Things can change in the blink of an eye in MLS. Just a couple of weeks ago, LAFC looked firmly in the top four, with home field advantage in hand, struggling to impress but were still doing enough to get results. Now, the team are sitting in sixth place. Home field advantage for the postseason is slipping away, and while they should be safe from missing the playoffs altogether, they are only 10 points clear of the teams fighting to get into the postseason, with just eight matches left in the regular season.
Matchday: #SJvLAFC
⏰ 4:30 PM PST
🖥️ @AppleTV
🎧 @ESPNLosAngeles & K-Radio 1230
🇰🇷 Spotv & Coupang Play pic.twitter.com/CvcVKQY0do— LAFC (@LAFC) September 19, 2026
A strong start to the season saw them flirting with the top spot in the West, only to be brought crashing down to earth with a mid-season slump that had many once again forgetting about San Jose. They have since seen a return to form, losing just once in their last five matches, winners of back-to-back outings coming into tonight. Sitting in fourth place with a chance to really solidify a postseason spot, San Jose Earthquakes welcome a struggling LAFC side that, historically, they have found tons of success against at home. Of the last seven meetings in Northern California, San Jose have won six and lost just once, that loss being their most recent meeting in San Jose, last September. Earthquakes can also secure a season sweep with a win tonight, already having beaten LAFC 1-4 in Los Angeles back in April, a win that marked the largest margin of victory between the two sides.
An awful August has bled into a sluggish September for Los Angeles. Their long road trip got off to a very rocky start last time out, after a stunning loss to Sporting KC left them out of the top four in the conference standings. There is no sugar coating it, this team need to win. Now. What has been most infuriating, there are no excuses. No longterm injuries to superstars this year, no key attackers being left out, this season has mostly just been spent watching players who are normally clinical in front of goal, struggle to do enough to find wins consistently. However, things in MLS can change in the blink of an eye and a win in San Jose tonight not only puts a halt to Earthquakes push, it can reignite some form for the black & gold so they go into the postseason with some momentum, and not limping across the line for yet another season.
How To Watch
This match could change the trajectory of the MLS Cup Playoff race. The California Clash is set for an early evening kickoff, 4:30pm PST from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The match will be broadcast live and can be watched on AppleTV. The match will 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 ahead of the trip to San Jose? Let us know in the comments below!