2024 MLS Cup playoffs

Last updated

2024 MLS Cup playoffs
2024 MLS Cup Playoffs logo black.png
Tournament details
CountryUnited States
Canada
DatesOctober 23 – December 7
Teams18
Defending champions Columbus Crew
←  2023
2025 →

The 2024 MLS Cup playoffs (branded as the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons) will be the post-season championship of Major League Soccer (MLS), the top soccer league in the United States and Canada. It will be the 29th edition of the MLS Cup playoffs, the tournament culminating at the end of the 2024 season. The playoffs will begin on October 23 and conclude with MLS Cup 2024 on December 7. [1]

Contents

Format

The playoffs featured a new format from previous years with an expanded field of 18 teams—the top nine teams from each conference. The top seven teams in each conference automatically qualify for Round One while the eighth and ninth-placed teams in each conference contested a single wild card match for the right to play the No. 1 seed in their conference, with only a penalty shoot-out occurring if the game was tied. Round One comprised a best-of-three format with higher seeds playing against lower seeds, for the first time since 1999. The round did not have the aggregate score kept, and tied matches proceeded directly to a penalty shoot-out to determine the winner. The remaining three rounds — the Conference Semifinals, Conference Final, and MLS Cup — were single-elimination matches played with extra time and a penalty shoot-out if still tied. [1] [2] The higher seed hosted the match in all rounds except for the best-of-three series in Round One, where the lower seed hosted the second of three possible matches. All matches were broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass, a streaming service operated by Apple. [1]

Qualified teams

The playoffs were contested by eighteen teams. The date listed indicates when each team qualified for the playoffs.

Conference standings

Bracket

The higher seeded teams hosted single-elimination matches, with the MLS Cup host determined by overall points in the Supporters Shield table. During the best-of-three round, the team with higher seed hosted the first match and the third match if necessary.

Wild card
single match		 Round one
best-of-three series		 Conference semifinals
single match		 Conference finals
single match		 MLS Cup
single match
 
E8   
E9   
 
  Eastern Conference
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
W8   
W9   
 
  Western Conference
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wild card round

Eastern Confernce

TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD

Western Conference

TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD

Round one

Team 1 Series Team 2Match 1Match 2Match 3
Eastern Conference
TBD--TBD------
TBD--TBD------
TBD--TBD------
TBD--TBD------
Western Conference
TBD--TBD------
TBD--TBD------
TBD--TBD------
TBD--TBD------

Eastern Conference

TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD
TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD
TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD
TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD
TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD
TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD
TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD
TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD

Western Conference

TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD
TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD
TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD
TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD
TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD
TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD
TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD
TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD

Conference semifinals

Team 1 Score Team 2
Eastern Conference
TBD--TBD
TBD--TBD
Western Conference
TBD--TBD
TBD--TBD

Eastern Conference

TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD
TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD

Western Conference

TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD
TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD

Conference finals

The higher-seeded team as determined by regular season ranking hosted the match. [1]

Eastern Conference

TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD

Western Conference

TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD

MLS Cup 2024

The highest-ranked finalist in the overall Supporters' Shield table will host the match. [1]

TBDvTBD
TBD, TBD


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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "MLS announces new playoff format for 2023 season". Major League Soccer. February 21, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  2. ↑ "MLS adds best-of-3 series to expanded playoffs for 2023 season". ESPN. February 21, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  3. ↑ "FC Cincinnati clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. September 14, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Columbus Crew clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. September 14, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  5. ↑ Becherano, Lizzy (August 24, 2024). "Inter Miami clinches MLS playoff berth with win over FC Cincinnati". ESPN . Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Colorado Rapids clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. September 21, 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  7. ↑ "LA Galaxy clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. September 14, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Real Salt Lake clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. September 21, 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
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