The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be either a single game, a series of games, or a tournament, and may use a single-elimination system or one of several other different playoff formats. Playoff, in regard to international fixtures, is to qualify or progress to the next round of a competition or tournament.
The NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament, sometimes known as the College Cup, is an American intercollegiate soccer tournament conducted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and determines the Division I men's national champion. The tournament was formally held in 1959, when it was an eight-team tournament. Since then, the tournament has expanded to 48 teams, in which every Division I conference tournament champion is allocated a berth. Among the most successful programs, Saint Louis won 10 titles during dynasty years between 1959 and 1973. Indiana has won 8 titles beginning in 1982, whereas Virginia has won 7 titles beginning in 1989. Syracuse won its first national title in its first appearance in 2022.
The VCU Rams men's soccer team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of Virginia Commonwealth University, an NCAA Division I member school located in the state's capital of Richmond. The team is a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference.
The ACC men's soccer tournament is the conference championship tournament in soccer for the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The tournament has been held every year since 1987. It is a single-elimination tournament and seeding is based on regular season records.
The MAAC men's soccer tournament is the conference championship tournament in soccer for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). The tournament has been held every year since 1988. It is played on a single-elimination format and seeding is based on regular season records. The winner, declared conference champion, receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I men's soccer championship.
The SMU Mustangs men's soccer team represents Southern Methodist University in men's college soccer. The team currently competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Mustangs made their most recent appearance in the NCAA National Tournament in 2019, their third consecutive tournament appearance and fourth in five seasons. In 2019 the Mustangs reached their thirteenth Elite Eight before falling to No.1 Seed Virginia 3–2 in overtime.
The Coastal Athletic Association men's soccer tournament is the annual conference championship tournament for the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA). The tournament has been held every year since 1983, when the CAA began sponsoring a men's soccer program.
The Big East Conference men's soccer tournament is the conference championship tournament in soccer for the Big East Conference. The single-elimination tournament has been held every year since the Big East Conference realignment in 2013. In 2023, the tournament expanded from six to eight teams, coinciding with the Big East adding Akron as a single-sport member and increasing its men's soccer lineup to 12 teams.
The Conference USA men's soccer tournament was the conference championship tournament in soccer for Conference USA (C-USA). The tournament was held every year from 1995 until 2021, except 2020. It was a single-elimination tournament and seeding was based on regular season records. The winner, declared conference champion, received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I men's soccer championship.
The American Athletic Conference women's soccer tournament is the conference championship tournament in soccer for the American Athletic Conference. The tournament has been held every year since the split from the Big East Conference in 2013. It is a single-elimination tournament and seeding is based on regular season records. The winner, declared conference champion, receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship.
The Big East Conference women's soccer tournament is the conference championship tournament in soccer for the Big East Conference. The tournament has been held every year since 1993. It is a single-elimination tournament and seeding is based on regular season records. The winner, declared conference champion, receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I women's soccer championship.
The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament is the annual conference basketball championship tournament for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The tournament has been held every year since 1993, when the RMAC became an NCAA Division II conference. It is a single-elimination tournament and seeding is based on regular season records.
The Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament is the annual conference basketball championship tournament for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. The tournament has been held annually since 2011. It is a single-elimination tournament and seeding is based on regular season records.
The Sun Belt Conference men's soccer tournament is the conference championship tournament in soccer for the Sun Belt Conference (SBC). The tournament was held from 1976 through 1995, when the sport was discontinued.
The WAC men's soccer tournament is the conference championship tournament in soccer for the Western Athletic Conference. The tournament has been held every year since 2013.
The Mid-American Conference men's soccer tournament was the conference championship tournament in soccer for the Mid-American Conference. The tournament was held every year from 1994 until 2019. It was a single-elimination tournament and seeding was based on regular season records. The winner, declared conference champion, received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I men's soccer championship.
The ASUN Men's Soccer Tournament is the conference championship tournament in soccer for the ASUN Conference. The tournament has been held every year since 1978 except in 2020, when the ASUN moved its soccer season from fall 2020 to spring 2021 due to COVID-19 issues. It is a single-elimination tournament and seeding is based on regular season records. The winner, declared conference champion, receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship.
The 2021 MAAC men's soccer tournament was the postseason men's soccer tournament for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference held from November 7 through November 14, 2021. The seven-match tournament took place at campus sites, with the higher seed hosting matches. The host for the matches was determined by seeding from regular season play. The eight-team single-elimination tournament consisted of three rounds based on seeding from regular season conference play. The Monmouth were the defending champions and were unable to defend their title, losing to Marist in the semifinals. Marist went on to win the Championship, defeating Rider in a penalty shoot-out in the final. This is Marist's fourth overall tournament win and first since 2005. The title is also the first for head coach Matt Viggiano. As tournament champions, Marist earned the MAAC's automatic berth into the 2021 NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament.
The 2022 MAAC men's soccer tournament was the postseason men's soccer tournament for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference held from November 6 through November 13, 2022. The five-match tournament took place at campus sites, with the higher seed hosting matches. The host for the matches was determined by seeding from regular season play. The six-team single-elimination tournament consisted of three rounds based on seeding from regular season conference play. The Marist Red Foxes were the defending champions and were unable to defend their title, after a seventh place regular season finish did not qualify them for the tournament. Regular season champion and top seed Quinnipiac would go on to win the tournament, defeating second seed Iona 3–2 in the final. This was Quinnipiac's second overall tournament win and first since 2013. Both of their titles have come under head coach Eric Da Costa. As tournament champions, Quinnipiac earned the MAAC's automatic berth into the 2022 NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament.
The Big Sky Conference women's soccer tournament is the conference championship tournament in soccer for the Big Sky Conference. The tournament has been held every year since 1997. It is a single-elimination tournament and seeding is based on regular season records. The winner, declared conference champion, receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I women's soccer championship.
