LOS ANGELES -- The LMU men's soccer program has announced its 2026 schedule, with top-ranked WCC battles at home and on the road as well as multiple opportunities against Power Four competition. With the WCC set to stage its inaugural conference tournament this fall, every result carries postseason weight from the opening whistle.
The Lions will open the season with three straight road games including one game each against members of the Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conference.
The season opens on August 20 in Ann Arbor, Mich. As the Lions face the Michigan Wolverines. The two met in 2023 in a 1-1 draw.
LMU will return to southern California to face off against UC Irvine on the road before heading back out to perennially ranked SMU to finish off their early road trip. The Lions have not faced UC Irvine since the NCAA Tournament run in 2023 when the Lions defeated the Anteaters 4-2 in the opening round. The Mustangs were the ACC Tournament Champions in 2025 and the Lions will face them on the road for the second consecutive season in 2026.
The home opener will be a Wednesday night affair against UNLV on September 2. The Lions are unbeaten against the Rebels in three matches at Sullivan Field.
That begins an extended home stretch where the Lions will host Cal Poly and California Baptist before ending the nonconference slate on the road against Cal State Fullerton on Sept. 16.
LMU opens WCC play Sept. 26 at Portland, a program that has been among the nation's best in recent years. The Lions are familiar with the challenge; LMU held the Pilots to a 1-1 draw at Sullivan Field last season when Portland entered that match ranked No. 1 in the country.
Three days later, San Diego comes to Sullivan Field on Sept. 30 for the home opener. The Toreros have won four consecutive WCC championships and enter 2026 as the standard-bearer in the conference.
The conference tournament adds a new dimension to the WCC race in 2026. For the first time, the top four finishers in the regular season standings will compete in a single-elimination tournament hosted by the regular season champion, with the winner earning the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The format rewards consistency throughout the fall and keeps the Lions' postseason hopes alive deep into the schedule.
LMU will play four of its eight conference matches at Sullivan Field, hosting San Diego, Seattle, San Francisco and Pacific. The Lions went 4-0-5 and were unbeaten at home a season ago, giving Sullivan Field an outsized role as the program looks to build the kind of regular season record that earns a tournament berth.
Schmid's squad finished 5-6-7 overall in 2025, going 1-3-5 in WCC play. The Lions will look to build on that foundation as the conference's expanded postseason format creates new opportunity for programs positioning themselves in the middle of the standings.
Complete schedule information, including non-conference dates, will be available on lmuathletics.com.
2026-27 Season Ticket Packages
Season tickets are now on sale, starting at less than $8 per game. Ticket holders enjoy premium benefits, including the best per-game value, priority access to postseason tickets, and more.
New for 2026, fans can purchase a Men's & Wen's Soccer pass which includes assess to all regular-season home games at Sullivan Field for about $5 per game.
- (New) Men's & Women's Soccer Pass: $79 Buy Now
- Men's Soccer Season Tickets: $59 Buy Now
Returning Season Ticket Holders
Season ticket holders from 2025 will be receiving renewal information from an LMU ticket office representative.
Free Tickets for LMU Faculty, Staff and Students
All regular-season LMU men's soccer home games are free for current students, faculty, and staff with a valid OneCard. Faculty and staff members can bring one (1) guest for free.
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