Galaxy’s Riqui Puig to miss 2026 season after 2nd knee surgery

Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig will miss the 2026 season after undergoing another surgery on his left knee Saturday.

The club confirmed that Puig, who missed all of the 2025 season after suffering an ACL injury in the 2024 MLS Western Conference finals, “underwent a successful anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery on his left knee, just over a year after a similar procedure in late 2024.”

The surgery was done in Barcelona by Dr. Ramón Cugat, one day after news broke of Puig needing another procedure.

The Galaxy added that Puig is “expected to make a full recovery and be ready to rejoin the team for the start of the 2027 MLS season.”

After suffering the original injury in the 2024 playoffs, Puig was on a delicate recovery timeline. By the end of the 2025 regular season, he had started moving his rehab to the training field and the Galaxy expected him to be ready for a full training camp ahead of the upcoming 2026 season.

Puig said in an Instagram post that the discovery took place during a medical checkup.

“After a whole year of working every day with a single goal in mind, yesterday at a medical checkup, the doctor gave news you never want to hear,” he said. “It’s not easy to find the words after all we’ve been through. Without a doubt, it’s one of the hardest and most complicated moments I’ve ever had to manage in my life, both on a personal and professional level. But today I can say that the surgery went well and that gives me strength and reassurance to look forward.

“Now I only have one thing on my mind, start working already, train with more excitement than ever and try to be the Riqui Puig you all know again. More want, more hungry and more strength.”

Without Puig, and with a litany of other issues, the Galaxy finished last season on just 30 points, 14th place in the 15-team Western Conference.

So far, the Galaxy’s two biggest offseason moves have been on the defensive end, acquiring center back Jakob Glesnes in a trade with the Philadelphia Union and signing defensive midfielder Justin Haak from New York City FC.