Seattle Sounders vs. LAFC: Injury Report and Playoff Stakes (Nov. 6 Update)

Information checked: November 6, 2026, at 5:03 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST, UTC−08:00) in Seattle; November 7 at 01:03 UTC. Seattle Sounders FC enter Saturday's MLS Decision Day matchup against Los Angeles Football Club with their playoff hopes still unresolved, and the league's newly available Matchday 35 player-status report adds important team-news context. Seattle have three players ruled out and two listed as questionable; LAFC have three players ruled out. Kickoff remains scheduled for November 7 at 4:00 p.m. PST at Lumen Field, equivalent to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST, UTC−05:00) and 00:00 UTC on Sunday, November 8.

Seattle sit 10th in the Western Conference with 43 points and must get a result against LAFC plus favorable outcomes in other games to qualify. LAFC have already qualified and, according to their own official preview, have secured the No. 6 seed. This is a pregame update, not a result report: no final score or confirmed starting XIs had been published at the information-check time.

Destaques

• Kickoff and venue: Saturday, November 7, 2026, 4:00 p.m. Seattle PST (UTC−08:00) at Lumen Field; Sunday, November 8, 00:00 UTC.
• Seattle availability: Pedro de la Vega, Yeimar Gómez Andrade, and Nikola Petković are out; Danny Musovski and Alex Roldan are questionable, per MLS.
• LAFC availability: Hugo Lloris, Aaron Long, and Timothy Tillman are out; LAFC say their Western Conference No. 6 seed is fixed.
• Playoff and broadcast stakes: Seattle need help elsewhere to advance. The match is on Apple TV, with a free Tubi simulcast in the United States.

What is the latest Seattle Sounders vs. LAFC injury report?

The official MLS Matchday 35 player-status report identifies the following players for the November 7 fixture. An "out" designation means unavailable in the published report; "questionable" does not mean the player has been ruled out.

LAFC independently confirm their three absences in the club's player-status release. The MLS disciplinary summary, current as of November 4, does not name a Seattle or LAFC player in its November 7 notice-of-suspension list. It does list Seattle midfielder Hassani Dotson among players one caution away from a suspension or fine. These reports are dated snapshots; matchday team sheets are the authority for final selection.

When and where will Seattle face LAFC on Decision Day?

Seattle host LAFC at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, on Saturday, November 7, 2026. Both the Seattle club preview and LAFC club preview list a 4:00 p.m. Pacific start. Seattle returned to standard time after the November 1 daylight saving change, so the correct kickoff label for November 7 is PST, not PDT.

All Western Conference Decision Day matches are scheduled to kick off in the same 7:00 p.m. EST window, allowing playoff positions to be determined together. This scheduled time is distinct from the information-check timestamp above.

How can Seattle Sounders qualify for the 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs?

Seattle enter with an 11-12-10 record and 43 points, level with both Colorado and Portland but behind them in the Western Conference standings on tiebreakers. The top nine clubs in each conference qualify; seeds eight and nine must first contest a Wild Card game. Seattle cannot reach the playoffs merely by winning without regard to the other results.

MLS lists the following principal routes in its official Decision Day clinching scenarios:

• If Seattle win: They qualify if at least one of the LA Galaxy, Portland Timbers, or Colorado Rapids fails to win its final match. The Galaxy visit Real Salt Lake, Portland visit Austin FC, and Colorado visit FC Dallas.
• If Seattle draw: They need more than a single favorable score. MLS includes a combination in which both Portland and Colorado lose, and combinations involving a loss by one of those teams plus Minnesota United failing to win. Two further routes require Seattle to hold the necessary tiebreaker advantage over Minnesota.
• If Seattle lose: MLS does not list a qualification route for the Sounders.

These are conditional pregame outcomes, not a live table or guaranteed finish. Seattle's result and the parallel games must become final before its postseason status can be stated as fact. MLS uses total wins as the first regular-season tiebreaker, ahead of goal differential.

What does this match mean for LAFC's playoff seeding?

LAFC are sixth in the West on 47 points with a 12-10-11 record. Their official November 7 preview expressly states that the club's No. 6 playoff seed cannot change, regardless of Saturday's result. The earlier article's speculation about a possible drop to seventh is therefore superseded by the club's current position. What remains undecided is LAFC's Round One opponent.

LAFC say their opponent will be the final Western Conference No. 3 seed, with FC Dallas, San Jose Earthquakes, St. Louis CITY SC, and Houston Dynamo FC identified as possibilities. The club expects to host Game 2 of its best-of-three series at BMO Stadium during the November 27–28 window. Those opponent details depend on Decision Day results; they are not confirmed matchups yet.

Which players and recent results could shape the game?

Seattle's recent form is a major concern: the Sounders are winless across their past five matches in all competitions, including a 5-1 loss at Vancouver. LAFC enter after a 3-1 home loss to Minnesota. In their previous 2026 league meeting, LAFC defeated Seattle 1-0 on May 24 with an 86th-minute goal from Timothy Tillman, who is now listed as unavailable for this rematch.

Albert Rusnák has 15 assists for Seattle entering the finale, according to the Sounders' preview. LAFC's Denis Bouanga has 18 league goals, while Son Heung-min has 15 assists, according to the club's preview. Those numbers help explain the attacking threats on both sides, but neither projected lineup nor tactical arrangement is confirmed. Seattle's questionable-player decisions and LAFC's absences may influence selection; the precise effect remains to be seen.

Where can fans watch Seattle Sounders vs. LAFC?

The fixture is available on Apple TV. MLS also confirms that Tubi will simulcast it free for viewers in the United States, as announced in the league's October 29 broadcast release. LAFC additionally lists Coupang Play and SpoTV for South Korea. Viewing rights and access outside these territories should not be assumed.

For radio, Seattle lists iHeartMedia Seattle and Spanish-language coverage on El Rey 1360 AM; LAFC lists 710 AM ESPN LA and other English, Spanish, and Korean outlets. Fans looking for official lineups, incidents, and a final score can refer to the MLS Seattle–LAFC match center after teams are announced and play begins.

What happens next after MLS Decision Day?

MLS schedules the Wild Card games for Thursday, November 19, 2026, followed by Round One best-of-three series from November 20 to December 2. Conference semifinals are planned for December 5–6, conference finals for December 11–12, and MLS Cup for Friday, December 18. The league's official playoff calendar remains the primary source for any subsequent scheduling changes.

For Seattle, Saturday determines whether that calendar contains a postseason match at all. For LAFC, the main immediate question is the identity of the third-seeded opponent, followed by a chance to prepare during the November international break. The tournament bracket will depend on official final standings, not assumptions drawn from a pregame preview.

Seattle Sounders vs. LAFC: Frequently Asked Questions

What time does Seattle Sounders vs. LAFC start?

Kickoff is Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. PST (UTC−08:00) in Seattle, 7:00 p.m. EST (UTC−05:00), or Sunday, November 8, at 00:00 UTC.

Who is injured or unavailable for Seattle vs. LAFC?

MLS lists De la Vega, Yeimar, and Petković out for Seattle; Musovski and Alex Roldan are questionable. LAFC list Lloris, Long, and Tillman out. Final lineups remain pending.

Has Seattle qualified, and is the match result final?

Neither conclusion was confirmed at the information-check time. Seattle still need a positive result and favorable results elsewhere to qualify, and no November 7 final score was available. Check the MLS match center for matchday updates.

Editorial status: Updated pre-match coverage based on official MLS and club sources checked at the timestamp above. All playoff permutations are conditional until the relevant matches finish.