2002 Los Angeles Galaxy MLS Cup Championship Ring

In 2002, the Galaxy won their first MLS Cup in the club's fourth appearance by defeating the New England Revolution 1-0. In 2003, the Galaxy finished fourth playing more away games due to stadium construction, with the possible existing obstacles, the team finished 9-12-9. The Galaxy bounced back by gaining second with an 11-9-10 record. They lost to the Wizards in the final, 0-2.

In 2005, the Galaxy acquired Landon Donovan from San Jose. The franchise won the Open Cup again ending with a record of 13?13?6. Having qualified for the playoffs for the 2005 season, the Galaxy has been the only team to appear in the playoffs in all of the league's first ten seasons. They won the 2005 MLS Cup, defeating the New England Revolution in extra time, 1-0.

The 2006 season began on March 16 with the sudden death of Doug Hamilton, the team's 43-year-old general manager, who suffered a heart attack on board a plane carrying the team back from Costa Rica where they had played Saprissa in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. The team finished fifth in the Western Conference, eliminating them from playoff contention for the first time since the league's inception. Midway through the season, Steve Sampson was sacked as head coach, replaced by Frank Yallop. The team managed to make a deep run to the U.S. Open Cup final, but lost 3-1 against the Chicago Fire.