El Tráfico

Los Angeles FC was established in 2014, shortly after the dissolution of Chivas USA, an MLS franchise based in Los Angeles and owned by C.D. Guadalajara. Chivas shared the StubHub Center in Carson, originally known as the Home Depot Center (2003–2013) and now known as Dignity Health Sports Park, with the Galaxy but had far lower attendances during its final years of operation.[3] The two teams competed in the SuperClasico, named for the Mexican rivalry between Guadalajara and Club América.[4] The two teams met 31 times in ten seasons, with the Galaxy winning 20 matches and Chivas winning four.[1][3]

Los Angeles FC built a new stadium in Exposition Park, approximately 13 miles (21 km) north of Carson on Interstate 110.[3] LAFC's owners have also expressed interest in hosting rivalry matches at the larger Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, also located in Exposition Park.[5]

The two teams' academies met for the first time in September 2016, ending in a 3–3 draw.[6]

The first match between the two senior teams, LAFC's third-ever regular season game,[7] was played on March 31, 2018, at the StubHub Center. Despite LAFC leading 3–0 after 60 minutes, the match ended in a 4–3 win for the Galaxy, including two goals from substitute Zlatan Ibrahimović on his debut.[8] The teams played at Banc of California Stadium on July 26 and was followed by a second match at the StubHub Center on August 24 during MLS Rivalry Week.[9] The second meeting, on July 26, ended in a 2–2 draw at the Banc of California Stadium. Six fans were arrested in clashes between fans at the stadium, where seats were damaged and fights broke out.[10] The final meeting of the two teams in 2018, played a month later on August 24, ended in a 1–1 draw at the StubHub Center.[11]

The first El Tráfico match of the 2019 season, played in July at Dignity Health Sports Park (formerly the StubHub Center), ended in a 3–2 victory for the hosting LA Galaxy. Ibrahimović's scored all three Galaxy goals and earned a hat-trick, while Carlos Vela scored both of LAFC's goals.[12] The visiting LAFC supporters came in a 17-bus convoy and wore camouflage outfits as part of a "united front", having been inspired by a similar display by German club Dynamo Dresden.[13][14] The return fixture at Banc of California Stadium a month later ended in a 3–3 draw, with two goals apiece for Ibrahimović and Latif Blessing after a second-half comeback from LAFC.[15]

The two teams met in the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs, which was hosted by top-seeded LAFC after the Galaxy advanced from the first round against Minnesota United FC.[16] LAFC won 5–3, breaking a six-match winless streak against the Galaxy, with pairs of goals scored by Vela and Adama Diomande.[17] LAFC advanced to the Conference Final, where they lost 3–1 to Seattle Sounders FC, the eventual MLS Cup 2019 champions.[18][19]

The opening El Tráfico fixture of the 2020 season was scheduled for May 16, but MLS suspended all operations in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[20][21] The two teams were drawn into Group F of the MLS is Back Tournament, which would be played without spectators at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Florida.[22][23] LAFC and the Galaxy met in the second matchday on July 18, 2020, with Vela opting out of the tournament and the Galaxy's Javier Hernández injured. LAFC won 6–2, setting a new record for largest margin of victory in El Tráfico, with four goals from Diego Rossi; both of the Galaxy's goals had come in the first 31 minutes, from an own goal and a penalty kick.[24]

Los Angeles FC's fanbase consists of new MLS fans as well as former LA Galaxy and Chivas USA fans. In January 2018, a mural commissioned by LAFC in Pico-Union was vandalized with the colors of the Galaxy within hours of being completed and unveiled. This followed an earlier incident where paint in LAFC's colors was sprayed over a Galaxy mural at Hawthorne Memorial Park and a Galaxy billboard.[2][25] Both fanbases later defaced property during the inaugural year of the rivalry.[26]

"El Tráfico" (literally "The Traffic" in Spanish) was a name created by MLS fans and adopted by media outlets following polls by SB Nation blogs LAG Confidential[27] and Angels on Parade.[1][2][28] It refers to the notorious traffic congestion in Los Angeles, among the worst in the United States and the world,[29] while also serving as a pun on "El Clasico".[2][30] MLS has no plans to trademark the name.[31] The rivalry has also been called the "Los Angeles Derby",[32] a moniker that was also used for the SuperClasico.[33] The name has faced opposition from executives within LAFC,[34] coach Bob Bradley,[35] and the president of the 3252, LAFC's largest supporters group.[36]

Summary

As of October 25, 2020

Position	Nation	Name	Team	Goals
1	MEX	Carlos Vela	Los Angeles FC	10
2	SWE	Zlatan Ibrahimović	LA Galaxy	9
3	URU	Diego Rossi	Los Angeles FC	5
4	USA	Sebastian Lletget	LA Galaxy	4
	ARG	Cristian Pavón	LA Galaxy
6	GHA	Latif Blessing	Los Angeles FC	2
	NOR	Adama Diomande	Los Angeles FC
9	FRA	Romain Alessandrini	LA Galaxy	1
	LBY	Mohamed El Monir	Los Angeles FC
	VEN	Rolf Feltscher	LA Galaxy
	NOR	Ola Kamara	LA Galaxy
	USA	Danny Musovski	Los Angeles FC
	USA	Lee Nguyen	Los Angeles FC
	USA	Chris Pontius	LA Galaxy
	ENG	Bradley Wright-Phillips	Los Angeles FC
	USA	Ethan Zubak	LA Galaxy

• Major League Baseball: Freeway Series
• National Hockey League: Freeway Face-Off
• National Basketball Association: Lakers–Clippers rivalry
• College football: UCLA–USC rivalry

• MLS rivalry cups