LAFC hosts the Seattle Sounders in seattle sounders vs lafc on Sunday at BMO Stadium, closing out both clubs’ schedules before a six-week break for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. LAFC enters seventh in the Western Conference, while Seattle arrives fourth, with the winner carrying momentum into the pause.
The matchup also comes with more than standings on the line. Sunday is the final match for both clubs before MLS and other leagues stop for the World Cup break, and LAFC will head into that pause knowing it returns on July 17 with a derby in Carson against the Galaxy.
BMO Stadium rivalry
These teams know each other well. LAFC and Seattle have met 25 times across all competitions, with LAFC winning 14 and Seattle seven, and LAFC holding the edge in goals, 42-29. Since LAFC joined MLS in 2018, the two clubs have won more games than anyone else in the Western Conference.
The recent history swings both ways. LAFC beat Seattle in the 2023 Western Conference Semifinals, the 2024 Leagues Cup Quarterfinals and the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinals, while Seattle eliminated LAFC in the 2024 Western Conference Semifinals at BMO Stadium. LAFC also put together an 8W-0L-2D run against Seattle from 2021 to 2024.
Seattle’s road form
Seattle’s only other road win in this rivalry came in 2019, a 3-1 result in the Western Conference Final. LAFC then beat Seattle 4-0 when the Sounders last visited BMO Stadium on May 14, 2025, a result that sits in the middle of a rivalry built on playoff meetings and lopsided swings.
Brian Schmetzer has coached the Sounders since 2016, and this group arrives with a different look in goal. Andrew Thomas has moved ahead of Stefan Frei as Seattle’s number one goalkeeper, and Thomas has five clean sheets in 12 MLS appearances in 2026.
Son Heung-Min and Hugo Lloris
LAFC’s end of the field has been driven by Son Heung-Min and Hugo Lloris. Son leads the club in assists with nine, while Lloris leads MLS in clean sheets with eight, two numbers that help explain why LAFC stays in the top half of the Western Conference despite sitting seventh.
Seattle still brings production of its own. Paul Rothrock leads the team in league goals with four, Cristian Roldan has three goals and two assists, Albert Rusnák has three goals and four assists, Jesus Ferreira has two goals and five assists, and Osaze DeRosario has two goals and one assist. Jackson Ragen and Nouhou Tolo have logged the most minutes among non-goalkeepers.
Galaxy loss tightens Seattle
Seattle’s 2-0 loss to the Galaxy last weekend snapped a nine-match MLS unbeaten run, and the Sounders have won only one of four matches in May. They did beat second-place San Jose 3-2 on May 13, but Sunday now gives them one last chance to leave the regular season segment on a stronger note before the six-week pause.
For LAFC, the path is simpler: defend BMO Stadium, carry the rivalry edge into the break, and arrive at July 17 still in touch with the Western Conference race.
