Spaniard Xavi Tamarit, an assistant coach with LAFC since January, was named the team’s interim head coach on Thursday.
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Tamarit, 44, fills the vacancy left when LAFC relieved first-year head coach Marc Dos Santos of his duties on Sunday.
Following 39 games in all competitions this year, the move to replace Dos Santos marked the first time that LAFC parted ways with a head coach during a season since entering MLS in 2018.
“Xavi brings a wealth of experience at the highest levels of the game and a clear understanding of our players, their strengths and what this group needs now,” LAFC president of soccer operations John Thorrington said in a statement. “We have full confidence in Xavi and the rest of the staff to get the best out of this team. Our standards and ambitions remain unchanged, and we are committed to giving everything to finish the 2026 season strong.”
In the news release announcing the decision, LAFC said Tamarit’s “familiarity with LAFC players and daily work within the club position him well to lead the group through the remainder of the season.”
Tamarit brought more than two decades of elite coaching experience when he joined LAFC, including inside the English Premier League, Spain’s La Liga and Argentina’s first division.
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Working for more than a decade alongside head coach Mauricio Pellegrino, Tamarit helped Argentinian team Lanús capture the 2025 Copa Sudamericana prior to departing for LAFC.
A UEFA Pro and CONMEBOL Pro License holder, Tamarit is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Tamarit and LAFC, which is sixth in the MLS Western Conference standings with 41 points and an 11-9-8 record, has six regular-season games remaining from Oct. 10 through Nov. 7, plus the MLS Cup playoffs should the club qualify.
The search for a full-time replacement will continue ahead of the abbreviated MLS Sprint season, which begins in February.
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