They hoisted the MLS Cup in 2024 like gods among mortals. Twelve months later, the LA Galaxy were a dumpster fire. Seven wins. Eighteen losses. A goal difference so ugly it could scare small children. Fourteenth in the West, dead last among defending champions in league history. The question isn’t whether they’ll dominate in 2026 - it’s whether they’ll even matter.
The 2025 Season Was a Train Wreck in Slow Motion
Ten games. Zero wins. That’s where it started, and honestly, that’s where it ended. The Galaxy didn’t just stumble out of the gate; they face-planted into the pavement and stayed there. By the time the season mercifully wrapped, they’d conceded 66 goals - the second-worst defensive record in the Western Conference. For context, Vancouver Whitecaps, who finished first, had a +28 goal difference. The Galaxy? -20. That’s not a slump. That’s a full-blown identity crisis.
The CONCACAF Champions Cup exit to Tigres UANL was just salt in the wound. The Leagues Cup offered a flicker of hope - two wins, a draw, a +7 goal difference - but let’s be real, that’s like finding a single dry patch in a monsoon. The playoffs? Not even close. The defending champs didn’t just miss the postseason; they got lapped by half the league.
The Mountain to Climb in 2026 Is Steeper Than Ever
Here’s the thing about comebacks: they’re rare, especially when the fall was this hard. The Galaxy don’t just need a tweak here or a signing there. They need a full-blown exorcism. The defense is a sieve. The attack is inconsistent. And the Western Conference? It’s a gauntlet. LAFC and Vancouver didn’t just improve - they flexed, finishing with 60 and 63 points, respectively. Minnesota, Seattle, even San Jose looked sharper. The East, meanwhile, is a graveyard of ambition, with Philadelphia and Inter Miami setting standards the Galaxy can’t even see from the bottom.
No one’s talking about a 2026 roster yet, but the blueprint is obvious. GM Will Kuntz and coach Greg Vanney have to gut this team and start over. Draft picks, free agents, trades - whatever it takes to plug the leaks. But here’s the kicker: history isn’t on their side. No defending champ has ever cratered this badly and then rebounded to dominate the next season. The closest comparison might be the 2017 Seattle Sounders, who missed the playoffs after winning it all, but even they clawed back to relevance within a year. The Galaxy? They’re not just irrelevant. They’re a cautionary tale.
The Glimmer of Hope (And Why It’s Not Enough)
There’s one reason to think the Galaxy might not be doomed: the Leagues Cup. Five games, nine goals scored, two conceded. A +7 goal difference. That’s not nothing. It’s proof that when the pieces click, this team can still play. But let’s not confuse a tournament run with a season. The Leagues Cup is a sprint. MLS is a marathon, and the Galaxy have shown they can’t even walk the distance.
Home-field advantage at Dignity Health Sports Park? Sure, it helps, but it’s not a cure-all. The Galaxy need consistency, and right now, they don’t have it. They need a defense that doesn’t resemble Swiss cheese, and they need an attack that doesn’t disappear for weeks at a time. Maybe they’ll find it. Maybe they’ll sign a game-changing center back or a striker who actually scores. But dominate? That’s a stretch.
The Bold Prediction: They’ll Improve, But Don’t Expect a Dynasty
Here’s the truth: the Galaxy will be better in 2026. They’ll probably make the playoffs. They might even win a knockout round game or two. But dominate? No. The gap between them and the league’s elite is too wide, and the path back to the top is too steep. The West is too strong, the East is too deep, and the Galaxy’s own flaws are too glaring.
If you’re looking for a dark horse, don’t bet on the Galaxy. If you want to know who might actually run the table in 2026, check out what various tipsters predict - they’re already eyeing teams with actual momentum, not ones clinging to past glory. The Galaxy’s 2024 title might end up feeling like a fluke, a blip in a league that’s moved on without them.
So, What’s Next?
The offseason is coming, and with it, the chance for a reset. But resets don’t always work. Sometimes, they just delay the inevitable. The Galaxy have talent. They have history. They have a fanbase that won’t quit on them. But talent and history don’t win games - results do. And right now, the Galaxy don’t have them.
Will they turn it around? Maybe. But dominate? Not a chance. Not in 2026. Maybe not ever again.