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Galaxy host Mount Pleasant FA to open CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16

March 11, 2026

The Galaxy kick off their Round of 16 CONCACAF Champions Cup series at home, but against an opponent facing a lot of uncertainty and clarity.

Mount Pleasant FA of Jamaica will be shorthanded without at least 10 players, who were unable to secure visas to travel. Six of the players are from Haiti, whose citizens have been banned by President Donald Trump from entering the United States.

Paul Christie, the club’s sporting director, told the Jamaica Observer last week: “We don’t want to just show up for the game, we want to be able to compete, but we are not being given the opportunity to be at our best.”

According to The Athletic, “a handful of Jamaican players have had also their visas rejected.”

The second leg will be played March 19 in Jamaica.

CONCACAF said earlier this week that it was aware of the situation. Tuesday, in another statement, the organization said: “Each club may register up to 35 players and is responsible for submitting visa applications within the timeframe required by the diplomatic missions of the countries to be visited. The club had ample time to complete the visa application process following the official draw.”

Former Jamaican national team coach Theodore Whitmore leads Mount Pleasant into the series.

“It’s a huge opportunity,” Whitmore said Tuesday. “The boys are looking forward to the game. Despite the issues, we remain confident.

“It’s an important issue. You would like to have your team as a coach you could select from, but nonetheless, we have players who are eager to go out there and play. I want to put all the negative behind us and look forward.”

Mount Pleasant sits in third place in the Jamaica Premier League and qualified by winning the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup.

“For us, we have to focus on ourselves and what we want to try to achieve in the game, how we want to approach the game and our mentality in the game,” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. “And be ready for anything. Be ready for whatever they decide to do and to play against us whomever they have to put out there. We just have to concentrate on us.”

The Galaxy won their opening round series against Sporting San Miguelito thanks to the away-goals tiebreaker. The first leg in Panama ended 1-1. The second leg in Carson ended scoreless.

The locations are reversed this time, with the Galaxy starting at home in the first leg.

“When you start on the road as we did in Panama, you’re trying to get the road goal and try to set yourself up to come home,” Vanney said. “In theory, these games (series) you know sometimes are about the home games and you set yourself up to get things done at home.

“It’s a little different (this round), you want to give yourself a good lead, you want to try to protect (allowing) the road goal, so you don’t give it away, but you want to give yourself as much of an advantage as possible.”

Paintsil sidelined

Galaxy forward Joseph Paintsil was subbed off early in the second half of Saturday’s 4-1 loss against the Colorado Rapids. Tuesday, Vanney described it as a “mild hamstring issue,” adding that “it will probably be a couple of weeks at least.”

After Wednesday, the Galaxy will host Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, followed by road games against Mount Pleasant in the second leg March 19 and the Portland Timbers on March 22.

Pec available

Pec, who picked up two yellow cards Saturday, will serve a one-game suspension when the Galaxy host Sporting KC on Saturday. He will be available for Wednesday’s Champions Cup game.

Orange County Register

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Galaxy host Mount Pleasant FA to open CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16

Paintsil sidelined

Pec available

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