It’s been three weeks since San Diego FC loaned out Hirving “Chucky” Lozano to the LA Galaxy for the remainder of the 2026 Major League Soccer season.
On Saturday, the star forward makes his return to Snapdragon Stadium.
The last time Lozano played a match in America’s Finest City was in the MLS Western Conference final on Nov. 29, 2025, when he scored the only goal for SDFC in its 3-1 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps. Before the club’s sophomore season even began though, he was left in limbo as management announced plans, following reported locker room tensions, to part ways with Lozano.
Finding the right deal, however, took months. Lozano shared multiple videos during that time of him working out and training by himself at the San Diego FC facilities, That led to speculation among the supporters of a possible mending of the fences with the front office and a return to the lineup. Those hopes were dashed, however, when SDFC sent the Mexican national team legend to the Galaxy through December.
“Football ruins in veins and my DNA,” the 31-year old told ESPN MX. “Leaving it for a while was complicated and difficult, but I think I dealt with it in a good way.”
Before the loan, which has a permanent trade option, was finalized, SDFC had already paid Lozano $5.83 million of his $9.33 million in total guaranteed compensation. That makes him the fourth-highest paid player in MLS.
LA Galaxy will now cover $2 million of his salary for the remainder of the season with San Diego FC being responsible for the rest.
“Chucky was something that will always be part of our organization,” Padre star Manny Machado, a minority owner and founding partner of San Diego FC, told reporters after Lozano’s transfer. “He was one of the highest within our franchise. We wish him the best as a player, may he stay healthy moving forward.”
A message from @HirvingLozano70 to the G’s 💫 pic.twitter.com/WhoN5km1X1
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) August 21, 2026
Lozano has been a champion in every league he played in before arriving in San Diego for its inaugural season last year. In Liga MX, he won the 2016 Clausura title with CF Pachuca. In Eredivisie of the Netherlands, he won league titles in 2017–18, 2023–24 and 2024–25 with PSV Eindhoven. In Serie A of Italy, he won the 2022–23 Scudetto – little shield in Italian – with Napoli.
Lozano has played in all three matches since joining Los Angeles, including being a starter in a 1-0 victory over San Jose on Aug. 19.
The LA Galaxy currently sit in 12th place in the Western Conference, just a point behind San Diego, while having played one more match than SDFC. The top nine teams from each conference qualify for the MLS Cup playoffs; the bottom two seeds are forced to play a single-elimination wild card match.
“I personally know the city of Los Angeles quite well, my wife, not so much,” Lozano told Telemundo in Los Angeles. “I lived in San Diego, so the city is very similar. I am very happy being with many Mexican and Latin people, because you feel that heat.”
