 | |
| Founded | 1996 |
|---|---|
| Region | Major League Soccer (CONCACAF) |
| Current champions | LA Galaxy (6th title) |
| Most successful team(s) | LA Galaxy (6 titles) |
| Television broadcasters |
|
| Website | mlssoccer.com |
 MLS Cup 2024 | |
MLS Cup is the annual championship game ofMajor League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of theMLS Playoffs. The game is held in November or December and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Conference Final. The MLS Cup winner is awarded the title of league champion.
MLS uses a playoff tournament following the regular season to determine its annual league champion, a method used by othermajor professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. This format differs from most soccer leagues around the world, which consider the club with the most points at the end of the season to be the champion; MLS honors that achievement with theSupporters' Shield.
The winner of MLS Cup is awarded one of the country's four berths in the following season'sCONCACAF Champions Cup.[1][2][A] The three Canadian teams of MLS do the same in addition to the zonal competition, theLeagues Cup, or with victory in the lock-out basedCanadian Championship—if a team wins multiple berths or if any U.S.-based spots is claimed by a Canadian team, the Champions Cup berth tied to the game is passed on to the highest-placed U.S.-based team in the overall regular season table that did not already qualify.[2]
Theinaugural MLS Cup was held on October 20, 1996, in whichD.C. United defeated theLA Galaxy. The Galaxy are the most successful team in MLS Cup history, winning a record sixth title in2024.
Three trophy designs have been used for MLS Cup: theAlan I. Rothenberg Trophy from 1996 through 1998, a redesigned Alan I. Rothenberg Trophy from 1999 through 2007, and thePhilip F. Anschutz Trophy since 2008.[3]
MLS Cup's roots trace back to the foundation of Major League Soccer, when the league decided to hold a championship format similar to its contemporary North American sports leagues.[4] The first few editions of the game were dominated byD.C. United, who appeared in the first four MLS Cup finals, winning three.[5]
The inaugural MLS Cup in1996 featured D.C. United andLA Galaxy.[6][7] The Galaxy went ahead 2–0 early in the second half, but their lead was relinquished towards the end of the match whenTony Sanneh pulled one back in the 72nd minute. Nine minutes later,Shawn Medved tied the match at two, resulting inovertime between the two sides. Four minutes into overtime,Eddie Pope gave United thegolden goal victory.[8]
In1997, the second league cup final was contested atRFK Stadium, where United won back-to-back titles, a feat that would not be accomplished for another decade (when theHouston Dynamo won the 2006 and 2007 finals). The game ended 2–1 in United's favor over theColorado Rapids, who would not win a championship until2010.Jaime Moreno was declaredMan of the Match for his goal in the 37th minute of play. This season was also the first time in league history any MLS team won the regular season (Supporters' Shield) and postseason title in the same season.
D.C. United's run ended the third year, when they made a third run to the MLS Cup finals, only to lose to the expansion sideChicago Fire by 2–0. However the following year, United repeated their"double" of winning both the Supporters Shield and MLS Cup the same season. This time, it was a 2–0 win over the Galaxy in the1999 MLS Cup final.
For the first time since 1997, the 2000 MLS Cup final saw a new club reach the finals along with the Fire. This time the Kansas City Wizards, now known as Sporting Kansas City, won their first MLS Cup with a 1–0 victory over the Fire.
From 2001 through 2005, the MLS Cup finals saw a rising of theCalifornia Clásico when intrastate rivals L.A. Galaxy and theSan Jose Earthquakes clashed in the 2001 final. The match also saw the rise of U.S. nationalLandon Donovan who won a Newcomer of the Year award and tallied the equalizer in the Earthquakes 2–1 championship victory over the Galaxy.
With the largest crowd in MLS Cup history at hand, the New England Revolution took on the Galaxy in the 2002 finals. For the match, over 61,000 fans were in attendance atGillette Stadium to witness the final. In the second period of sudden-death overtime, the Galaxy nabbed their first MLS Cup title, and sparked the start of a string of MLS Cup losses for the Revolution.
The 2003 final saw the league leaders for that season go head-to-head. Two clubs that had MLS Cup experience, the Fire and Earthquakes, played for the final that year. The two clubs had successful regular season campaigns with the Fire winning their first Supporters' Shield, and the Earthquakes being the Western Conference regular season and post-season champions as well as having the second best overall regular season record. In a hotly contested match, the Earthquakes won with their second MLS Cup title with a 4–2 score making it the highest scoring MLS Cup final in league history (six goals).
