 | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States Canada |
| Dates | October 22 – December 6 |
| Teams | 18 |
| Defending champions | LA Galaxy (did not qualify) |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 27 |
| Goals scored | 85 (3.15 per match) |
| Attendance | 659,722 (24,434 per match) |
| Top goal scorer(s) | Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF) 6 goals |
← 2024 2026 → All statistics correct as of November 24, 2025. | |
The2025 MLS Cup playoffs (branded as theAudi MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons) is the post-season championship ofMajor League Soccer (MLS), the topsoccer league in the United States and Canada. It is the 30th edition of theMLS Cup playoffs, following the conclusion of the2025 season. The playoffs began on October 22 and will conclude withMLS Cup 2025 on December 6.[1][2]
Both of theprevious year's MLS Cup finalists, championsLA Galaxy and runners-upNew York Red Bulls, failed to qualify, the latter for the first time since2009.San Diego FC qualified for the playoffs in theirinaugural MLS season. ThePhiladelphia Union entered asSupporters Shield andEastern Conference champions, but were eliminated in the conference semifinals byNew York City FC.
Since the2023 edition, the MLS Cup playoffs have been contested by a field of 18 teams—the top nine teams from each conference.[3] The top seven teams in each conference automatically qualified for round one, while the eighth and ninth-placed teams in each conference played a singlewild card match to determine who draws the best-ranked team in their conference, with only apenalty shoot-out occurring if the game was tied.
The first round comprised abest-of-three format, with higher seeds playing against lower seeds. The round does not use anaggregate score, and tied matches proceeded directly to a penalty shoot-out to determine the winner. The remaining three rounds—the conference semifinals, conference finals, and MLS Cup—aresingle-elimination matches played withextra time and a penalty shoot-out if still tied.[1]
The team with the better regular season record hosts in all rounds except the best-of-three series in round one, where the team with the lower regular season record hosts the second of three possible matches. All matches are broadcast globally onMLS Season Pass, a streaming service operated byApple.[1] Select matches available onFOX Sports channels in the US.[4]
The playoffs will be contested by 18 teams. The date listed indicates when each team qualified for the playoffs.
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Eastern Conference
Source:MLS | Western Conference
Source:MLS
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The higher seeded teams host single-elimination matches, with the MLS Cup host determined by overall points in theSupporters' Shield table. During the best-of-three round, the team with higher seed hosted the first match (and the third match, if required).
| Wild card single match | Round one best-of-three series | Conference semifinals single match | Conference finals single match | MLS Cup single match | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| E1 | Philadelphia Union | 2 (4) | 3 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| E8 | Chicago Fire FC | 3 | E8 | Chicago Fire FC | 2 (2) | 0 | – | |||||||||||||||||||
| E9 | Orlando City SC | 1 | E1 | Philadelphia Union | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| E5 | New York City FC | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E4 | Charlotte FC | 0 | 0 (7) | 1 | Eastern Conference | |||||||||||||||||||||
| E5 | New York City FC | 1 | 0 (6) | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| E5 | New York City FC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E3 | Inter Miami CF | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E3 | Inter Miami CF | 3 | 1 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| E6 | Nashville SC | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| E3 | Inter Miami CF | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E2 | FC Cincinnati | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E2 | FC Cincinnati | 1 | 0 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| E7 | Columbus Crew | 0 | 4 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| E | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| W | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| W1 | San Diego FC | 2 | 2 (2) | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| W8 | Portland Timbers | 3 | W8 | Portland Timbers | 1 | 2 (3) | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||
| W9 | Real Salt Lake | 1 | W1 | San Diego FC | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| W4 | Minnesota United FC | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| W4 | Minnesota United FC | 0 (3) | 2 | 3 (7) | Western Conference | |||||||||||||||||||||
| W5 | Seattle Sounders FC | 0 (2) | 4 | 3 (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| W1 | San Diego FC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| W2 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Los Angeles FC | 2 | 4 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| W6 | Austin FC | 1 | 1 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Los Angeles FC | 2 (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| W2 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC (p) | 2 (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| W2 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 3 | 1 (4) | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| W7 | FC Dallas | 0 | 1 (2) | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Home team | Score | Away team |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | ||
| Chicago Fire FC | 3–1 | Orlando City SC |
| Western Conference | ||
| Portland Timbers | 3–1 | Real Salt Lake |
| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | |||||
| Philadelphia Union | 2–0 | Chicago Fire FC | 2–2(4–2p) | 3–0 | — |
| FC Cincinnati | 2–1 | Columbus Crew | 1–0 | 0–4 | 2–1 |
| Inter Miami CF | 2–1 | Nashville SC | 3–1 | 1–2 | 4–0 |
| Charlotte FC | 1–2 | New York City FC | 0–1 | 0–0(7–6p) | 1–3 |
| Western Conference | |||||
| San Diego FC | 2–1 | Portland Timbers | 2–1 | 2–2(2–3p) | 4–0 |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2–0 | FC Dallas | 3–0 | 2–2(4–2p) | — |
| Los Angeles FC | 2–0 | Austin FC | 2–1 | 4–1 | — |
| Minnesota United FC | 2–1 | Seattle Sounders FC | 0–0(3–2p) | 2–4 | 3–3(7–6p) |
Philadelphia Union won the series 2–0.
| Columbus Crew | 4–0 | FC Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
| FC Cincinnati | 2–1 | Columbus Crew |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
FC Cincinnati won the series 2–1.
| Inter Miami CF | 3–1 | Nashville SC |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Mukhtar 90+11' |
Inter Miami CF won the series 2–1.
New York City FC won the series 2–1.
| Portland Timbers | 2–2 | San Diego FC |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
| |
| Penalties | ||
| 3–2 | ||
| San Diego FC | 4–0 | Portland Timbers |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
San Diego FC won the series 2–1.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC won the series 2–0.
| Austin FC | 1–4 | Los Angeles FC |
|---|---|---|
| Pereira 45+6' (pen.) | Report |
|
Los Angeles FC won the series 2–0.
Minnesota United FC won the series 2–1.
The higher-seeded team as determined by regular season ranking hosted the match.[1]
| Home team | Score | Away team |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | ||
| Philadelphia Union | 0–1 | New York City FC |
| FC Cincinnati | 0–4 | Inter Miami CF |
| Western Conference | ||
| San Diego FC | 1–0 | Minnesota United FC |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2–2 (a.e.t.)(4–3p) | Los Angeles FC |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2–2 (a.e.t.) | Los Angeles FC |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Son Heung-min 60',90+5' | |
| Penalties | ||
| 4–3 | ||
The higher-seeded team as determined by regular season ranking hosts the match.[1]
| Home team | Score | Away team |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | ||
| Inter Miami CF | Nov 29 | New York City FC |
| Western Conference | ||
| San Diego FC | Nov 29 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
The highest-ranked finalist in the overallSupporters Shield table will be the host of the match. All remaining teams exceptNew York City FC are eligible to host the match.[1]
| TBD | v | TBD |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
