Son Heung-min is here!
The South Korean superstar has signed with LAFC for an MLS-record transfer fee (reportedly north of $26.5 million), and he'll soon integrate into a new league.
As the Tottenham Hotspur legend gets acclimated, here's everything fans of the iconic No. 7 need to know.
LAFC are sixth in the Western Conference with 36 points (10W-6L-6D). They have 12 games remaining in their 34-game regular season.
The top nine teams in each conference make the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, and the top four earn home-field advantage. Decision Day (final day of the regular season) is set for October 18.
Earlier this year, LAFC competed in the FIFA Club World Cup and advanced to the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals. They also won two of three Leagues Cup matches.
Now that he's signed, fans will clamor for the first opportunity to see Sonny in action – either in person or via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
His first match at LAFC's home venue, BMO Stadium, will likely be against Chucky Lozano and San Diego FC on August 31.
Before then, the Black & Gold have three road matches where their new forward could debut:
- August 9 at Chicago Fire FC | 8:30 pm ET (MLS Season Pass)
- August 16 at New England Revolution | 7:30 pm ET (MLS Season Pass)
- August 23 at FC Dallas | 8:30 pm ET (MLS Season Pass)
Son joins an experienced squad that's expected to compete for MLS Cup this fall. Here are several standout teammates in SoCal:
- Denis Bouanga: A Gabon international and perennial MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi contender, the speedy forward is lethal on counterattacks and with the ball at his feet. Bouanga is on pace to score 20 league goals for a third straight season.
- Hugo Lloris: The most capped player in the history of the French national team gives LAFC the utmost confidence between the pipes. Lloris previously spent a dozen years at Tottenham, where he was teammates with Son.
- David MartÃnez: The 19-year-old Venezuelan phenom is as talented as they come with the ball at his feet. Need proof? Check out his golazo against Mexican powerhouse Tigres UANL in Leagues Cup.
- Nathan Ordaz: LAFC's 21-year-old homegrown attacker is having a breakout season, often featuring at the No. 9 spot. The El Salvador international has 5g/4a this season.
- Sergi Palencia: This former Spanish youth international brings passion to the pitch with stellar one-on-one defending and game recognition while springing the attack with progression down the flank.
- Mark Delgado: Acquired in the offseason from LA Galaxy, Delgado is an MLS veteran box-to-box midfielder and SoCal native who became the first player to be traded between the crosstown rivals.
- Aaron Long: LAFC's captain and veteran center back is out for the season with an Achilles injury. When healthy, Long is a perennial MLS Defender of the Year candidate.
Steve Cherundolo has led LAFC since 2022, the same year they completed a domestic double as MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield champions. Their MLS Cup triumph featured Gareth Bale's iconic extra-time header that set up a penalty-kick shootout win over the Philadelphia Union.
In mid-April, Cherundolo announced he will depart LAFC after the 2025 season. His successor is yet to be named.
LAFC haven't been around for that long – their first competitive season was in 2018 – but they quickly established themselves as one of the most ambitious and successful clubs in Major League Soccer. Their trophy case includes:
- MLS Supporters' Shield (2019, '22)
- MLS Cup (2022)
- US Open Cup (2024)
The club's most iconic player is undoubtedly Carlos Vela. The former Mexican international was their first Designated Player, and won the 2019 Landon Donovan MLS MVP while posting a league-record 49 goal contributions (34 goals, 15 assists).
The Black & Gold have also made two Concacaf Champions Cup finals, falling in 2020 and 2023 to LIGA MX sides.
LAFC play home matches at BMO Stadium, a 22,000-seat soccer-specific stadium in Los Angeles' Exposition Park neighborhood near downtown. It's roughly five miles from nearby Koreatown.
The venue opened on April 18, 2018 and has hosted the 2021 MLS All-Star Game, MLS Cup 2022 and a single-match playoff against Club América in which LAFC secured the final ticket to the FIFA 2025 Club World Cup.
While Tottenham have the North London Derby against Arsenal, LAFC have El Tráfico against the LA Galaxy, which is arguably the top rivalry in MLS today.
The first meeting between the clubs occurred on March 31, 2018. Zlatan Ibrahimović debuted off the bench for the LA Galaxy and scored a brace, including a remarkable long-distance golazo.
There are nine different supporters' groups for LAFC, but they form the 3252, one of the loudest supporters' walls in MLS. The name comes from the capacity of the north end of BMO Stadium (3,252).
Immediately making Son feel at home, the Koreatown-based Tigers Supporters Group (TSG) celebrates the Korean-LAFC connection, hosting watch parties for Republic of Korea men's and women's national team matches – just as they do for LAFC away days.
After home victories, LAFC fans and players combine for a special chant:
