El Trafico: LA Galaxy v LAFC - Date, location, history & how to watch

El Trafico is one of the biggest derby matches in MLS and is contested between Los Angeles rivals LA Galaxy and Los Angeles FC.

Also known as the Los Angeles Derby, El Trafico is one of two crosstown derbies within MLS, the other being the Hudson River Derby between New York Red Bulls and New York City FC.

LA Galaxy originally contested the SuperClasico with another LA-based team, Chivas USA, but following the latter's dissolution in 2014 and LAFC's subsequent arrival in MLS four years later, El Trafico was born.

Here is everything you need to know about one of the biggest fixtures in American club soccer.

El Trafico date

The next derby contest between LA Galaxy and Los Angeles FC will take place at 03:30 BST on Sunday 15th September 2024.

El Trafico location

These matches primarily take place at either the Galaxy's Dignity Health Sports Park - where Sunday’s contest will be held - or the BMO Stadium, home ground for LAFC.

However, fixtures between these two city rivals have also twice been played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena and once at the ESPN Sports Complex in Florida, which is also the only time the sides have squared off outside their home state of California.

El Trafico how to watch

The latest meeting between these two sides on Sunday 15th September will be available for UK viewers to watch on bet365's Sports Live Streaming service, as well as on Apple TV.

How many times has El Trafico taken place?

El Trafico is a derby still in its infancy, with the two teams having faced off 23 times since the fixture was first held in March 2018.

El Trafico head-to-head record

That first-ever meeting will live long in the memory, as LAFC raced into a 3-0 lead at the home of their rivals, but the Galaxy, inspired by Zlatan Ibrahimovic on what was his debut for the club, scored four goals in the final 30 minutes to win 4-3.

The Galaxy remained unbeaten across the first five derby meetings before LAFC claimed their first win at the sixth attempt, but it was a big one - a 5-3 success in the Conference semi-finals of the 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs.

LAFC have also had the better of recent meetings, winning six of the previous eight, including both clashes so far in the 2024 MLS season - a 2-1 home success at BMO Stadium in April before July's victory by the same scoreline at the Rose Bowl.

Overall there is nothing to separate the two teams in the head-to-head meetings, with both winning nine times apiece to go alongside five draws.

LA Galaxy wins	9
Draw	5
Los Angeles FC wins	9

Players who have played for both

Given this is still a fledgling rivalry, it is no surprise that only a handful of players, three to be exact, have donned the colours of both clubs.

Finnish defender Niko Hamalainen was the first to do so, spending time on loan at first LAFC in 2019 and then the Galaxy two years later.

Canadian midfielder Raheem Edwards then became the first player to move directly between the two clubs, leaving LAFC at the end of the 2021 season before joining the Galaxy for the 2022 campaign.

That path was then followed by goalkeeper John McCarthy, who was named MLS Cup MVP for saving two penalties in the shootout success over Philadelphia Union to hand LAFC their first championship in 2022.

He then left little over a year later for the Galaxy, where he still currently plays.

El Trafico record goalscorer

Former LAFC star Carlos Vela is the leading scorer in the history of El Trafico, netting 12 times in the fixture between 2018 and 2023.

The Mexican has also scored more goals and made more appearances than any other player in the history of the Black and Gold Falcons.

After his heroics in the first-ever meeting between the pair, it is no surprise Ibrahimovic is next on the list with nine goals, making him the Galaxy's leading scorer in this fixture.

Of the players currently playing for one of the LA clubs, Los Angeles FC forward Denis Bouanga is the highest scorer in the fixture with six goals, which leaves him tied third overall alongside former LAFC star Diego Rossi.