A cross-conference clash awaits in the first Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire matchup of the 2026 MLS season when the LA Galaxy host New York City FC.
How to watch & stream
When
- Sunday, Feb. 22 | 7 pm ET/4 pm PT
Where
- Dignity Health Sports Park | Carson, California
What to know
After an active winter transfer window, the 2024 MLS Cup presented by Audi champions hope to bounce back from last season's 14th-place finish in the Western Conference.
LA's star-studded roster is highlighted by Marco Reus, Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Pec, though they'll be without star playmaker Riqui Puig for a second consecutive season. The Spanish maestro suffered an ACL setback before preseason, landing him on the Season-Ending Injury List.
The silver lining is that LA opened a Designated Player roster spot and used it to acquire striker João Klauss from St. Louis CITY SC. The Galaxy also added further MLS experience in former Defender of the Year Jakob Glesnes, versatile defender Justin Haak and veteran midfielder Erik Thommy.
Will those additions be enough for head coach Greg Vanney's team to return to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs?
Who to watch
- Jakob Glesnes: The 2022 MLS Defender of the Year was acquired from the Philadelphia Union for up to $2.2 million in General Allocation Money (GAM), with LA hoping to shore up their backline.
- João Klauss: Acquired for $2.375 million in a cash-for-player trade with St. Louis, the Galaxy's newest DP hopes to hit the ground running. Klauss scored a club-record 27 goals in 85 games for St. Louis.
- Joseph Paintsil: Paintsil is entering his third season with LA and is chasing a 2026 FIFA World Cup roster spot with Ghana. He has 20g/15a in 54 regular-season matches.Â
- Gabriel Pec: The 2024 MLS Newcomer of the Year causes constant danger in the final third, leaning on his Brazilian flair and dynamic dribbling. Pec has 22g/23a in 62 regular-season games.Â
- Marco Reus: The German legend and Borussia Dortmund icon can change the game at any moment. He arrived for LA's MLS Cup 2024 push, and last year had 14 goal contributions (5g/9a).
Predicted XI
Edwin Cerrillo has a carry-over suspension from last season (red card), potentially opening a spot in midfield. We could see Haak slot in alongside Lucas Sanabria, and Emiro Garcés partner Glesnes at the back.
What to know
Following a trip to the 2025 Eastern Conference Final, NYCFC have their sights set on returning to MLS Cup for the first time since winning the league championship in 2021.
The challenge? The Pigeons are without last season's top scorer, Alonso MartÃnez, as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered during the 2025 playoffs.
The good news? Argentine attacker Nicolás Fernández Mercau has a full preseason under his belt after arriving last July from LaLiga side Elche, and Talles Magno is back from his loan to Brazilian side Corinthians.Â
Meanwhile, USMNT goalkeeper Matt Freese is fighting for a starting spot at the 2026 World Cup. He is arguably head coach Pascal Jansen's most dependable player.
Who to watch
- Nicolás Fernández Mercau: An immediate star upon arriving in MLS last season, the Argentine playmaker has already netted 5g/2a in his first 19 games with NYCFC.
- Matt Freese: The MLS Goalkeeper of the Year contender and USMNT No. 1 recorded eight clean sheets in 31 games last season.Â
- Maxi Moralez: The veteran Argentine is still going strong as he returns for a 10th season with NYCFC. Moralez started all 34 games in 2025, recording 2g/11a out of midfield.
- Thiago Martins: As the club captain, Martins serves as NYCFC's on-field leader and was named an MLS All-Star in 2024.
- Aiden O'Neill: The Australian midfielder could feature at the 2026 World Cup alongside offseason signing Kai Trewin. O'Neill, who arrived last April from Belgian Pro League side Standard Liège, has 27 appearances for NYCFC.
Predicted XI
With uncertainty over whether Magno will start, NYCFC could play with a false No. 9 where AgustÃn Ojeda and Hannes Wolf add threats out wide.
Defensive reinforcements were the theme of LA's offseason, highlighted by the arrivals of Glesnes and Haak. They're big upgrades on paper, but they'll draw a tough assignment for their first match. How the Galaxy's remade backline performs will go a long way in deciding the contest.
