Orlando City vs. LAFC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

Welcome to your match thread for a late Saturday night matchup between Orlando City (1-4-0, 3 points) and Western Conference-leading Los Angeles FC (4-0-1, 13 points) at BMO Stadium (9:30 p.m., Apple TV). This is the only scheduled meeting between the two cross-conference opponents this season.

Here’s what you need to know:

History

Orlando City has yet to taste victory against LAFC in league play (0-3-1) and is 0-1-0 on the road against the Black & Gold. What many people will remember as a win was a 1-1 draw and took place in the knockout stages of the MLS is Back Tournament in 2020 with Orlando City advancing on penalties.

These teams last met on June 15, 2024, with LAFC winning 3-1 in Orlando. Denis Bouanga put LAFC ahead 1-0 from the penalty spot just before halftime. Martin Ojeda tied the game, but Mateusz Bogusz and Bounga scoring on the counter six minutes apart late in the match to take all three points. Facundo Torres missed a penalty kick in the match that might have made a difference, but the Lions were wasteful, putting just one of their 19 shots on frame.

Prior to the 2024 match, the teams last met April 2, 2022 in Orlando. The Lions fell behind twice in the first half on goals by Brian Rodriguez and Jesus David Murillo but fought back to pull level both times on strikes by Alexandre Pato and Joao Moutinho. However, Ilie Sanchez and Kwadwo Opoku struck in the second half for the visitors as LAFC won 4-2.

The Lions’ most memorable outing against LAFC came in the MLS is Back Tournament on July 31, 2020. Moutinho’s late goal canceled out one from Bradley Wright-Phillips and sent the match to penalties. The Lions advanced after winning the penalty shootout, 5-4. Pedro Gallese was huge in that match and all five Orlando shooters scored their penalties, while only Jordan Harvey missed for LAFC, hitting the crossbar.

The Lions and LAFC drew 2-2 at Exploria Stadium on Sept. 7, 2019. Adrien Perez put the visitors on the board in the 12th minute, but Nani struck back just a minute later off a quick play on the ensuing kickoff. Benji Michel put the Lions ahead in the 20th minute and — just when it appeared Orlando might pull off the upset — Diego Rossi tied the game late.

LAFC won the initial meeting of the series in 2018 at Banc of California Stadium, running away 4-1 after the Lions had an apparent tying goal overturned for offside on a play that didn’t seem all that clear or obvious of an error. Sacha Kljestan scored for Orlando to cut a 2-0 lead in half. That lead was built on goals by Adama Diomande and Latif Blessing. Orlando scored a second goal that was overturned and Diomande and Rossi finished the Lions off. That initial meeting of the two teams was also the first game the Lions played under James O’Connor.

Overview

Orlando City is off to its worst start to any season and is coming off a humiliating 5-0 road loss at Nashville SC on March 21. It was Orlando’s second 5-0 road loss in a row, sandwiched around the team’s only win of the year — a 2-1 victory over CF Montreal. The Lions have been outscored 10-0 on the road this season in an 0-2-0 start to the away schedule in 2026. Although interim head coach Martin Perelman got the team its first win of the year, things went right back to awful in Nashville.

The Lions are last in MLS in goals conceded (17) and goal difference (-12). Meanwhile, only four teams in the league have scored fewer than Orlando City’s five goals on the season. The back line has been terrible and the midfield hasn’t been much better, as Orlando is also dead last in recovery difference in 2026.

Meanwhile, LAFC might be the league’s best team. Tonight’s hosts have not conceded a goal yet through five matches, outscoring opponents 8-0. LAFC is 3-0-0 at home to start the season, and its 13 points is tied with Nashville for most in MLS.

The fact that LAFC has done that with Bouanga and Son Heung-Min combining for just one goal so far this season is downright scary. David Martinez and Mathieu Choiniere lead LAFC with two goals apiece. Heung-Min leads his team in assists (3) and Bouanga (2) is just behind.

The Lions must stay focused defensively for 90 minutes, but at the other end, they’ll also need to find a way to beat Hugo Lloris — something no one has yet done in 2026. It’s a tall task for any team to go to Los Angeles and upset LAFC, but for a team struggling like Orlando City has been, it might be far too much to ask.

“We have these days where the boys needed to have a break. At the end, I think it’s something that’s very healthy for them,” Perelman said ahead of the match. “After that, we reunited the group and started thinking of what’s coming.”

The Lions will be without Wilder Cartagena (thigh), Joran Gerbet (knee), and Tyrese Spicer (thigh), while David Brekalo (lower leg), Griffin Dorsey (lower back), and Robin Jansson (foot) are listed as questionable. For Jansson, that’s an upgrade to his condition, but expecting him to play may be a bit premature. LAFC will be without Stephen Eustáquio (leg), Igor Jesus (leg), and Aaron Long (leg).

Match Content

• This week’s PawedCast includes our key matchups and score predictions.
• Our Dave Rohe wrote about his three keys to an Orlando City victory in this matchup.

Official Lineups

Orlando City (5-3-2)

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Braian Ojeda, Nolan Miller, David Brekalo, Iago, Ivan Angulo.

Midfielders: Colin Guske, Eduard Atuesta, Marco Pasalic.

Forwards: Martin Ojeda, Tiago.

Bench: Javier Otero, Adrian Marin, Tahir Reid-Brown, Zakaria Taifi, Luis Otavio, Harvey Sarajian, Yutaro Tsukada, Justin Ellis, Duncan McGuire.

Los Angeles FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Hugo Lloris.

Defenders: Ryan Hollingshead, Nkosi Tafari, Ryan Porteous, Sergi Palencia.

Midfielders: Marky Delgado, Nathan Ordaz, Timothy Tillman.

Forwards: Denis Bouanga, Son Heung-Min, Tyler Boyd.

Bench: Thomas Hasal, Eddie Segura, Ryan Raposo, Artem Smoliakov, Mathieu Choiniere, Jacob Shaffelburg, David Martinez, Jeremy Ebobisse, Amin Boudri.

Referees:

REF: Alexis Da Silva.
AR1: Jeffrey Greeson.
AR2: Mike Nickerson.
4TH: Ricardo Fierro.
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic.
AVAR: Fabio Tovar.

How to Watch

Match Time: 9:30 p.m.

Venue: BMO Stadium — Los Angeles.

TV/Live Stream: Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.

Enjoy the match. Go City!