MLS
Which teams have already qualified for the 2023 MLS Cup playoffs?
There are still five playoff spots up for grabs as the Major League Soccer regular season comes to a conclusion with Saturday’s Decision Day.
Ahead of Decision Day on Saturday, we already know the identity of 13 of the 18 participants in the 2023 MLS Cup playoffs.
Eastern Conference: top seven already set
In the Eastern Conference, seven teams have booked their postseason spot: Cincinnati, Orlando City, Philadelphia Union, Columbus Crew, New England Revolution, Atlanta United and Nashville.
What’s more, all of these sides are guaranteed to finish in the East’s top seven whatever happens this weekend. This is important, as the seven highest seeds in each conference get a bye to round one of the playoffs, avoiding the wild card stage.
Cincinnati have already secured the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference; indeed, the Orange and Blue are also certain to win the Supporters’ Shield, the title awarded to the best regular-season team in the entire MLS.
Alongside Cincinnati, Orlando are also assured of a top-four finish in the East, while two of Philadelphia, Columbus and New England will complete the conference’s leading quartet. The four highest seeds in each conference get the advantage of playing two home games in the best-of-three round one.
As for the wild card spots, which go to the eighth and ninth-placed teams, they remain up for grabs. They will be taken by two of Montréal, New York Red Bulls, Chicago Fire, Charlotte and New York FC.
MLS Decision Day 2023, Saturday 21 October: full schedule
- Charlotte vs Miami - 6pm ET
- Cincinnati vs Atlanta - 6pm ET
- Columbus vs Montréal - 6pm ET
- NYCFC vs Chicago - 6pm ET
- Nashville vs New York RB - 6pm ET
- New England vs Philadelphia - 6pm ET
- Toronto vs Orlando - 6pm ET
- Colorado vs Salt Lake - 9pm ET
- Kansas City vs Minnesota - 9pm ET
- LA Galaxy vs Dallas - 9pm ET
- Portland vs Houston - 9pm ET
- San Jose vs Austin - 9pm ET
- St Louis vs Seattle - 9pm ET
- Vancouver vs LAFC - 9pm ET
Western Conference: three playoff spots available
In the West, six teams have made sure of their playoff place: St Louis City, defending champions Los Angeles FC, Seattle Sounders, Houston Dynamo, Real Salt Lake and Vancouver Whitecaps.
As in the East, every Western Conferenec franchise that has already secured a postseason berth is also certain of a bye to round one.
St Louis have clinched the West’s No. 1 seed: a historic achievement. The Missourians are the first ever MLS expansion team to lead their conference at the end of their debut regular season.
St Louis will be joined among the Western conference’s four highest seeds by LAFC, while Seattle, Houston, Salt Lake and Vancouver will all be battling it out for the two remaining top-four places on Saturday.
The final spot in the West’s top seven will go to one of Portland Timbers, Dallas, San Jose Earthquakes, Sporting Kansas City and Minnesota United, while two of that quintet will make up the conference’s wild card line-up.
When are the 2023 MLS Cup playoffs?
- Wild card round: 25 and 26 October
- Round one: 28 October to 12 November
- Conference semi-finals/finals: 25 November to 3 December
- MLS Cup final: 9 December