| Season | 2004 |
|---|---|
| Teams | 10 |
| MLS Cup | D.C. United (4th title) |
| Supporters' Shield | Columbus Crew (1st shield) |
| 2005 CONCACAF Champions' Cup | D.C. United Kansas City Wizards |
| Matches | 150 |
| Goals | 392 (2.61 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Brian Ching San Jose Earthquakes Goals: 12 Eddie Johnson Dallas Burn Goals: 12 |
| Biggest home win | NE 6–1COL |
| Biggest away win | LA 0–3NY DAL 0–3NE CHI 0–3COL |
| Highest scoring | SJ 5–5NY |
| Longest winning run | Columbus Crew Games: 4 (05/15 – 06/06) Columbus Crew Games: 4 (09/04 – 09/25) |
| Longest unbeaten run | Columbus Crew Games: 18 (07/03/2004) |
| Longest losing run | Dallas Burn Games: 4 (05/08 – 05/29) |
| Highest attendance | Los Angeles Galaxy Season: 357,137 Game Avg.: 23,809 |
| Lowest attendance | Dallas Burn Season: 136,319 Game Avg.: 9,088 |
| Total attendance | 2,333,797 |
| Average attendance | 15,559 |
←2003 2005 → | |
The2004 Major League Soccer season was the ninth season ofMajor League Soccer. It was also the 92nd season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer in theUnited States, and the 26th with a national first-division league.
After playing one season in the suburb ofSouthlake, theDallas Burn returned to theCotton Bowl.
D.C. United signed 14-year-old prodigyFreddy Adu, who made his debut as a substitute in their season opener becoming the youngest player in North American sports history. TheColumbus Crew emerged as a dominant team in the second half of the regular season, running off an MLS-record 18-game unbeaten streak en route to winning theSupporters' Shield.
The regular season began on April 3, and concluded on October 17. The 2004 MLS Cup Playoffs began on October 22, and concluded withMLS Cup 2004 on November 14.D.C. United won their record 4th league title by defeating theKansas City Wizards in MLS Cup.
The season began on April 3 and concluded withMLS Cup on November 14. The 10 teams were split evenly into two conferences. Each team played 30 games that were evenly divided between home and away. Each team played every other team in their conference, and two designated opponents from the opposite conference, four times, and the remaining teams in the opposite conference twice.
The top four teams from each conference qualified for theMLS Cup Playoffs. In the first round, aggregate goals over two matches determined the winners. The conference finals were played as a single match, and the winners advanced toMLS Cup. In all rounds, draws were broken with two 15-minute periods of extra time, followed by penalty kicks if necessary. Theaway goals rule was not used in any round.
The team with the most points in the regular season was awarded theMLS Supporters' Shield. Additionally, the winner ofMLS Cup and the runner-up qualified for theCONCACAF Champions' Cup.
| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Fire | Soldier Field | 61,500 |
| Colorado Rapids | Invesco Field at Mile High | 76,125 |
| Columbus Crew | Columbus Crew Stadium | 22,555 |
| D.C. United | RFK Stadium | 46,000 |
| Dallas Burn | Cotton Bowl | 92,100 |
| Kansas City Wizards | Arrowhead Stadium | 81,425 |
| Los Angeles Galaxy | Home Depot Center | 27,000 |
| MetroStars | Giants Stadium | 80,200 |
| New England Revolution | Gillette Stadium | 68,756 |
| San Jose Earthquakes | Spartan Stadium | 30,456 |
| Team | Outgoing coach | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Incoming coach | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Galaxy |  Sigi Schmid | Fired | August 16, 2004 | Steve Sampson | August 18, 2004 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus Crew | 30 | 12 | 5 | 13 | 40 | 32 | +8 | 49 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 2 | D.C. United | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 43 | 42 | +1 | 42 | |
| 3 | MetroStars | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 47 | 49 | −2 | 40 | |
| 4 | New England Revolution | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 42 | 43 | −1 | 33 | |
