The Western Conference semifinal will be the first time Vancouver and LA have met in a round other than the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs, having previously met in the best-of-three series format since its introduction in 2023.

LAFC swept the Whitecaps in 2023 with a 5–2 win in Game 1 and a controversial 1–0 win on the road in Game 2, where match referee Tim Ford blocked a last-minute shot from then Whitecaps midfielder Alessandro Schöpf, before blowing the game dead.

Afterwards, LAFC advanced past Seattle Sounders FC and Houston Dynamo FC before losing to the Columbus Crew in the MLS Cup final, falling short of back-to-back titles after winning in 2022.

The Whitecaps put up a better fight in 2024. After LAFC won 2–1 at home in Game 1, the Whitecaps dominated to a 3–0 win at BC Place in Game 2. LAFC closed out the series in Game 3 before falling to Seattle in the Western Conference semifinal.