The Major League Soccer attendance record is expected to be broken as a very special edition of El Trafico gets set to be played on July 4th at the Rose Bowl.
LAFC and the LA Galaxy have built a high-profile and highly anticipated rivalry full of fireworks, and those will be on full display in Pasadena on Independence Day — quite literally, as there is a fireworks display scheduled for after the match concludes.
With the Rose Bowl boasting a capacity of around 80,000, and reports indicating the match is near a sellout, the game is expected to set a new MLS record crowd, beating the mark set by Charlotte FC in their inaugural home opener in 2022.
LAFC are once again challenging for the best record in MLS, while the Galaxy are having one of their worst seasons on record, but the relative league positions have never mattered much when these two rivals meet. They'll once again continue a series which began in 2018 and quickly found its way towards the top of the most visible rivalries in U.S. sports.
MORE: List of MLS attendance records with El Trafico expected to break the league record crowd
LA Galaxy vs LAFC match facts
- Date: Tuesday, July 4, 2023
- Kickoff Time: 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
- Location: Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.)
- Official: TBD
- Last meeting: LAFC 0-2 LA Galaxy (May 23, 2023 | U.S. Open Cup)
LA Galaxy vs LAFC prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: LAFC (+105)
- Handicap lean: LAFC -0.5 (-105)
- Score prediction: LA Galaxy 1-3 LAFC
LAFC are expected to win, given they sit near the top of the Western Conference standings, while the Galaxy are near the bottom.
Still, games between these two sides have historically been wild, and the Galaxy upset LAFC in Open Cup play last time they met just over a month ago. That sees LAFC saddled with just around even-money odds, which isn't quite what you'd expect from a match between two teams on opposite ends of the table.
Goals are always expected when these two sides meet, but LAFC's goalscoring prowess seems to have taken a step back in the last few weeks, shut out in the U.S. Open Cup defeat to the Galaxy in late May.
MORE: How LA derby came to be called "El Trafico" and list of results since it began play in 2018
| LA Galaxy win | Draw | LAFC win | Both teams to score Y / N | Over / Under 2.5 goals | LAFC -0.5 | LAG +0.5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM (USA) | +225 | +270 | +105 | -175 / +125 | -160 / +115 | -105 | -135 |
| Sports Interaction (Canada) | +247 | +278 | -107 | -192 / +121 | -156 / +122 | +100 | -127 |
LA Galaxy vs LAFC: best bet
- Pick: LAFC over 2.5 total goals
- Odds: +250 (BetMGM)
LAFC have seen their vaunted attack stifled somewhat in the past few weeks, as Carlos Vela, Denis Bouanga, and Kwadwo Opoku have all gone through a period of lower output. Still, that's largely been thanks to the heavy squad rotation of Steve Cherundolo, who has tried to manage the minutes of as many key players as he can.
He's likely to send out his strongest possible lineup in this match, and the LAFC forward line will be deployed in full against an LA Galaxy defense that is both struggling and lacking bodies for this game.
The Galaxy's best defender this season has been 19-year-old Jalen Neal, having a breakout year, as he is with the U.S. national team on Gold Cup duty — and impressing there as well. Even with Neal, the Galaxy have conceded 31 goals this MLS season, which isn't far off the league's worst mark.
They've kept just one clean sheet in their last 11 league games, and with Martin Caceres also out for the season due to injury, there's no stopping this LAFC attack in a derby fixture that has historically produced some true barn-burners.
LA Galaxy vs LAFC prop bet
- Pick: Carlos Vela anytime goal scorer
- Odds: +180 (BetMGM)
Put simply, Carlos Vela loves El Trafico. The Mexican forward has scored an incredible 12 goals in 13 all-time matches against the Galaxy.
While Vela is having a down year by his standards, and may be slowing down for good at the age of 34, he's still a danger up front, especially in this fixture. He scored a brace against the Galaxy back on April 16 — his only multi-goal game of the season so far — and he has two goals in his last four league games, possibly a sign of a return to his best.
Steve Cherundolo has tried to manage Vela's minutes this season, and sat him last time out against FC Dallas, so he should be fresh and ready to strike.
LA Galaxy vs LAFC live stream, TV channel
The July 2023 edition of El Trafico will be broadcast worldwide on MLS Season Pass, as one of the week's selected free games.
MLS Season Pass on Apple TV is the exclusive home of Major League Soccer broadcasts for the next 10 years. While access to the platform is largely subscription-based, each week a few matches are selected for free access.
This week, LA Galaxy vs. LAFC will be aired for free by Apple TV, for all viewers across the globe to access.
MORE: Watch Premier League matches live with Fubo in USA