Guadalajara Chivas set date, time and opponent for Leagues Cup 2026 opener.
Guadalajara Chivas will make their Leagues Cup 2026 debut on August 5 at 8:30 p.m. local time against Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. The match, which kicks off the group stage, will air exclusively on Apple TV via the MLS Season Pass, as Chivas’ games won’t be available on free-to-air TV in Mexico.
Chivas were drawn into West Group 2, alongside LAFC. The club’s recent history in this competition is poor: in 2023 they lost their first two games to FC Cincinnati and Sporting Kansas City, and in 2024 they drew both matches before falling on penalties to San Jose Earthquakes and LA Galaxy. They managed only isolated wins, exiting before the Round of 16.
Why this game matters for El Rebaño
The side coached by Gabriel Milito is desperate to end their Leagues Cup drought and reach the knockout rounds for the first time. The Argentine manager, who joined the club in May 2026, has stressed the need to start strongly to avoid repeating past mistakes.
Chivas’ schedule in this edition is tough. After facing LAFC, they’ll take on FC Dallas on August 12 at PayPal Park (7:00 p.m. local, live on Apple TV, Fox and Univision), and close the group stage against Seattle Sounders on August 19 at Lumen Field (8:30 p.m. local, Apple TV only).
How to watch Chivas’ Leagues Cup opener live
The clash with LAFC won’t be on free-to-air TV in Mexico. Fans must subscribe to MLS Season Pass on Apple TV to stream the game live. Other group-stage fixtures will air on open channels such as Imagen Televisión in Mexico, Televisa Univisión and FOX Sports in the U.S., and TSN in Canada, but Chivas’ matches are excluded.
The record Chivas aims to erase
In their last two appearances, Guadalajara picked up just two points from four games. The club, currently 18th in Liga MX with 0 points from 1 game (0W-0D-1L), needs a mindset shift to advance. Chivas arrive with a goal difference of -2 after scoring once and conceding twice.
Their next domestic fixture comes on August 1 away to Puebla, ninth in the standings. Milito has already hinted at rotation to manage the double-header load.
