• The new MLS playoff format features nine teams apiece from the Eastern and Western Conferences, a wild-card round and best-of-three Round 1 series.
  • FC Cincinnati aims to become the second straight Supporters' Shield winner to also win MLS Cup. However, only two of the past 11 Supporters' Shield winners have won MLS Cup.
  • All MLS playoff matches can be watched on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

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.

What is the new MLS playoff format for 2023?

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:

  • Oct. 25: Wild-card matches (single-elimination matches)
  • Oct. 28-Nov. 12: Round 1 (best-of-three series)
  • Nov. 25-Dec. 3: Conference semifinals and finals (single-elimination matches)
  • Dec. 9: MLS Cup (single winner-take-all match)

Which teams made the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs?

EASTERN CONFERENCE

  1. FC Cincinnati
  2. Orlando City SC
  3. Columbus Crew
  4. Philadelphia Union
  5. New England Revolution
  6. Atlanta United FC
  7. Nashville SC
  8. New York Red Bulls
  9. Charlotte FC

WESTERN CONFERENCE

  1. St. Louis City SC
  2. Seattle Sounders FC
  3. Los Angeles FC
  4. Houston Dynamo FC
  5. Real Salt Lake
  6. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
  7. FC Dallas
  8. Sporting Kansas City
  9. San Jose Earthquakes

How to watch and stream 2023 MLS playoff games

All MLS playoff games are available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Some playoff games will also be available on FOX Sports networks.

What is the schedule for the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs?

WILD-CARD MATCHES

  • Wednesday, Oct. 25: New York Red Bulls vs. Charlotte FC, 7:30 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)
  • Wednesday, Oct. 25: Sporting Kansas City vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 9:30 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)

ROUND 1 (best of three)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

FC Cincinnati vs. New York Red Bulls-Charlotte FC winner

  • Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 29 at Cincinnati, 8 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass and FS1)
  • Game 2: Saturday, Nov. 4 at TBD, 7 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)
  • Game 3 (if necessary): Saturday, Nov. 11: at Cincinnati, 2 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)

Orlando City SC vs. Nashville SC

  • Game 1: Monday, Oct. 30 at Orlando, 7 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass and FS1)
  • Game 2: Tuesday, Nov. 7 at Nashville, 9 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)
  • Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, Nov. 12 at Orlando, 5 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)

Columbus Crew vs. Atlanta United FC

  • Game 1: Wednesday, Nov. 1 at Columbus, 7:30 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass and FS1)
  • Game 2: Tuesday, Nov. 7 at Atlanta, 7 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)
  • Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, Nov. 12 at Columbus, 7 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)

Philadelphia Union vs. New England Revolution

  • Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 28 at Philadelphia, 5 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)
  • Game 2: Wednesday, Nov. 8 at New England, 7 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass and FS1)
  • Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, Nov. 12 at Philadelphia, 3 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

St. Louis City SC vs. Sporting Kansas City-San Jose Earthquakes winner

  • Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 29 at St. Louis, 10 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass and FS1)
  • Game 2: Sunday, Nov. 5 at TBD, 5 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)
  • Game 3 (if necessary): Saturday, Nov. 11 at St. Louis, 6 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)

Seattle Sounders FC vs. FC Dallas

  • Game 1: Monday, Oct. 30 at Seattle, 9 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass and FS1)
  • Game 2: Saturday, Nov. 4 at Dallas, 9 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)
  • Game 3 (if necessary): Nov. 10 at Seattle, 10 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)

Los Angeles FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC

  • Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 28 at Los Angeles, 8 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)
  • Game 2: Sunday, Nov. 5 at Vancouver, 7:30 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass and FS1)
  • Game 3 (if necessary): Thursday, Nov. 9 at Los Angeles, 10 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)

Houston Dynamo FC vs. Real Salt Lake

  • Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 29 at Houston, 6 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)
  • Game 2: Monday, Nov. 6 at Salt Lake, 9 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)
  • Game 3 (if necessary): Saturday, Nov. 11 at Houston, 4 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass)

CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

Saturday, Nov. 25-Sunday, Nov. 26. Details for the conference semifinals will be released following the completion of Round 1.

CONFERENCE FINALS

Saturday, Dec. 2-Sunday, Dec. 3

MLS Cup

Saturday, Dec. 9, 4 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass and FOX)

Where will 2023 MLS Cup be played?

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

Who is favored to win MLS Cup?

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).

Which team has won the most MLS Cups?

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.

Which teams have won MLS Cup?

  • 2022: Los Angeles FC over Philadelphia Union (Banc of California Stadium), 3-3 (LAFC won penalty shootout, 3-0)
  • 2021: New York City FC over Portland Timbers (Providence Park), 1-1 (NYCFC won penalty shootout, 4-2)
  • 2020: Columbus Crew over Seattle Sounders (Mapfre Stadium), 3-0
  • 2019: Seattle Sounders FC over Toronto FC (CenturyLink Field), 3-1
  • 2018: Atlanta United over Portland Timbers (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), 2-0
  • 2017: Toronto FC over Seattle Sounders FC (BMO Field), 2-0
  • 2016: Seattle Sounders FC over Toronto FC (BMO Field), 0-0 (Sounders won penalty shootout, 5-4)
  • 2015: Portland Timbers over Columbus Crew (Mapfre Stadium), 2-1
  • 2014: Los Angeles Galaxy over New England Revolution (StubHub Center), 2-1 (extra time)
  • 2013: Sporting Kansas City over Real Salt Lake (Sporting Park), 1-1 (SKC won penalty shootout, 7-6)
  • 2012: Los Angeles Galaxy over Houston Dynamo (Home Depot Center), 3-1
  • 2011: Los Angeles Galaxy over Houston Dynamo (Home Depot Center), 1-0
  • 2010: Colorado Rapids over FC Dallas (BMO Field), 2-1 (extra time)
  • 2009: Real Salt Lake over Los Angeles Galaxy (Qwest Field), 1-1 (RSL won penalty shootout, 5-4)
  • 2008: Columbus Crew over New York Red Bulls (Home Depot Center), 3-1
  • 2007: Houston Dynamo over New England Revolution (RFK Stadium), 2-1
  • 2006: Houston Dynamo over New England Revolution (Pizza Hut Park), 1-1 (Dynamo won penalty shootout, 4-3)
  • 2005: Los Angeles Galaxy over New England Revolution (Pizza Hut Park), 1-0 (extra time)
  • 2004: D.C. United over Kansas City Wizards (Home Depot Center), 3-2
  • 2003: San Jose Earthquakes over Chicago Fire (Home Depot Center), 4-2
  • 2002: Los Angeles Galaxy over New England Revolution (Gillette Stadium), 1-0 (extra time)
  • 2001: San Jose Earthquakes over Los Angeles Galaxy (Crew Stadium), 2-1 (extra time)
  • 2000: Kansas City Wizards over Chicago Fire (RFK Stadium), 1-0
  • 1999: D.C. United over Los Angeles Galaxy (Foxboro Stadium), 2-0
  • 1998: Chicago Fire over D.C. United (Rose Bowl), 2-0
  • 1997: D.C. United over Colorado Rapids (RFK Stadium), 2-1
  • 1996: D.C. United over Los Angeles Galaxy (Foxboro Stadium), 3-2 (extra time)

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