Season openers don’t get much bigger than this one. After putting on a show on the road to kickoff their 2026 campaign in Concacaf Champions Cup, LAFC are back home for an historic MLS season opener. We have defending MLS Cup champions Inter Miami, we have Messi versus Sonny, and for the first time ever, we have LAFC taking the pitch not at BMO, but at LA Coliseum for what will be the biggest season opener this club has seen.
Matchday: #LAFCvMIA
⏰ 6:30 PM PST
🖥️ @AppleTV
🎧 @ESPNLosAngeles & K-Radio 1230
🇰🇷 Spotv & Coupang Play pic.twitter.com/VCjVmBKPxt— LAFC (@LAFC) February 21, 2026
The two teams many have pegged as being the top contenders for this year’s MLS Cup will take center stage tonight from the historic LA Coliseum, in a match that will undoubtedly set the tone for the season ahead on both sides. Inter Miami come into Los Angeles holding the trophy LAFC want come winter, the MLS Cup. The defending champions also arrive boasting a reloaded roster. Despite losing a couple of big names to retirement, Miami have done a good job at replacing them with players that are much younger, quicker, and just as good. Not to mention they still have Messi leading the charge who, despite an injury during preseason a couple of weeks ago, has traveled with the team and looks set to take the pitch.
Los Angeles is riding the high of a massive statement win in their Concacaf Champions Cup opener, putting six past Honduran side Real España in the first leg victory. Now they will have the chance to really make a statement at home in LA as they take on the defending champions. Denis Bouanga and Heung-Min Son looked to be in peak form from the jump last match, and if they keep that connection going tonight it could be another magical evening. In true Los Angeles fashion, it will, at the very least, be a spectacle as the black & gold take the pitch at the 60,000 seat LA Coliseum for the first time ever. We all know the stakes for the season ahead, even under a new head coach in Marc Dos Santos, this is a team that is absolutely focused on making sure they finally get over the hump and regain MLS Cup glory. While you can’t win it all with a win tonight, you can send a message of intent, and you can let the entire league know, this LAFC has entered 2026 ready to play.
The biggest key to the match will be defensively for Los Angeles. Yes, scoring goals is important but even the slightest bit of carryover in form from the last match should be enough to see them put a couple past Miami. The real challenge will be keeping this faster version of Inter Miami out of goal. Messi alone will be a handful for defenders but with the young talent acquired around him, he could decoy his way to a few assists and make it a real long night for the home side. The team did excellent to put España to sword, but they will have their work cut out for them in this opener. Luckily, they will be at home, where we all know they raise their levels.
How To Watch
The historic home opener for LA is set to kickoff at 6:30pm PST from Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Ca. The match will be broadcast live and can be watched on AppleTV. The match can also be streamed on Coupang Play (Korea) as well as SpoTV (Korea). The match will also be available on radio broadcast on 710 AM Los Angeles, 980 AM La Mera Mera for Spanish broadcasting, and KYPA 1230 AM for Korean broadcasting.
Thoughts on the historic MLS Regular Season home opener? Drop us a comment below!