The newly formatted MLS playoffs kick off with two wild-card games on Wednesday, Oct. 25.
The road to MLS Cup glory could go through Cincinnati's TQL Stadium. FC Cincinnati, winners of the Supporters' Shield (presented to the team that finishes the regular season with the most points), clinched home-field advantage through MLS Cup, should the team be fortunate enough to advance that far. Historically, Supporters' Shield winners have not had success in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Los Angeles FC's MLS Cup-Supporters' Shield double was just the league's second since 2011 (Toronto FC, 2017).
In the Western Conference, St. Louis City SC experienced one of the greatest expansion seasons in major pro sports history, winning the Western Conference. The nascent club will have worthy challengers to reach MLS Cup. Second-seeded Seattle Sounders FC returns to the postseason after missing out in 2022, a season in which they won the Concacaf Champions League. Third-seeded LAFC, reigning league champions, boast the 2023 MLS Golden Boot winner, Dénis Bouanga.
Also noteworthy for these MLS Cup Playoffs is that the New York Red Bulls set a league record by qualifying for the postseason for a 14th consecutive season, the longest active playoff streak among major U.S. pro sports leagues (MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers own the next-best streak at 11, followed by the NBA's Boston Celtics at nine and NFL's Kansas City Chiefs at eight). RBNY secured its playoff spot on the season's final day with a stoppage time penalty kick by young USMNT prospect John Tolkin.
The 28th edition of MLS Cup is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 9.
A total of 18 teams qualify for the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs — the top nine finishers from each conference.
The eighth- and ninth-place finishers in each conference will play in wild-card matches. The top seven seeds qualify for the Round 1 best-of-three series.
Here is the playoff schedule:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
WESTERN CONFERENCE
All MLS playoff games are available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Some playoff games will also be available on FOX Sports networks.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
FC Cincinnati vs. New York Red Bulls-Charlotte FC winner
Orlando City SC vs. Nashville SC
Columbus Crew vs. Atlanta United FC
Philadelphia Union vs. New England Revolution
WESTERN CONFERENCE
St. Louis City SC vs. Sporting Kansas City-San Jose Earthquakes winner
Seattle Sounders FC vs. FC Dallas
Los Angeles FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Houston Dynamo FC vs. Real Salt Lake
Saturday, Nov. 25-Sunday, Nov. 26. Details for the conference semifinals will be released following the completion of Round 1.
Saturday, Dec. 2-Sunday, Dec. 3
Saturday, Dec. 9, 4 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass and FOX)
The MLS championship game is held in the home stadium of the finalist that finished the regular season with the most points.
MLS Cup: Ranking all 27 championship games
Entering the playoffs, FC Cincinnati (+333) were favorites to win the 2023 league championship, according to BetMGM.
Here were the odds for the other teams to win the title: Los Angeles FC (+600), St. Louis City SC (+650), Orlando City SC (+1000), Columbus Crew (+1200), Philadelphia Union (+1200), Seattle Sounders FC (+1400), New England Revolution (+1400), Nashville SC (+2000), Real Salt Lake (+2200), Houston Dynamo FC (+2500), Atlanta United (+2500), Vancouver Whitecaps FC (+2800), FC Dallas (+5000), New York Red Bulls (+5000), San Jose Earthquakes (+6500), Sporting Kansas City (+6600), Charlotte FC (+6600).
The Los Angeles Galaxy have won the most MLS Cups, winning five in nine appearances. D.C. United has won four MLS Cups, but hasn't won the title since 2004. The Houston Dynamo, Seattle Sounders, Sporting Kansas City, Columbus Crew and San Jose Earthquakes have each won two MLS Cups.
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