LAFC names Xavi Tamarit interim head coach as he prepares debut vs Vancouver Whitecaps

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) has turned the page on its 2026 season by appointing Xavi Tamarit as interim head coach, following the club’s decision to part ways with Marc Dos Santos late last month. The move places Tamarit, a 44-year-old Spaniard, at the centre of LAFC’s final stretch as the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs approach, with the team seeking a late surge after falling short of internal expectations.

Tamarit takes over a club that entered 2026 with ambitions of winning MLS Cup and initially looked on track, beginning the year with an 11-match unbeaten run across all competitions. LAFC also reached the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals during that early phase, before a mid-season dip disrupted momentum and results.

According to the timeline accompanying the coaching change, LAFC’s league form deteriorated as the season progressed. The club managed only one win in its last 10 league matches leading into the coaching change, and it sat sixth in the Western Conference when Dos Santos left, setting an urgent context for a turnaround.

Tamarit’s debut is scheduled for Saturday, when LAFC host Thomas Müller and Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BMO Stadium. The match is listed for 10:30 p.m. ET and will be carried on Apple TV, giving Tamarit his first live chance to influence preparation, lineup structure and in-game tactical adjustments against one of the league’s stronger opponents.

The opponent arriving in Los Angeles is Vancouver Whitecaps FC, identified in the announcement as Western Conference-leading heading into the match. Facing the top team in the West adds pressure to LAFC’s opening test under new leadership, particularly with postseason qualification and seeding still in play as the regular season winds down.

LAFC’s reset comes with the club’s attacking and defensive core largely in place. The announcement points to superstar forwards Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga as leading the Black & Gold’s attack, describing them as one of MLS’s top attacking duos, and it also highlights Hugo Lloris, a World Cup-winning goalkeeper, as the team’s starter between the posts.

In public comments delivered to reporters on Thursday, Tamarit said he was “happy to have this opportunity,” adding that he appreciates the club trusted him and the players. He also emphasized a specific coaching focus on tactical clarity and role definition, describing a plan to improve by “giving very simple but clear concepts” and providing “clear roles for each player on the pitch” to establish a distinct identity.

Tamarit’s remarks also framed the immediate work since taking charge as foundation-building rather than a fully finished product. He said that in the early days the team has laid “the foundations” for becoming the team it aspires to be, while also stating that it would need “to improve a lot” and that humility would be required as performances are upgraded.

The interim appointment followed Tamarit’s prior experience as an assistant under Dos Santos, and the announcement notes that his coaching background includes extensive work across South America and Europe. That context positions Tamarit as someone already embedded in the club’s operational structure, even as he assumes full responsibility for match-day decisions.

With LAFC aiming to move back toward the top four in the Western Conference, Tamarit’s first assignment goes beyond simply changing the feel of training. The coaching change is closely tied to the team’s competitive urgency, particularly because the announcement characterizes the timeframe as late-season, with playoffs rapidly approaching.

Tamarit also addressed the scope of his role, saying that for now his position is to “help the team until the end of the season,” before evaluating what comes next after that point. He added that he would continue to support the club beyond match days “in all that they ask me,” and he expressed confidence that LAFC will be “going far in the playoffs.”