Preview | Actual Spain vs. LAFC – Concacaf Champions Cup

🏟 | Francisco Morazán Stadium; San Pedro Sula, Honduras

🖥 | FS2, TUDN, ConcacafGO, One Soccer (Canada), Coupang Play (Korea)

LAFC opens its 2026 aggressive calendar with a 2,300-mile highway journey to Honduras for the primary of two matches in opposition to Honduran membership Actual CD España in Spherical One of many 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup.

The primary leg, on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 7:00 pm PT, shall be answered at Estadio Francisco Morazán in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. The golf equipment will play the second leg at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 7:00 pm PT.

Tuesday’s match marks LAFC’s second ever journey to Central America, and its first aggressive contest of 2026, following six preseason friendlies in January and February in opposition to groups from Germany, the US, and Mexico.

Western Convention semifinalists a yr in the past, LAFC returns virtually all of its roster following a season-ending run that noticed the membership go 9W-2L-4T after Korean star Son Heung-Min joined the Black & Gold final August. Son’s instantaneous reference to Denis Bouanga, a three-time MLS All Star and LAFC’s all-time main scorer, solely figures to develop in 2026 after that pair accounted for 25 objectives and eight assists after Son got here on board final summer time. At one level in ’25, Son and Bouanga scored 18 straight objectives for LAFC, a brand new MLS file for a duo.

ALSO READ: Bouanga & Son: 12 months Two

New head coach Marc Dos Santos takes over after spending the earlier 4 seasons as an LAFC assistant coach. In these 4 seasons, LAFC received an MLS Cup, a US Open Cup and greater than 100 video games in all competitions whereas scoring extra objectives and incomes extra wins and factors than some other membership in MLS.

“Marc clearly had quite a bit to do with what we thought was actually good about LAFC,” Co-President and GM John Thorrington stated two weeks in the past, “however he had some concepts on how you can tweak issues. And what’s actually spectacular is Marc and the workers, each new and previous”—LAFC added assistant coaches Andy Rose and Xavi Tamarit this offseason—“have begun implementing these tweaks. And the truth that they’re already evident just some quick weeks into coaching is actually spectacular.”

Dos Santos’ concepts shall be on show Tuesday in Honduras. The winner on combination (mixed) objectives over the 2 matches will transfer on to face Costa Rican membership Alajuelense in one other two-leg matchup within the CCC Spherical of 16 in mid-March.

As Concacaf’s early rounds get underway, LAFC will concurrently embark on its MLS common season, which kicks off on March 21 in opposition to Inter Miami on the LA Coliseum. All informed, the Black & Gold will play 4 video games in a 12-day span in each competitions. To fulfill these calls for LAFC has added depth to its roster within the preseason, including midfielders Stephen Eustáquio and Amin Boudri, and forwards Tyler Boyd and Jacob Shaffelburg, to an assault that already included Son, Bouanga, Nathan Ordaz (eight objectives and 7 assists in all competitions in ’25), and David Martínez (six objectives, 4 assists).

Ordaz (age 22) and Martínez (20) have been the one two teammates to rank within the High 10 of MLS’s annual 22 Underneath 22 listing final season.

Moreover, each midfielder and defender who began LAFC’s ultimate playoff match final fall is again for 2026. Legendary goalkeeper Hugo Lloris begins his third season in Black & Gold as considered one of simply two MLS goalies to earn a minimum of 12 clear sheets in every of the final two seasons.

Nicknamed Los Aurinegros (gold and black), Actual Membership Deportivo España was based 96 years in the past and performs in Honduras’ high division, the Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Honduras. Actual España has received the league title 12 instances and earned its place on this yr’s CCC by reaching the semifinals of the 2025 Central American Cup.

Spain will face LAFC on quick relaxation. On Saturday, Feb. 14, Actual España performed a Liga Nacional Clausura match in opposition to CD Choloma, successful 2-1 at residence as defender Daniel Aparicio and heart ahead Eddie Hernandez supplied the objectives. Actual España is unbeaten in its final six league video games (4W-0L-2D), conceding solely 5 objectives in that span. The Aurinegros are at present in first place within the Liga Nacional Clausura standings.

Defender Devron Garcia (age 29) performed briefly for MLS membership Orlando Metropolis in 2016 and at present leads Actual España in minutes performed this season.

This two-leg matchup will function two World Cup veteran goalkeepers, each of whom have worn LAFC colours. First, after all, there’s Lloris, two-time World Cup finalist, 2018 World Cup champion, and LAFC’s all-time chief in wins, clear sheets, and appearances in purpose. Actual España goalie Luis “Buba” Lopez (pictured beneath) performed for LAFC in 2018, on mortgage from Actual España. Lopez performed one MLS match that season, a 2-0 loss to Sporting KC on Aug. 11, 2018 (through which he conceded a penalty-kick purpose to SKC midfielder and future LAFC captain Ilie Sánchez).

Lopez returned to Actual España following his mortgage interval and has been there ever since. Now 32, Lopez has earned greater than 50 caps for Honduras’ nationwide crew, which was eradicated from FIFA World Cup 2026 competition in November 2025.

Lopez was on Honduras’ roster for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He was Honduras’ first-choice goalkeeper on the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the place the Hondurans have been eradicated by Brazil within the semi-finals. Lopez began the bronze-medal match through which Honduras fell to Nigeria.

LAFC has had two Honduran gamers, defender Denil Maldonado (21 appearances, 19 begins in 2023), and defender Andy Najar (eight appearances, one begin for LAFC in 2020) who was a 2025 MLS All-Star with Nashville SC. Each have performed with Lopez on the Honduras nationwide crew.

LAFC has no present gamers from Central America, though LA native Matt Evans joined the nationwide crew of Guatemala (which borders Honduras) final yr throughout 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying.

ABOUT CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP

The 61st version of the Concacaf Champions Cup shall be performed between February and Might 2026. The annual match is comprised of 5 direct elimination rounds and options the highest 27 golf equipment from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Spherical One will start in early February, adopted by the Spherical of 16 in March, the Quarterfinals in April, the Semifinals spanning April and Might, and the Ultimate on Saturday, Might 30.

LAFC superior to the Ultimate in its first two appearances within the competitors, in 2020 and 2023, when it was often called Concacaf Champions League.

Its world-class attacking expertise imposes its will. The mix of Son, Bouanga, and whoever fills the opposite wing and attacking midfield spots (Ordaz? Martínez? Boudri? Tim Tillman?) is quite a bit for any membership to deal with. Actual España excels in its home league by means of hermetic protection and the skilled goalkeeping of Lopez. If LAFC’s runners can invade the house facet’s 18-yard field early and sometimes, the Black & Gold can return to BMO Stadium with an aggregate-goal lead and a transparent path to the subsequent spherical.

It hangs on within the first half by defending in deep positions and attacking rapidly on the break. If a profitable counterattack, set-piece, or an LAFC error offers the Hondurans the sport’s first purpose, the 20,000 available on the Morazán will come alive, and imagine.

LAFC kicks off its 2026 MLS common season on February 21, in opposition to Inter Miami, on the Los Angeles Coliseum. Leg two of their CCC matchup with Actual España shall be performed at BMO Stadium on February 24. The Black & Gold’s MLS residence opener at BMO is scheduled for March 7 in opposition to FC Dallas. Go to the membership’s 2026 schedule and season ticket membership pages for extra data.