LAFC to hold MLS championship banner and ring ceremony

The 2022 MLS Cup Championship banner will be unveiled and last season’s players will be presented with diamond-clad rings before Saturday’s Los Angeles Football Club season opener at the renamed BMO Stadium.

The team is encouraging fans to arrive early for the 1:30 p.m. game against the Portland Timbers. They should be in their seats by 1 p.m. for the ring and banner ceremony. The entire ceremony will be shown on Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass and a portion on Fox and Fox Deportes.

The game is sold out. LAFC has sold out every MLS game at what was formally Banc of California Stadium that has been allowed to be played at full capacity. The team began play in 2018.

Mayor Karen Bass will be the honorary falconer. One of the team’s four falcons is released before the start of each game at BMO Stadium for a pregame flight at the center of the field, hunting a lure of the opponent’s crest.

The game is among six Major League Soccer games Saturday that will be available for free through the MLS Season Pass package. The app is available at tv.apple.com.

LAFC won its first MLS Cup Nov. 5 at Banc of California Stadium, defeating the Philadelphia Union 3-0 in a penalty kick shootout after overtime ended in a 3-3 tie. Goalkeeper John McCarthy was selected as the MLS Cup MVP for making two diving saves in the shootout.

McCarthy entered the game in the 117th minute after goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau was given a red card for denying Cory Burke a clear goal-scoring opportunity with a foul.

McCarthy had made two appearances for LAFC before the 2022 MLS Cup. He allowed both goals in a 2-0 loss to the Colorado Rapids on May 14 and made four saves in regulation against Club America in a Leagues Cup Showcase game Aug. 3, which the Liga MX team won in a penalty kick shootout, 6-5, after regulation play ended 0-0.

LAFC signed McCarthy as a free agent Jan. 21, 2022, after he spent the previous two seasons with InterMiami CF. The Philadelphia native played for the Union from 2015-18.