Inter Miami, Messi coming to L.A. for Galaxy opener
Major League Soccer 2024 schedules were released this week and the obvious early headliner: Lionel Messi is headed to Dignity Health Sports Park.
The Galaxy will open their season Feb. 25 at home against Messi and Inter Miami CF.
That’s one day after the Los Angeles Football Club’s bid for third straight MLS Cup berth kicks off at BMO Stadium with a midday nationally televised divisional contest against the Seattle Sounders.
The 29th MLS season commences Feb. 21, the earliest in league history, when Inter Miami CF plays host to Real Salt Lake.
The 34-match regular-season, which runs into mid-October, pauses for the MLS All-Star game in Columbus on July 24, rolling into the monthlong Leagues Cup competition from July 26 through Aug. 25. The MLS Cup championship match is scheduled for Dec. 7.
The nine-month regular season concludes Oct. 19, when the San Jose Earthquakes visit BMO Stadium on Decision Day.
LAFC will kick off the club’s seventh season against the Sounders, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary in Seattle.
After setting the all-time MLS attendance record with an announced crowd of 82,110 on July 4 at the Rose Bowl, another supersized El Trafico is set to occur in Pasadena on Independence Day.
The first El Trafico clash will take place April 6 at BMO Stadium and the third will be Sept. 14 at Dignity Health Sports Park.
Messi, who arrived last summer in
MLS, will be making his second trip to Los Angeles. In September, Inter Miami traveled to face LAFC in front of a sold-out crowd, which included a long list of celebrities.
Galaxy matches are mostly scheduled for the weekends, with just seven games played either on a Wednesday or Thursday.
All but seven of LAFC’s 34 league games are scheduled for Saturdays, including the club’s first 12 matches prior to a midweek trip to reigning Western Conference regular-season winner St. Louis City on May 15.
LAFC, Cherundolo agree on multiyear extension
Two years in, many of the hopes that accompanied Steve Cherundolo’s introduction as head coach of the Los Angeles Football Club have been realized.
That much was confirmed Wednesday when LAFC announced a multiyear contract extension for the 44-year-old American, who in 2022 became the only MLS head coach to win the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup in their first season in charge.
“Steve has proven to be one of the top coaches in our league,” LAFC co-president and general manager John Thorrington said in a statement announcing the news. “When we hired Steve, we were confident that his leadership qualities and unique blend of international and domestic experience would be the perfect fit for LAFC, and he has more than delivered on our high expectations.”
LAFC’s return trip to the MLS Cup made the native San Diegan the third coach in league history to accomplish that feat, and is another marker of Cherundolo’s fast success.
Through two regular seasons, LAFC is 35-19-14 under his watch, going 7-1 in the postseason. In June, he became the most successful MLS coach through 50 regular-season games, claiming 64% of the possible points over that stretch. Ray Hudson and Frank Yallop previously shared the mark at 58%.
Angel City FC retains Gorden, loses McCaskill
Angel City Football Club re-signed defender Sarah Gorden to a threeyear contract through the 2026 season with an option for 2027, the club announced.
Gorden, who missed the 2022 season with an ACL injury, returned to her top level last season, playing every minute of every game for Angel City, earning NWSL Best XI honors.
“She is a big part of how we move forward in the pursuit to win a championship,” general manager Angela Hucles Mangano said. “Her leadership on and off the field is critical to our success and we are thrilled that she will be on our roster for years to come.”
Gorden had become an unrestricted free agent after last season.
In other ACFC news, Savannah McCaskill, the team’s all-time leading goal scorer with 11, signed a three-year contract with rival San Diego Wave FC. McCaskill was an unrestricted free agent.
In 23 games last season, she scored four goals and had three assists and earned NWSL second-team Best XI honors.