After a four-year absence, United made their fifth trip to MLS Cup, playing against the Wizards forMLS Cup 2004. The match had four goals scored in the first 25 minutes, with United rallying for a 3–1 lead. Midway through the second half, United had relinquished a penalty kick.Josh Wolff scored for Kansas City, bringing the game within a goal. D.C. United was able to retain the lead, by winning their fourth MLS Cup title, by a score of 3–2.
For the 2005 season, the Earthquakes, as the Supporters' Shield winners, fell to the Galaxy in the Playoffs. The Galaxy went on to win MLS Cup, matching the Earthquakes at two.
Until 2005, the MLS Cup championship games had been dominated by clubs that had either won or had come close to winning the Supporters Shield. In the2005 MLS Cup championship, the match was won by theLA Galaxy, which won the league title while having a ninth-place overall record.[9] The Wizards had a better record, but did not qualify for the playoffs because they finished 5th in the Eastern Conference, in spite of an 8th-place overall record.[9] The result prompted MLS to create new wild-cards that were used starting in 2006, where a certain number of clubs per conference could qualify, and the next best overall teams regardless of conference would also qualify. That prompted debates about the league switching to a single table and a balanced schedule. The single table has yet been instituted, but in2010 the league instituted a balanced schedule.[10] Starting in the2012 season, the league resumed an unbalanced schedule.[11]
At the start of the2006 season, MLS created their version of thescudetto (Italian for "small shield"), a symbol worn on the jersey by the team who won the previous season'sSerie A (the top Italian league).
The MLS scudetto was originally a curved, triangular badge featuring a backdrop of the American flag behind a replica of the Alan I. Rothenberg MLS Cup trophy. First worn by LA Galaxy in 2006, following their2005 MLS Cup title,[12] the Houston Dynamo wore the same triangular scudettos in 2007 and 2008 during their dual-cup run. It was redesigned after the 2008 season after the change to the MLS Cup trophy. It is now an oval-shaped black badge with thePhilip F. Anschutz Trophy in the middle. The MLS scudetto was worn by the winning team the season following the victory. It is only during the subsequent season (two years after winning the championship), that the team adds astar – a common soccer signifier of titles won – above the team logo. The team can display the star on other items beside their jersey in the year after winning the Cup, but only if the scudetto is not shown. TheColumbus Crew was the first team to wear the redesigned scudetto.Real Salt Lake wore the scudetto in 2010 after winning their first MLS cup in 2009. A year after theColorado Rapids also wore it after their cup run in 2010 for the 2011 season. Finally, the LA Galaxy wore the scudetto after winning MLS Cup in 2011, ironically, it was the last team to do so. After the 2012 season, MLS decided not to use the scudetto for upcoming season and instead the defending MLS Cup champions would have a gold star above one or more silver stars indication the team's MLS Cup wins, followed by an additional silver star added to the lined stars the following season. The LA Galaxy were the first to receive the gold star above the team's three silver stars for the 2013 season.
While the Galaxy won its second MLS Cup trophy and the Houston Dynamo earned consecutive cups, the New England Revolution went on a run of making three consecutive MLS Cup finals, losing all of them. Two of their three losses were in extra time, while the other was lost on penalty kicks. The infamy gave the club the title of being theBuffalo Bills (anNFL American football team) of MLS.[13] This was in reference to the Buffalo Bills'Super Bowl games in the early 1990s, in which they lost in four consecutive appearances. In the 2005 final, the Revolution lost to the LA Galaxy, a rematch of 2002, in the final. In a match held at Pizza Hut Park (nowToyota Stadium) inFrisco, Texas, the Galaxy defeated the Revolution by a score of 1–0 thanks to a 105th-minute overtime goal from Galaxy midfielder andGuatemalan international,Guillermo Ramírez. Ramírez's goal sealed the Galaxy's second MLS Cup title, and left the Revs searching once again.
