Five reasons to be excited about the 2026 LA Galaxy season

Pessimism? Doom and gloom? Not around these parts.

Ok, yesterday’s 1-1 draw at Panamanian side San Miguelito to open CONCACAF Champions League play was pretty meh. A lack of cutting edge in the final third meant Greg Vanney’s rotated squad had to settle for a point against a scrappy yet overmatched opponent.

And yet despite the challenges the LA Galaxy are facing including losing Riqui Puig for the second year running, there are plenty of positives the Blue White and Gold faithful can look forward to experiencing this season.

There’s no way it’ll be as bad as 2025

First and foremost.

No, I don’t foresee the Galaxy posting another historic winless streak. The first half of the season was an abomination, but also a flukish series of results that won’t be replicated. Losing to a Sporting Kansas City side that didn’t register a shot on goal? Probably not happening again anytime soon.

I’d also argue mentally the Galaxy players are in a better place than last season. Coming out of Coachella was a squad missing Riqui but still carrying themselves with that championship swagger, at least until the opening match when the facade came crashing down.

The hope was LA could be competitive until summer when Riqui could potentially return, but that first comprehensive defeat to expansion club San Diego FC at home was a major blow to the team’s confidence from which they never fully recovered.

However, placing Riqui on the Season Ending List this year however has had the benefit of helping the players lock in, knowing full well their superstar playmaker won’t be available. This year’s group understands any success or failure will come without Puig, and you can sense it around camp. Edwin Cerrillo declared the team has lots to prove, a sentiment echoed by Greg Vanney who praised his players for arriving “Fit and focused” for preseason.

The team’s winning record the second half of the year and the new additions will also give the Galaxy additional belief.

The rebuilt backline

GM Will Kuntz donned his apron and cooked domestically, bringing in Defender of the Year runner-up Jakob Glesnes from the Union and NYCFC’s Justin Haak to strengthen the center back position. The pair also grants Vanney the option of fielding a 3-5-2 formation.

My boy Doyle isn’t a fan of deploying Haak in the middle of the park, and I get the reasoning: The former NYCFC man can operate as a midfielder, but Haak excelled last year as a center back in particular. And yet if you’re Vanney with the opportunity of pairing Glesnes with the faster player in MLS in Emiro Garces while still keeping Haak on the field, why not do that?

Suffice to say, any issues the Galaxy have this year might not be back line related. And when’s the last time we’ve been able to say that?

Awesome klaussome

Joáo Klauss brings a different profile to the No. 9 position. We caught glimpses of his ability to influence the match during his second half sub appearance vs. San Miguelito.

Whether it was Klauss shielding the ball from a defender so Mauricio Cuevas’s cross found Joseph Paintsil unmarked in the box for LA’s only goal, or drawing what certainly looked like a penalty soon afterwards, the 28-year old Brazilian certainly is capable of making an prolific impact in the Galaxy attack this year.

(On a side note, if Klauss doesn’t score at least 13 goals me and the Galaxy press box lads are obviously morons)

The Gass Theorum

Those who listened to ExtraTime Radio back in the day will instantly recognize the rule coined by former employee and certified legend David Gass.

“After learning to navigate challenges at their new club – travel, time-zone changes, weather, play style, etc. – they’re more prepared to make an outsized impact. The MLS nerds among us will recognize this as the Gass Theorem (shoutout Extratime).” — Jonathan Sigal

Several of LA’s young signings had slow starts to life in MLS last year, particularly the disappointing Lucas Sanabria. After a year of acclimating to the league, expect Sanabria and the likes of Elijah Wynder and Matias Nascimento to continue improving. (How much they’ll improve has yet to be seen)

The supporters (probably) won’t boycott again

I actually have no idea whether this is true? You never know what the future holds after all.

What I will say however, is after the Galaxy supporters groups spent two of the past three seasons boycotting the club for significant periods of time (for noble reasons btw), the statistics odds are another boycott this year are low.

And thank God for that. Without the SGs, the atmosphere at Dignity Health Sports Park is basically dead. It’s a major bummer that affects everyone at the stadium including the players who’s home field advantage is compromised.

Galaxy games aren’t the same without the supporters, period.