Los Angeles FC was founded on October 30, 2014, in Los Angeles, California, and entered Major League Soccer as an expansion team for the 2018 season. The club was established following the dissolution of Chivas USA, filling a gap in the Los Angeles soccer market and quickly building one of the league's most passionate supporter cultures.
From the outset, LAFC showed ambition on the pitch. In just their second season, 2019, they claimed the Supporters' Shield with a then-record 72 points, powered by Carlos Vela's league-record 34 goals, which earned him the MLS MVP award. The 2022 season brought the club's defining moment: a first MLS Cup title, secured in dramatic fashion against Philadelphia Union via a penalty shootout after a 3–3 draw, with Gareth Bale scoring a memorable equalizer in the 128th minute of extra time. That same year, LAFC also claimed their second Supporters' Shield, completing a domestic double. In 2024, the club added the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup to their trophy cabinet, defeating Sporting Kansas City in the final.
The club twice reached the CONCACAF Champions League final, finishing runners-up in 2020 and 2023, demonstrating consistent continental competitiveness.
LAFC's identity is shaped by their intense crosstown rivalry with LA Galaxy, a fixture known as El Tráfico, which reflects the broader cultural energy of Los Angeles. Playing at BMO Stadium in Exposition Park, the club has attracted a roster of global names while building a distinct, community-rooted football identity in one of the world's great cities.