MLS Decision Day: who can seal playoff places in Eastern & Western Conferences

After 33 regular MLS 2023 season games, the structure of the postseason will be revealed after the final round of games this week as the league celebrates Decision Day 2023.

Both Eastern and Western Conferences have places to fill with seven of the East’s nine playoff berths are already filled with six berths of nine in the West already complete as the tussle for those final five places is destined to provide a roller coaster of emotions for all involved.

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The new 2023 playoffs format

The 2023 season sees a series of amendments in the playoff format. The top seven sides from each Conference are guaranteed a postseason place with teams in 8th and 9th set to meet for a one-off game with the winner advancing to the playoff quarterfinals.

These eight teams will then meet in a best of three series with the top four having home advantage twice should games to the a decider.

Those matches, like the wild card games, will proceed straight to penalties if tied after 90 minutes. The first team to win two games advances to the semifinals.

The Conference semifinals and finals revert to a more conventional one-game format, with drawn ties set to be resolved by the traditional 30-minute extra time and penalties format.

The battle for 2023 postseason berths (Eastern Conference)

Five teams are competing for the final two wild-card places with DC United having completed their 34 games for the season.

With 41 points, CF Montréal have a point advantage of their rivals and control their own destiny but face one of the trickiest tests on Deadline Day as they travel to already qualified Columbus Crew.

New York Red Bulls (40 points) have looked solid in recent weeks but too face a complex road trip to visit to Nashville’s imposing Geodis Park.

Charlotte picked up a point away to Inter Miami on Wednesday night and host the Herons again this weekend at Bank of America Stadium on Decision Day with Tata Martino’s men having nothing but pride to play for.

The final two contenders in New York City FC (38 points) host Chicago Fire (40 points) in a game which is a real six-pointer. The Fire have struggled in the past few seasons and have not had a postseason run since 2017, but could sneak a wild-card spot with a win in the Big Apple.

Already qualified: Cincinnati, Orlando, Philadelphia, Columbus, New England, Atlanta.

The battle for 2023 postseason berths (Western Conference)

Portland Timbers, FC Dallas and San Jose all have 43 points and start with an advantage over their rivals as five teams jockey for three spots (one play off and two wild-card places).

San Jose Earthquakes and Timbers face home games against Austin and Houston respectively. The ‘Verdes’ are mathematically eliminated from the playoff push and may provide easier opposition than the Dynamo who will be pushing for the points to secure a top-four finish that would earn them home-field advantage in the best of three series.

FC Dallas were handed a great opportunity accrue points last weekend with their game in hand but only managed a draw at home in a rescheduled match with hapless Colorado Rapids and will now now need to head to LA and aim for a win against the Galaxy with the Texans only managing three road wins all season.

Tied on 41 points Minnesota United head to Sporting Kansas City and in a game which promises to be a high voltage clash where only a win will do for either side. Children’s Mercy Park will be a cauldron in one of the standout Deadline Day games of the weekend.

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Already qualified: St. Louis, LAFC, Seattle, Houston, Salt Lake, Vancouver.

* If teams are tied at the end of the regular season, MLS uses total number of wins as its first tiebreaker and not goal difference.