The 2026 Major League Soccer season kicks off Sunday with a match between the LA Galaxy and New York City FC at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. The game, presented by Modelo, is scheduled to begin at 4:00 PM PT, marking the start of a new campaign for both franchises.
The LA Galaxy are entering the season hoping to re-establish themselves as a top contender in the Western Conference after a period of restructuring. NYCFC will aim to spoil the home opener for the Galaxy in what is a significant early-season contest for both clubs.
Viewers in Los Angeles can catch the game at 4:00 PM local time. For fans on the East Coast, the match will begin at 7:00 PM ET. Viewers in Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil can tune in at 9:00 PM local time. Chile and Paraguay will spot the kickoff at 9:00 PM as well, although Bolivia and Venezuela will watch at 8:00 PM. Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru will see the game at 7:00 PM, and Mexico at 6:00 PM. Fans in Spain will have to stay up late, with the game starting at 1:00 AM on Monday, February 23rd.
This season, MLS matches are exclusively available through Apple TV. A standard Apple TV subscription is required to access all regular season games, including the Galaxy-NYCFC match. The MLS Season Pass is now integrated into the base Apple TV subscription for 2026, eliminating the need for an additional purchase. Live coverage with analysis in both English and Spanish will be available on Apple TV+.
Dignity Health Sports Park, with a capacity of 30,510, will host the match. Tickets are currently available, with prices starting at $44, according to VividSeats.
As of February 22nd, both teams have yet to record a win or loss in the 2026 MLS season. The Galaxy and NYCFC are both listed with 0-0-0 records and 0 points in the early standings. Recent matchups between the two teams have been closely contested, with the Galaxy winning 2-0 on June 19, 2024, and NYCFC winning 1-2 on February 4, 2023.
Elsewhere in the league, St. Louis CITY’s Marcel Hartel scored the first goal of the 2026 MLS season. Petar Musa of FC Dallas has too boosted his World Cup prospects with a brace in recent play. The league is also investigating allegations that Lionel Messi gained unauthorized access to the officials’ locker room following a match between Inter Miami, and LAFC.
