Game-around-the-game coverage of LAFC vs. Austin FC across ESPN.com and ESPN studio programs – SportsCenter, ESPN FC, Futbol Americas, and more

ABC will broadcast the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference Final on Sunday, Oct. 30, at 3 p.m. ET, live from the Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles. The single-elimination LAFC-Austin FC match for a spot in 2022 MLS Cup features the top two teams in MLS Western Conference. The live Spanish-language telecast will be on ESPN3, and air the same day on ESPN Deportes at 6 p.m. The English and Spanish-language broadcasts will stream live on the ESPN App.

Play-by-play commentator Jon Champion, analyst Taylor Twellman, and reporter Jillian Sakovits will call the match on ABC. Richard Méndez and Herculez Gomez will handle Spanish-language commentary on ESPN3 and ESPN Deportes. The game will kick off at approximately 3:18 p.m.

Schedule:

Studio Programming

• SportsCenter: Daily editions of ESPN flagship news program will feature 2022 MLS Conference Finals reports and highlights this weekend.
• ESPN FC (ESPN+, daily at 6 p.m.): Hosts Dan Thomas and a rotating panel of pundits – Craig Burley, Shaka Hislop, Alejandro Moreno, et al – will preview the conference title matches. Commentators Champion and Twellman will provide post-match analysis on Sunday.
• Futbol Americas, exclusive to ESPN+ (Thursday and Monday at 8 p.m.): Herculez Gomez and Sebastian Salazar will preview the MLS Conference Finals matchups on Thursday’s edition of Futbol Americas. Play-by-play commentator Champion and Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff will preview the MLS Western Conference Final on Thursday’s show. Gomez and Salazar will recap the two matches on Monday.

ESPN.com

ESPN.com continues its coverage of the Audi 2022 MLS Cup playoffs with previews and analysis from both conference finals. Highlights include:

• Wednesday: Bob Bradley is gone. So too, are promising young attackers Diego Rossi and Brian Rodriguez. It has come to Steve Cherundolo to lead the LAFC dugout, backed by several high-profile transfers of in-their-prime players who’ve made a name for themselves in Europe’s top leagues. So how has LAFC undergone such a significant transformation in a short window and retained their status as the team to beat in Major League Soccer? Kyle Bonagura
• Thursday: The Phillies are in the World Series, the Eagles are undefeated, and the Philadelphia Union is arguably the hottest team in MLS. There’s never been a better time to be a sports fan in Philadelphia. How is the Union, MLS Eastern Conference top team, feeling in a sports town buzzing like never before? Jon Arnold reports
• Friday: ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle and Austin Lindberg break down the matchups in Sunday’s conference finals and make their predictions on who will be moving on to the 2022 MLS Cup
• Monday: Carlisle looks back at the conference finals to detail what we learned about our newly crowned conference champions and how their playoff success can prepare them for an MLS Cup crown.

ESPN International

The Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference Final will be available in more than 66 million homes via ESPN International networks, including live on ESPN 3 and Star+ in Mexico, Central America, South America, and in Brazil and Argentina. In the Caribbean, the game will on ESPN Caribbean and ESPN Play, as well as on ESPN 2 and Watch ESPN in the Pac Rim. Game-around-the-game coverage will be available via SportsCenter and ESPN FC editions throughout the regions.

Champion and Twellman’s commentary will air in the English-language regions. Mendez and Gomez will provide Spanish-language commentary.

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