Continuing with our FIFA Club World Cup 2025 team previews, we profile the last club to secure their place at this summer’s tournament: Los Angeles Football Club, aka LAFC.
Liga MX’s Club Leon were meant to be here, having won the Concacaf Champions League in 2023.
However, FIFA disqualified the Mexican side in March, citing rules prohibiting the involvement of more than one team from the same ownership group. Club Leon share Pachuca’s owners, in case you’re wondering.
So, after a play-off with Club América, LAFC are the 32nd and final team through to this summer’s competition.
There’s little chance of them doing what Denmark did in Euro ’92, but they could potentially challenge for second in Group D.
From top picks to set-piece takers, here’s all you need to know.
LAFC: OVERVIEW
Los Angeles FC finished top of the MLS Western Conference last season, ahead of derby rivals LA Galaxy on goal difference.
However, they were narrowly beaten by the Seattle Sounders in the semi-finals of the MLS Cup (which they lifted in 2022), with the Galaxy instead going on to win the title.
This season, Steve Cherundolo’s side currently sit sixth in the Western Conference but have two games in hand at the time of writing, which could take them up to fourth if results go their way. That’s much better than Galaxy, who are last in the conference by seven points at the moment!
They are also on a better run of form than a little earlier in their campaign, having gone unbeaten in their last eight matches. So far in 2024/25, LAFC have scored 27 goals, conceded 22 and kept five clean sheets in their 15 league fixtures. A so-so record,
LAFC are one of three MLS teams at the FIFA Club World Cup, alongside Inter Miami and Seattle Sounders.
The club was founded in October 2014 and played its inaugural MLS season in 2018, with this summer representing its first appearance at the Club World Cup.
Popular head coach Cherundolo is due to step down for personal reasons at the end of this season, so a strong showing here could be a fitting send off.
GROUP FIXTURES
BOOKIES PREDICTIONS
| To Qualify | To Win Group | |
| LAFC | 39.7% | 12.9% |
| ES Tunis | 10.5% | 2.2% |
| Flamengo | 67.3% | 27.7% |
| Chelsea | 82.5% | 57.2% |
LEAGUE TOP SCORERS
After 15 games played:
- Denis Bouanga ($7.0m, FWD) – 7
- Nathan Ordaz ($6.6m, FWD) – 3
- David Martínez ($6.2m, FWD) – 3
- Jeremy Ebobisse ($6.3m, FWD) – 3
LEAGUE TOP ASSIST-MAKERS
After 15 games played:
- Mark Delgado ($5.8m, MID) – 3
- Nathan Ordaz ($6.6m, FWD) – 2
- Denis Bouanga ($7.0m, FWD) – 2
- Ryan Hollingshead ($5.0m, DEF) – 2
- Cengiz Ünder ($5.8m, MID) – 2
SET-PIECE TAKERS
PENALTIES
- Denis Bouanga ($7.0m)
LAFC’s designated penalty taker seems to be pretty straightforward. Denis Bouanga ($7.0m) has taken all three spot-kicks this season, missing his second one in April but stepping back up to score from the spot in May.
He was responsible for all the penalties in 2024, too.
CORNERS+ INDIRECT FREE-KICKS
- Denis Bouanga ($7.0m)
- Cengiz Ünder ($5.8m)
- Mark Delgado ($5.8m)
- David Martínez ($6.2m)
Bouanga also appears to be the first choice on corners, having more than twice as many as any other LAFC player.
Under is the only other Los Angeles player to reach double figures for corner kicks in 2025.
TOP FANTASY PICKS
DENIS BOUANGA ($7.0M) – FWD
He may be LAFC’s most expensive Fantasy asset, but Bouanga also currently stands out as their best one. For starters, his shot count in MLS is triple that of his next-best teammate.
Helped by his dominance of set-piece duties, the Gabon international is on a blistering run of form. He has scored seven goals and assisted two more over his last eight league matches.
He also racked up three goals and an assist during LAFC’s run to the Concacaf Champions Cup quarter-finals.
Further to that, it was Bouanga’s play-off-winning goal that ensured his side would be at this tournament.
RYAN HOLLINGSHEAD ($5.0M) – DEF
Ryan Hollingshead ($5.0m) should be the first-choice left-back in this tournament on home soil, and the American defender has tallied a goal and two assists from nine starts in that position so far this season.
He’s had 10 shots in 2025, the best of any defender in the side, and seven of them have been from inside the opposition’s penalty box – a tally that can be beaten only by three attackers, one of whom is Bouanga.
A total of 15 key passes is also third among this LAFC squad.
MARK DELGADO ($5.8M) – MID
At $5.8m, Delgado is LAFC’s joint-most expensive midfielder in the game. However, he still comes in cheaper than any of the team’s main forwards, including Martínez and Jeremy Ebobisse ($6.3m).
A central midfielder, the ever-present 30-year-old Californian tops his side’s assist charts in MLS so far this season.
He has also crafted the most key passes (19) of anyone outside Bouanga.
Delgado has also scored twice, from a total of 10 shots, and may occasionally take some corners or indirect free-kicks.
Given that midfielders are rewarded with bonus for key passes and tackles, he could chip away with points even if he’s not delivering an attacking return.
EARLY PREDICTED XI
Ahead of a familiar face in Hugo Lloris ($5.2m), Sergi Palencia ($5.0m) is first-choice at right-back (and very occasionally the right side of midfield, from where he scored in April). Aaron Long ($5.0m) and Eddie Segura ($5.0m) are the most common central defensive pairing, with Hollingshead on the left.
4-3-3 has been Cherundolo’s most utilised formation this season but if he opts for a three-at-the-back system, as he has on a few occasions, Marlon ($4.6m), Nkosi Tafari ($4.5m) or Maxime Chanot ($4.2m) could also come in at centre-back.
Moving into midfield, the likeliest trio is Delgado, Igor Jesus ($5.4m) and Timothy Tillman ($5.4m). Bouanga is a lock on the left side of the attack.
The rest of the attack is the trickier section of LAFC’s line-up to call, given the number of options available.
Martínez has started the most matches on the right wing but he faces competition there from the likes of Ünder and Nathan Ordaz ($6.6m). Ordaz is also capable of playing through the middle, but so too are Ebobisse and of course Olivier Giroud ($6.5m).
The soon-to-be-39-year-old has just been benched in five straight league matches – although he does still have a goal and assist between his most recent two appearances, and also set up Bouanga’s play-off winner.
Meanwhile, Martínez has started in most recent six league matches at right wing but was benched last time out, while half of Ordaz’s six most recent starts have been on the right and the other half have been at centre-forward.
READ MORE OF OUR FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP FANTASY 2025 CONTENT
GROUP A: Palmeiras | Porto | Al Ahly | Inter Miami
GROUP B: PSG | Atletico Madrid | Botafogo | Seattle Sounders
GROUP C: Bayern Munich | Auckland City | Boca Juniors | Benfica
GROUP D: Flamengo | ES Tunis | Chelsea | Los Angeles FC
GROUP E: River Plate | Urawa Red Diamonds | Monterrey | Inter Milan
GROUP F: Fluminense | Borussia Dortmund | Ulsan HD | Mamelodi Sundowns
GROUP G: Manchester City | Wydad Casablanca | Al Ain | Juventus
GROUP H: Real Madrid | Al Hilal | Pachuca | Red Bull Salzburg
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15 days, 22 hours agoLloris howler on the cards.