| 5 | Chicago Fire | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 36 | 44 | −8 | 33 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City Wizards | 30 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 38 | 30 | +8 | 49 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 2 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 30 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 42 | 40 | +2 | 43 | |
| 3 | Colorado Rapids | 30 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 29 | 32 | −3 | 41 | |
| 4 | San Jose Earthquakes | 30 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 41 | 35 | +6 | 38 | |
| 5 | Dallas Burn | 30 | 10 | 14 | 6 | 34 | 45 | −11 | 36 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus Crew(S) | 30 | 12 | 5 | 13 | 40 | 32 | +8 | 49 | |
| 2 | Kansas City Wizards | 30 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 38 | 30 | +8 | 49 | CONCACAF Champions' Cup |
| 3 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 30 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 42 | 40 | +2 | 43 | |
| 4 | D.C. United(C) | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 43 | 42 | +1 | 42 | CONCACAF Champions' Cup |
| 5 | Colorado Rapids | 30 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 29 | 32 | −3 | 41 | |
| 6 | MetroStars | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 47 | 49 | −2 | 40 | |
| 7 | San Jose Earthquakes | 30 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 41 | 35 | +6 | 38 | |
| 8 | Dallas Burn | 30 | 10 | 14 | 6 | 34 | 45 | −11 | 36 | |
| 9 | New England Revolution | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 42 | 43 | −1 | 33 | |
| 10 | Chicago Fire | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 36 | 44 | −8 | 33 |
| Conference semifinals | Conference finals | MLS Cup | |||||||||||||
| E1 | Columbus | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| E4 | New England (wins 2–1 agg.) | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| E4 | New England | 3 | |||||||||||||
| Eastern Conference | |||||||||||||||
| E2 | D.C. United (wins 4–3 on PK's) | 3* | |||||||||||||
| E2 | D.C. United (wins 4–0 agg.) | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||
| E3 | MetroStars | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| E2 | D.C. United | 3 | |||||||||||||
| W1 | Kansas City | 2 | |||||||||||||
| W1 | Kansas City (wins 3–2 agg.) | 0 | 3 | ||||||||||||
| W4 | San Jose | 2 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| W1 | Kansas City | 2 | |||||||||||||
| Western Conference | |||||||||||||||
| W2 | Los Angeles | 0 | |||||||||||||
| W2 | Los Angeles (wins 2–1 agg.) | 0 | 2 | ||||||||||||
| W3 | Colorado | 1 | 0 | ||||||||||||
New England Revolution advance 2–1 on aggregate.
| MetroStars | 0–2 | D.C. United |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Moreno 85'Namoff 89' |
D.C. United advance 4–0 on aggregate.
| San Jose Earthquakes | 0–3 | Kansas City Wizards |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Stephenson 26' Ching 48' (o.g.)Jewsbury 90+2' |
Kansas City Wizards advance 3–2 on aggregate.
| Colorado Rapids | 0–2 | Los Angeles Galaxy |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Ruiz 30' Marshall 45+3' |
Los Angeles Galaxy advance 2–1 on aggregate.
D.C. United advance 4–3 on penalties (3–3 afterfull time).
| Kansas City Wizards | 2–3 | D.C. United |
|---|---|---|
| Burciaga Jr. 6' Wolff 58' (pen.) | Report | Eskandarian 19' 23' Zotinca 26' (o.g.)Kovalenko  57' |
| Club | Games | Total | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Galaxy | 15 | 357,137 | 23,809 |
| D.C. United | 15 | 258,484 | 17,232 |
| MetroStars | 15 | 257,923 | 17,195 |
| Chicago Fire | 15 | 257,295 | 17,153 |
| Columbus Crew | 15 | 253,079 | 16,872 |
| Kansas City Wizards | 15 | 222,235 | 14,816 |
| Colorado Rapids | 15 | 212,925 | 14,195 |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 15 | 195,015 | 13,001 |
| New England Revolution | 15 | 183,385 | 12,226 |
| Dallas Burn | 15 | 136,319 | 9,088 |
| Totals | 150 | 2,333,797 | 15,559 |
| Eastern Conference | |
|---|---|
| Western Conference | |
| Former teams |
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| Personnel | |
| Competition | |
| Associated competitions | |
| Other | |
