February 21, 2023 – Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
MLS is Back, as the 2023 Major League Soccer season kicks off with a historic installment of the El Tráfico rivalry. Defending MLS Cup champion LAFC will face off against crosstown rival LA Galaxy in front of what is expected to be an MLS-record crowd of more than 75,000 fans at the iconic Rose Bowl at 9:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Feb. 25 and will be streamed on MLS Season Pass.
For the Galaxy, this home match will put talented midfielder Riqui Puig on display as he enters his first full MLS season. The FC Barcelona youth academy product produced three goals and five assists in only 10 games after joining the Galaxy in the summer of 2022, igniting the club’s offense to lead the Galaxy to a berth in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. Puig and perennial MLS All-Star Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández will lead the Galaxy into action as the club plays their first MLS match at the Rose Bowl since October 5, 2002 (Western Conference Final vs. Colorado).
LAFC will begin their title defense with a reloaded lineup, with offseason acquisitions Stipe Biuk – the 20-year-old Croatian international – and Aaron Long – a free agent signing from the New York Red Bulls – set to bolster an already star-studded roster. Second-year head coach Steve Cherundolo and three-time MLS Best XI presented by Continental Tire honoree Carlos Vela hope to break a long-standing drought of back-to-back champions, as no MLS team has captured consecutive MLS Cups since the 2011-12 LA Galaxy.
The last meeting between the teams was a 3-2 victory by LAFC in the 2022 Western Conference Semifinals en route to winning MLS Cup. LAFC’s Denis Bouanga scored a brace in the match and aims to continue his strong run of form into 2023.
Opening Weekend Marks Start of Live Regular Season Matches on MLS Season Pass
The start of the MLS season marks the beginning of live regular season matches on MLS Season Pass , the unprecedented subscription service available on the Apple TV app in more than 100 countries and regions. MLS Season Pass will feature every live MLS regular season match, the entire Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, and Leagues Cup all in one place, with consistent match times and no blackouts – a first in live sports broadcasting.
With an MLS Season Pass subscription, fans can enjoy every MLS match on billions of devices through the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, and game consoles, as well as on the web at…
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