Group D in the FIFA Club World Cup will start as Premier League’s Chelsea will face off against Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC. The date for the match is 16th June, and timings are 3:00 PM local time, whereas 12:30 AM IST (17th June). Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is the venue for the game. There are a lot of Top Players to watch in the Chelsea vs LAFC match.
It will be a very big test for Los Angeles FC to hold this Chelsea team. This is going to be the first time Los Angeles FC takes on Chelsea. Los Angeles FC is unbeaten in their last five matches, with three wins and two draws. On the other hand, Chelsea has won four out of the last five games and lost one.
Top Players to Watch in Chelsea vs LAFC
This fixture can be a one-sided game if Chelsea performs the way they play. It will take a lot of hard work and patience from the LA FC players if they are to take something from the game. Let us look at the key players from both teams, team by team:
Who are the players to watch in Chelsea?
Liam Delap
All the eyes will be on the new signing, Liam Delap. Delap is a former Manchester City academy product. He joined Ipswich Town in search of game time and has surely impressed in the last season, scoring 40% of his team’s goals.
The main thing to see is whether Liam Delap will end the number 9 curse for Chelsea or not. His manager thinks he can do so. He will most probably make his debut for Chelsea in this match.
Cole Palmer
The heartbeat of this Chelsea team is Cole Palmer. Another Manchester City player who moved out of the team for more game time. Surely, he proved why he needed to play more, as he has been the most important player in this Chelsea project. Palmer is the provider of many of Chelsea’s goals, and we all know that he can score goals too.
Enzo Fernandez
He will play an important role as a midfielder for Chelsea. Enzo started his youth career at River Plate and was signed by Chelsea in 2022 for a record-breaking fee from Benfica. In Enzo Maresca’s system, he has a more advanced midfielder’s role, allowing him to press aggressively and create more chances for his forwards.
Who are the players to watch in Los Angeles FC?
Olivier Giroud
The French striker is a former Chelsea player who won the 2020-2021 UEFA Champions League with them. He has also featured for teams like Arsenal and AC Milan. Giroud joined Los Angeles FC in May of 2025, just before the start of the FIFA Club World Cup. He is known for his hold-up play and is a proper poacher in front of the goal.
Hugo Lloris
Lloris will be the main manager player in the game as he will get a lot of shots on his goal, looking at the firepower Chelsea has in their attack. One thing that favours him is that Hugo Lloris has faced Chelsea a lot of times when he played for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. He joined LAFC in 2024. Hugo is very calm under pressure situations.
Denis Bouanga
Another forward is in the list that we need to look at, in the match between Chelsea and LAFC. He joined LAFC in 2022 and has been one of the most important players for them since then. Denis Bouanga scored a crucial late goal to clinch the Shield in 2022. His goal in the extra time secured LAFC’s place in the FIFA Club World Cup.
