It’s no secret Los Angeles FC want to be more than just the best team in the MLS. From the very beginning this has been a club that has not settled, and has set their aspirations high. Wanting to win every trophy possible to them, wanting to compete in every competition available, and while they had eyes on becoming LA’s biggest soccer side, they also had hopes of becoming one of the few MLS teams to be known globally. Today, they have a real chance at establishing that last part, as they get set to take the stage for the FIFA Club World Cup, for the first time ever.
Matchday: #CHEvLAFC
⏰ 12:00 PM PT
🖥️ @DAZNFootball
🎧 https://t.co/YpxvW8AusN pic.twitter.com/HCBw6OqZe1— LAFC (@LAFC) June 16, 2025
“I know, from having been a part of this[the club] since 2016 that one of the overarching ambitions, if not what underpinned everything we were trying to do was to be a club not just to make up numbers in MLS, but to be a global club” said LAFC Co-President and General Manager John Thorrington when asked about the opportunity this tournament represents for LAFC. “I think that’s why you saw investments from day one with the stadium, players, everything to try and be a world class club and organization.”
In terms of form, this is where the Club World Cup gets pretty intriguing because while most teams are in their off-seasons, some clubs like LAFC, are smack in the midst of their domestic competition. With MLS matches rescheduled and cleared for LA, they can fully focus on the Club World Cup without navigating a completely congested schedule. That said, just because teams are in off-season mode, does not make the path to a trophy any easier. Currently, LAFC are riding a 10 match unbeaten run in all competitions, but extended that run is going to take everything they have and then some. The last time this team lost, was way back in April, when Inter Miami eliminated them from the Concacaf Champions League competition. Since then, this team has been back to scoring goals at will, and getting results whether they be convincing wins, or hard-fought draws. They are also healthy with players like Denis Bouanga and Nathan Ordaz in incredible form while even former European superstar Olivier Giroud has also started to find his footing.
In what was a down year for the London giants that are Chelsea FC, they still finished in fourth place in the Premier League securing a spot in Champions League next season and avoiding a truly disappointing campaign. They also won the inaugural UEFA Conference League, a tournament for teams that failed to make Champions and Europa League. While not a trophy many bigger clubs would even want to compete for, Chelsea’s win made them the first club to win all three UEFA trophies for European competition. They also come into the Club World Cup with a pretty strong side featuring players like Marco Cucurella, Reece James, Nicolas Jackson and rising superstar Cole Palmer. It’s hard to say how this match will go, as we almost never see Premier League sides going up against MLS teams given the difference in domestic schedules. While it will be a very steep hill to climb, there is a real possibility LAFC come away with the win, but they are going to have to take a vintage LAFC performance to the next level, to do so.
How To Watch
Chelsea FC will be the ‘home’ team in today’s match which is set for an early kickoff, 12pm PT from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The match will be broadcast live and can be streamed for free on DAZN, as well as watched live on TBS as well as TUDN. LAFC.com will also have radio broadcasts of the match in both English and Spanish.
Thoughts ahead of the firs-ever Club World Cup for LAFC? Leave a comment below!