In 2006, the championship was once again played in Frisco at Pizza Hut Park. This time the Revolution took on theHouston Dynamo. Both were coming off a successful season in which they fell short of winning the Supporters' Shield. A sellout crowd of 22,427 attended the match. Revolution forwardTaylor Twellman scored an overtime goal in the 113th minute to give the Revolution the 1–0 lead. However, Dynamo captain and forwardBrian Ching immediately tied the score following the Revolution's goal. The match went to penalties, in which the Dynamo won 4–3. This left the Revolution for a second consecutive year searching for league glory. It was also the first time in league history that a club lost consecutive MLS Cups.[14]
In the 2007 final, the Revolution and Dynamo played each other once again for the 2007 cup. Played in Washington, D.C., at RFK Stadium, a crowd just shy of 40,000 witnessed the championship.[14] The announced crowd of 39,859 made it the largest MLS Cup crowd since 2002.[citation needed] The Revolution had a successful season, earning its firstU.S. Open Cup title. The Revolution wanted its first MLS Cup crown, and wanted to win its first "Double" in club history. Houston, finishing just shy once again toD.C. United of winning theMLS Supporters' Shield, was determined to finish its second season with some hardware, and to defend its MLS Cup title.[14] The match went in the Revolution's favor early on, as the Revolution's captain, Twellman, netted in the 20th minute to give New England a 1–0 lead. However, midway through the second half, the Dynamo retaliated. Dynamo strikerJoseph Ngwenya leveled things at one apiece in the 61st minute, and MLS Cup Man of the MatchDwayne De Rosario gave the Dynamo a 2–1 lead in the 74th.[14] The goal proved to be the winning goal, as the Dynamo earned the first back-to-back MLS Cup titles sinceD.C. United in 1996 and 1997.[14]
Early in the2008 Major League Soccer season, the league announced that the championship would be returning to The Home Depot Center (now known asDignity Health Sports Park). Throughout the regular season, the league was dominated by the Columbus Crew, who finished the season with 57 points, and secured the Supporters' Shield title with three matches remaining before the2008 MLS Cup Playoffs. Traditionally, the Shield winners only rarely made it to the league championship, in spite of usually being the heavy favorites going into the playoffs. However, for the first time in eight years, a regular season champion made it to MLS Cup. TheSigi Schmid-led club made their first run to the championship, along with their opponents theNew York Red Bulls. For the Crew, being the Shield winners, their run to the final was a bit expected. The Red Bulls making the final was seen as a large surprise, possibly even a fluke. The Red Bulls did not qualify for the playoffs until the last day of the season, where they were the weakest team, in terms of regular season record, to qualify for the playoffs. The match ended up being dominated by the Crew as Columbus defeated New York with ease, 3–1. The point gap between the two clubs was the largest in history, and the scoreline between the two clubs made it tied for the largest margin of victory in MLS Cup history. New York's run to the finals was further emphasized as a fluke when the club had the worst record in 2009.
The following championship saw two intra-conference clubs meet in the final for the second consecutive year, this time atSeattle's Qwest Field (later CenturyLink Field and nowLumen Field). The Western Conference regular season and postseason champions, LA Galaxy took onReal Salt Lake, who finished fifth in the West. Although the Sounders FC management had originally planned on capping the seats available in Qwest Field to 35,700, surging demand led to the release of an additional 10,000 seats, expanding the total capacity to roughly 45,700. The announced crowd was 46,011. The crowd size was the first championship crowd since 2002 to draw over 45,000 spectators. Televised onESPN, it was the first time that the MLS championship match was televised on the cable network; the first thirteen were carried onABC. In the 41st minute, Galaxy strikerMike Magee scored, only for Salt Lake'sRobbie Findley to make the tying goal in the 61st. The stalemate was not broken in regulation nor overtime, requiring penalty kicks to decide the match. Thanks to a strike from Salt Lake'sRobbie Russell, Salt Lake won their first major trophy. By winning the championship, they gained entry into the2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League. There, they made it to the final, only to lose toMonterrey of Mexico.
At the 2010 season's end, six teams from the Western Conference qualified for the playoffs, whereas only two clubs from the East qualified, making it the largest disparity between the two conferences in league history. The league's seeding at the time awarded conference winners earned the top seeds, the two weakest Western Conference teams,San Jose Earthquakes andColorado Rapids were seeded against the Eastern Conference champion, New York Red Bulls and runner-upColumbus Crew, respectively. Some cited this as an unfair advantage for the Rapids and Earthquakes, as both teams made the semi-finals. In the end, the Rapids played FC Dallas forMLS Cup 2010, winning 2–1 in overtime.
