Audi MLS Cup Playoffs: Format & Schedule

The Major League Soccer regular season is closing in on Decision Day which means supporters are looking ahead to the MLS Cup Playoffs presented by Audi, where their teams might finish in the standings, and what that means for their playoff chances. 

The new and improved playoff format and seeding in the regular season provide teams with a unique opportunity to host multiple matches in the First Round. Here is everything you need to know about the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs presented by Audi.

The Crew have seven more regular season matches, including three at the fortress that is Lower.com Field. The Black & Gold currently sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings and would need to climb to at least fourth place to have home field advantage in the First Round of the playoffs. In short, every match and every point is crucial as the Crew enter the business end of the season and here is why...

The Schedule

After Decision Day on Oct. 21, the playoff schedule will go as follows:

• Wild Card matches: Oct. 25-26
• Round One Best-of-3 series matches: Oct. 28-Nov. 12
• Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals: Nov. 25-Dec. 3
• MLS Cup presented by Audi: Dec. 9

How many teams make the playoffs?

• Overall, 18 teams qualify – the top 9 from the Eastern Conference and the top 9 from the Western Conference.
• Seeds 1-7 in each conference automatically qualify for the Round One Best-of-3 series.
• Seeds 8-9 in each conference qualify for the Wild Card matches.

What’s New

Wild Card

• Two single-game elimination matches hosted by the higher seed (Eastern Conference No. 8 vs. No. 9; Western Conference No. 8 vs. No. 9)
• If the score of a Wild Card game is tied at the end of regulation, no extra time will be played. There will immediately be a penalty kick shootout to determine the winner.
• The winner of each Wild Card match will advance to the Round One Best-of-3 series to face the conference No. 1 seed.

Round One Best-of-3 Series (8-16 games)

• Every Round One game will have a winner; no ties, no aggregate score.
• The matches will be hosted in a home-away-home format:
  • Match 1: higher seed hosts
  • Match 2: lower seed hosts
  • Match 3: higher seed hosts
• If a match is tied at the end of regulation, no extra time will be played. Teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.
• The first team to win two matches will advance.
• Four teams from each conference will advance to the Conference Semifinals.

Eastern Conference Round One Best-of-3 Series

• No. 1 vs. No. 8 or 9
• No. 2 vs. No. 7
• No. 3 vs. No. 6
• No. 4 vs. No. 5

Western Conference Round One Best-of-3 Series

• No. 1 vs. No. 8 or 9
• No. 2 vs. No. 7
• No. 3 vs. No. 6
• No. 4 vs. No. 5

A Return to the Single Elimination Format in Round 2 & Beyond

• Once the Wild Card and First Rounds conclude, the Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals and MLS Cup Final presented by Audi will all be decided by a single elimination match hosted by the higher seed.
• The MLS Cup presented by Audi will be hosted by the team that finished higher in the Supporters’ Shield standings.

Conference Semifinals (4 games)

• Single-elimination matches, hosted by the higher seed.
  • If the score of a Conference Semifinal game is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety. If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra time periods, teams will determine the winner via a penalty kick shootout.
  • Conference Semifinal winners will advance to the Conference Final
• Eastern Conference Semifinals
  • Winner of No. 1 vs. No. 8/9 series vs. winner of No. 4 vs. No. 5 series
  • Winner of No. 3 vs. No. 6 series vs. winner of No. 2 vs. No. 7 series
• Western Conference Semifinals
  • Winner of No. 1 vs. No. 8/9 series vs. winner of No. 4 vs. No. 5 series
  • Winner of No. 3 vs. No. 6 series vs. winner of No. 2 vs. No. 7 series

Conference Finals (2 games)

• Single-elimination match hosted by the higher seed.
  • If the score of a Conference Final game is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety. If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra time periods, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.
  • The winner of each Conference Final match will advance to MLS Cup presented by Audi.
• Eastern Conference Final: highest advancing seed vs. lowest advancing seed
• Western Conference Final: highest advancing seed vs. lowest advancing seed

MLS Cup presented by Audi (1 game)

• A single match hosted by the higher seed.
  • If the score of the game is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety. If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra time periods, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.
  • MLS Cup presented by Audi: Eastern Conference Champion vs. Western Conference Champion