference rivals clashed midweek as LAFC welcomed Real Salt Lake to BMO Stadium on Wednesday night.
Tournament table
- 3rd place in Western Conference
- 27 points (8W-5L-3D)
Last game
LAFC made the announcement during its return from the 2026 World Cup pause, handing El Tráfico rivals LA Galaxy a 3-0 defeat at Dignity Health Sports Park.
Mark Delgado opened the scoring for the Black and Gold against his former club, before superstar attacking duo Denis Bouangui and Heung-Min Son also scored.
Players to watch
- Denis Buanga: LAFC’s leading scorer (113 goals) cemented his El Trafico legacy last week with his seventh straight goal against the Galaxy. He is the only player to do this in the history of the rivalry.
- Son Heung-min: The South Korean superstar capped off last week’s rout of El Trafico with his first goal of the 2026 MLS campaign and also contributed a career-best nine assists.
- Hugo Lloris: The French World Cup-winning goalkeeper produced his best ninth goal of the season in MLS against the Galaxy.
Need to know
In the first game of the second half of the season, LAFC look very much like an MLS Cup contender – especially with Buanga and Son scoring at El Trafico.
The pair made history last season en route to the Western Conference semifinals. Can they take Black & Gold to even greater heights in 2026?
Tournament table
- 4th place in Western Conference
- 26 points (8W-4L-2D)
Last game
RSL drew 1-1 with Minnesota United at half-time in the World Cup, conceding in the second half after Zach Booth opened the scoring.
However, head coach Pablo Mastroeni’s side were unbeaten in three matches and proved to be one of the league’s brightest teams in the first half of the season.
Players to watch
- Zavier Gozo: The homegrown sensation is enjoying a breakout season with 6g/5a, earning his first MLS All-Star Game nod amid reports of transfer interest from Europe’s top five leagues.
- Diego Luna: Luna’s exclusion from the USMNT World Cup roster raised many eyebrows. Will RSL’s “Moon Man” use this snub as fuel to lead the club into MLS Cup contention?
- Juan Manuel Sanabria: The left-back featured in all three of Uruguay’s group stage games at this summer’s World Cup.
Need to know
RSL have something special this season, with Gozo, Luna and Sergi Solans highlighting a team that goes toe-to-toe with the league’s best.
However, with Gozo and Luna reportedly attracting many fans from abroad, the band’s window of opportunity may be limited. Can this RSL team make history in 2026?
After winning El Tráfico, LAFC earned almost 60% of the market. This compares to around 20% for RSL, who are playing their first game after the World Cup break.
Market information published is current as of Tuesday, July 21 at 9:30 a.m. ET.