Between the 2011 and 2014 MLS Cups, theLA Galaxy appeared in three MLS Cup finals, having the most success in MLS Cup in a short period of time since United's late 1990s dynasty. The only final that the Galaxy did not win, came in 2013, where they lost in the 2013 Western Conference semi-finals to eventual runner-up,Real Salt Lake. During that time, the Galaxy became the first MLS franchise to win five MLS Cups, when they wonMLS Cup 2014. These teams contained several high-profile players including Landon Donovan,Robbie Keane,Gyasi Zardes,David Beckham andOmar Gonzalez.
Some claim that the Galaxy's dynasty began in 2009, when they reached the playoffs for the first time since 2005, and marched to the finals, only to lose on penalties toReal Salt Lake. In 2010, and again, in 2011, the Galaxy won consecutiveSupporters' Shield, and completed the league double winning both the Shield and MLS Cup in 2011. This was the first time this had been accomplished since the Columbus Crew achieved it in 2008. In the2011 MLS Cup final, the Galaxy defeated theHouston Dynamo, 1–0 off a 72nd minute Donovan goal. The goal was scored off a Galaxy counter where Beckham fed a through ball to Donovan who slotted it past Hall. The 2012 final featured both the Galaxy and Dynamo again, making it the first since 2007 that an MLS Cup final was a rematch of the previous final. Again, the Galaxy won the final, this timecoming from behind to defeat the Dynamo by a 3–1 scoreline. The match was Beckham's final MLS match.
During the 2013 season, the Galaxy's chance to three-peat was thwarted by Real Salt Lake. Salt Lake defeated the Galaxy, 2–1 on aggregate, to advance to MLS Cup, where they eventually lost toSporting Kansas City.
The following season, the Galaxy reached MLS Cup again, playing theNew England Revolution, making it a rematch ofMLS Cup 2002 andMLS Cup 2005. In extra-time a Robbie Keane goal propelled the Galaxy to their fifth MLS match, a victory in the 2014 MLS Cup.
ThePortland Timbers won the2015 MLS Cup, defeating the Columbus Crew 2–1. Portland'sDiego Valeri scored the fastest goal in MLS Cup history at 27 seconds when Crew goalkeeperSteve Clark made a fundamental error after he miscontrolled his defender's back-pass while Valeri had advanced towards the ball to strike at the opportunity.[15]
TheSeattle Sounders FC facedToronto FC in the2016 MLS Cup, which was played atBMO Field inToronto on the evening of December 10, 2016. The temperature at the start of the match was 21 °F (−6 °C) (10 °F (−12 °C), when adjusted for wind chill), with strong winds coming off Lake Ontario. The field was watered shortly before the match, and resultant field was described as icy by players.Seattle Sounders FC defeatedToronto FC 5–4 in apenalty shoot-out after a scoreless match of 90 minutes regular time and 30 minutes overtime. The Sounders did not register a single shot on goal, becoming the first club to do so in an MLS Cup final. The Sounders, despite a very poor start and mid-season managerial change, became the second team from thePacific Northwest to win the cup, after Portland in 2015.
In the2017 MLS Cup, Toronto FC and Seattle faced off in a rematch of the previous edition, also at BMO Field. Toronto FC won the match 2–0, and became the first Canadian team to win MLS Cup, and the first MLS team to complete a domestictreble, after winning theCanadian Championship andSupporters' Shield earlier in the year.[16]
Atlanta United FC, in their second season as an expansion team, won the2018 edition of MLS Cup by defeating thePortland Timbers 2–0. The match, hosted inAtlanta atMercedes-Benz Stadium, was attended by 73,019 spectators and broke the MLS Cup attendance record set in 2002 by New England.[17] The club became the second-youngest to win an MLS Cup, behind the 1998 Chicago Fire, and brought the first professional sports championship for the city ofAtlanta since 1995.[18][19]
In the2019 MLS Cup, Toronto FC and Seattle Sounders FC both overcame underdog status in their respective conferences to contest a third final in four years, this time playing at Seattle's home ground. Seattle Sounders FC duly won their second MLS Cup, taking the final match 3–1 at CenturyLink Field in front of a Sounders record attendance of 69,274.[20][21]
The2020 edition, which marked the end of a season dramatically affected by theCOVID-19 pandemic, saw the Sounders return to MLS Cup, this time facingColumbus Crew at the latter's home ofMapfre Stadium inColumbus, Ohio. The Crew won 3–0 in front of a crowd restricted to 1,500, in the stadium's last playoff game.[22]
MLS Cup was aired on English-language networksABC from 1996 to 2008 andESPN from 2009 to 2014. ESPN/ABC andFox alternate as MLS Cup Final broadcasters since 2015, with theMLS Cup 2019[23][24] on ABC, their first MLS match since 2008. ABC also air four playoff matches including theMLS Cup 2021.[25] MLS Cup has also been aired on Spanish-language networksTeleFutura in 2007 and 2008,[26][27]Galavision from 2009 to 2011,[28][29] TeleFutura/UniMás from 2012 to 2018, and Univision in 2019. ABC previously had Spanish announcers undersecondary audio program.
