FA Cup soccer Oct 2, 2022; Portland, Oregon, USA; Adidas balls lie on the pitch before the game between the Portland Timbers and the LAFC at Providence Park. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

This week’s MLS season-opening showdown between the LA Galaxy and LAFC at the Rose Bowl was expected to break the soccer league’s attendance record of 73,019 with well over 70,000 tickets already distributed midway through the week. But the game is going to have to wait as it has been postponed for a rather surprising reason.

While Los Angeles, California typically has a warmer climate than most of the rest of the United States during the winter months and most might not think it’s at risk of a winter storm hitting the region, that’s exactly what’s happening to cause the postponement.

On Thursday, southern California was hit with a winter storm that is bringing heavy rains, flooding, high winds, and even some snow to the region.

It’s not clear when the game will ultimately be made up, but it was the first of three games this season scheduled to take place between LAFC and the LA Galaxy. They will play on April 16 at Dignity Health Sports Park – the home of the Galaxy – and then again on Sept. 16 at BMO Stadium where LAFC plays its home matches.

The season-opening matchup at the Rose Bowl was supposed to be a special neutral-site version of the cross-town rivalry dubbed El Trafico by fans.

[Yahoo! Sports]