San Jose Earthquakes vs. Colorado Rapids: Kickoff, Injuries, Apple TV and MLS Playoff Stakes

Updated October 28, 2026 (pregame): San Jose Earthquakes host Colorado Rapids at PayPal Park on Wednesday with different objectives in the Western Conference race. San Jose has already secured a place in the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs, but its position in the standings still matters for a potential first-round home advantage. Colorado, meanwhile, has an opportunity to clinch a postseason berth if its own result and two other matches go its way. The match remains scheduled; no final score or confirmed starting lineup has been published in the official sources reviewed for this update.

Kickoff is Wednesday, October 28, at 7:30 p.m. in San Jose, California, Pacific Daylight Time (PDT, UTC−07:00). That is Thursday, October 29, at 02:30 UTC, or Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. in Colorado, Mountain Daylight Time (MDT, UTC−06:00). The local date differs from the UTC date because kickoff falls after midnight in the UTC clock. The Earthquakes' official matchday guide confirms PayPal Park, the opponent, and the 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Colorado Rapids: Confirmed match details

The match is listed in the official MLS match center and in the Earthquakes' fixture listing. Neither a different kickoff nor a venue change has been confirmed in the club's matchday guide. Fans traveling to the stadium should still check the club's official pages for operational updates.

Official player availability: Injuries and suspensions

MLS's Matchday 33 player status report for Wednesday, October 28 provides the published pregame unavailable-player designations. They are not a substitute for the starting lineups that the clubs will announce nearer kickoff, and they should not be expanded into unconfirmed diagnoses or recovery dates.

San Jose Earthquakes

• Nonso Adimabua: Out, lower-body issue.
• Darius Johnson: Out, lower-body issue.
• DeJuan Jones: Out, lower-body issue.

There is also a significant return to consider. The San Jose match preview states that forward Preston Judd, who has 16 league goals in the club's pregame statistics, is available again after missing the previous game because of accumulated yellow cards. The club also reports that midfielder Niko Tsakiris returned to action in the previous match; its preview credits him with three goals and 11 assists. Availability does not guarantee either player will start.

Colorado Rapids

• Reggie Cannon: Out, leg issue.
• Youssef Maziz: Out, leg issue.
• Ibrahim Sadiq: Out, leg issue.
• Zack Steffen: Out, shoulder issue.

Those four Colorado absences are listed by MLS for this matchday. The report does not list a match-specific suspension for either club in these team sections, but that should not be read as an independent clearance of every possible disciplinary restriction. The confirmed lineups, substitutes, and any late player-status changes should come from the clubs or the MLS match center rather than projected lineup graphics.

Playoff stakes: San Jose's seeding and Colorado's clinching route

San Jose's playoff qualification is already confirmed, according to MLS's October 26 list of qualified teams. The Earthquakes nevertheless enter this fixture fourth in the West at 13 wins, nine losses and nine draws, totaling 48 points, according to both clubs' previews. Their remaining task is to defend a favorable seed and the opportunity to host a Round One game. A playoff berth and home-field advantage are separate questions.

Colorado enters eighth at 12 wins, 13 losses and six draws, for 42 points. The official MLS Matchday 33 playoff scenarios specify the combination required for the Rapids to clinch on Wednesday: Colorado must beat San Jose, Portland must lose or draw at St. Louis, and Real Salt Lake must lose or draw at Austin. All three conditions are necessary in that published scenario. Colorado has not been declared qualified merely because the opportunity exists.

The standings format adds context: MLS allocates Western Conference postseason places to the top nine teams, with seeds eight and nine entering the Wild Card round and seeds one through seven moving directly to Round One. That makes points, seeding, and the other Western Conference results important even though both teams have different immediate goals.

Recent form and players to watch

San Jose is trying to rebound from a 3-0 loss at FC Dallas that ended a nine-match unbeaten streak. Bruce Arena's team held Dallas scoreless for 83 minutes before conceding three times, according to the club's official preview. Judd's return adds a finishing option, while Tsakiris supplies creativity. The matchup also gives San Jose a chance to use its home ground to protect fourth place.

The Rapids arrive after a 1-0 home win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Colorado's official preview highlights goalkeeper Nico Hansen, who recorded his eighth shutout of the season against Vancouver, and credits him with doing so in 20 matches. That is useful context alongside MLS's designation of Zack Steffen as out, but it is not a confirmation of Wednesday's starting goalkeeper. Colorado also points to a ten-match unbeaten run at home; the San Jose trip poses a different test away from Colorado.

In attack, San Jose's preview credits Colorado midfielder Paxten Aaronson with seven goals and ten assists and identifies Darren Yapi, Morgan Whittaker, and Donavan Phillip as other options. Phillip scored against San Jose when the clubs drew 1-1 on October 10 at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park. Dave Romney equalized for the Earthquakes, while San Jose goalkeeper Earl Edwards made nine saves. Colorado's preview additionally notes that the Rapids won their previous two visits to PayPal Park, a historical observation rather than a prediction about this result.

How to watch and listen

Apple TV is the official live-streaming destination identified by San Jose and Colorado. The MLS viewing guide says the 2026 MLS season is included with an Apple TV subscription without requiring a separate MLS Season Pass purchase. Access may depend on the viewer's device, account, and region. San Jose's match preview lists English- and Spanish-language broadcasts on Apple TV, plus English-language radio on KSFO 810 AM and Spanish-language radio on La Kaliente 1370 AM.

Colorado's preview also directs listeners to Altitude Sports Radio, the Rapids app, and ColoradoRapids.com. Check the official channels near kickoff for the appropriate stream or audio feed; a station or app listing does not establish identical access in every geographic area.

PayPal Park gates, parking, and fan information

The official October 28 match guide provides different opening times for different parking facilities. All of the following are Wednesday times in San Jose, PDT (UTC−07:00):

• 4:30 p.m.: Audi Lot and Ford Tailgate Lot open.
• 5:00 p.m.: Parking Structure 4 opens.
• 5:30 p.m.: Stadium gates open.
• 6:00 p.m.: Parking Structures 1 and 2 open.
• 7:30 p.m.: Scheduled kickoff.

The guide recommends purchasing parking in advance and keeping the pass available in a digital wallet; limited parking inventory is noted. The PayPal Park parking and directions page supplies maps and transportation options, including Caltrain, VTA and designated ride-share areas. Its general parking guidance does not override the more specific lot-by-lot opening times published for this match.

For supporters who arrive early, the club's current match guide also lists college mascots in its Epicenter pregame area and a bocce-soccer halftime activity. These are stadium-program details, not developments affecting kickoff or player availability. Fans should use the guide for any last-minute changes to the event schedule.

Final score and confirmed lineups

As of this October 28 pregame update, no verified final score is available. The official kickoff remains 7:30 p.m. PDT in San Jose on Wednesday, October 28 (02:30 UTC on Thursday, October 29). Follow the MLS match center and the San Jose Earthquakes website for confirmed lineups, match events, and the final result when officially recorded. This article should not be treated as a postgame report until those facts are available.