The LA Galaxy (No. 2) and their high-flying attack enter the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs on Saturday night, hoping to beat the Colorado Rapids (No. 7) in Game 1 of their Round One Best-of-3 Series.
How to watch & stream
When
- Saturday, Oct. 26 | 11 pm ET/8 pm PT
Where
- Dignity Health Sports Park | Carson, California
This Round One series winner will face either Real Salt Lake (No. 3) or Minnesota United FC (No. 6) in a Western Conference Semifinal on Nov. 23 or 24. To get there, LA or Colorado must win two matches across this series opener, Game 2 (Nov. 1) and Game 3 (Nov. 9).
If a Round One match is tied after regulation time (90 minutes), no extra time will be played. There will immediately be a penalty kick shootout to determine the winner.
- Seed: Western Conference No. 2
- Regular season: 64 points (19W-8L-7D)
The LA Galaxy have won a league-record five MLS Cups and feasibly could secure a sixth this season (first since 2014).
That optimism stems from their star-studded attack, which is led by Riqui Puig, Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljić – a quartet that combined for 54 goals and 45 assists during the regular season. LA also signed German icon Marco Reus this summer, adding another threat as Greg Vanney's team scored 69 times this year (third-best in MLS).
However, the Galaxy will need to rebound from some Decision Day heartbreak. A 2-1 loss at Houston Dynamo FC, combined with arch-rival LAFC's 3-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes, dropped them to No. 2 in the West on the goal differential tiebreaker.
- Seed: Western Conference No. 7
- Regular season: 50 points (15W-14L-5D)
First, the good: Colorado have improved by 23 points year-over-year, going from the Western Conference basement (2023) to seventh place (2024). Along the way, in coach Chris Armas' first season, they finished third in Leagues Cup and qualified for the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.
Second, the bad: Colorado enter the playoffs with one win in their last six games (1W-5L-0D) and are dealing with injuries to key midfielders Djordje Mihailovic (ankle) and Cole Bassett (quad). USMNT goalkeeper Zack Steffen also missed their Decision Day match, a 3-2 defeat at Austin FC, with a lower-body injury.
How healthy are the Rapids? Can they turn things around? The club's eyeing a second MLS Cup title after winning in 2010.