From 2015 to 2022, all MLS Cup playoff games are televised on ESPN,Fox Sports, orUnivisión networks. UniMás will air two exclusive playoff matches, while ESPN and its affiliated networks will split the rest of the contests – including MLS Cup – with Fox Sports. Univision, UniMás and TUDN also airs the MLS Cup playoffs in Spanish.[30]
With the new Apple TV deal beginning 2023, FOX Sports will be the only linear broadcaster of MLS, and will carry select MLS Cup playoff matches, and every MLS Cup with no alternate broadcaster starting 2023.[31][32]
MLS Cup coverage in Canada started in 2007, with the addition of Toronto FC to the league. MLS Cup bounced around different networks in the first three seasons of the league's presence in Canada; what was then thebold network aired the 2007 Cup Final, withCBC airing the next year's Final andGolTV Canada airing the Final the year after that. Since 2010,TSN has aired MLS Cup on its networks; this includes Toronto FC's victory in 2017.
In French,RDS has exclusive rights to MLS, and thus MLS Cup.
Over the history of the MLS Cup playoffs, numerous formats have been used.
From 1996 to 1999 and 2003 to 2006, the top four teams per conference qualified for the playoffs.
In 2000 and 2001, the three division winners plus the next five teams with the next best records made the playoffs.
In 2002, the top 8 teams qualified for the playoffs regardless of conference.
In 2007, the top two teams per conference plus the next four teams with the next most points qualified.
At the end of the 2008 season, the top three teams of each conference made the playoffs; in addition, the clubs with the next two highest point totals, regardless of conference, were added to the playoffs. In the first round of this knockout tournament, aggregate goals over two matches determined the winners; the Conference Championships were one match each, with the winner of each conference advancing to MLS Cup. In all rounds, the tie-breaking method was two 15-minute periods of overtime, followed by penalty kicks if necessary. Theaway goals rule was not used.
At the end of the 2009 and 2010 seasons, the top two teams of each conference made the playoffs; in addition, the clubs with the next four highest point totals, regardless of conference, were added to the playoffs. In the first round of this knockout tournament, aggregate (total) goals over two matches determined the winners; the Conference Championships were one match each, with the winner of each conference advancing to MLS Cup. In all rounds, the tie-breaking method was two 15-minute periods of extra time, followed by penalty kicks if necessary. Theaway goals rule was not used.[33]
At the 2011 season's end, the top three clubs in each of the league's two conferences earned the six automatic spots in the Conference Semifinals.[34] The wild card entrants, seeded seventh through tenth, entered based upon their overall position in the overall league standings.[34] The new format was assembled so that the lowest seed to qualify out of the wild card rounds will play against theSupporters' Shield winner.[34] The highest wild-card seed remaining will play the conference champion that did not win the Shield.[34] The play-in games and Conference Finals were single matches, with the higher-seeded club hosting.[34] The conference semi-finals were a two-leg aggregate series.[34] MLS Cup was held at a predetermined venue.[34]
From 2012 to 2014, the playoff structure was further tweaked with the elimination of the wild card slots. The ten playoff berths were awarded to the top five teams in each conference. In each conference, the No. 4 seeded hosted the No. 5 seed in a single match for a place in the conference semi-finals against the best team in its conference. The Conference Semifinals remained two-legged while the finals changed from a single match to a two-leg aggregate series. Finally, MLS Cup was held at the home field of the finalist with the highest point total during the regular season. The away goals rule was used but did not apply after extra time.[35]
From 2015 to 2018, the top six teams per conference qualified for the playoffs (12 total teams). The first round involved each conference's No. 3 seed hosting the No. 6 seed, and the No. 4 hosting No. 5. In the Conference Semifinals, the top seed played the lowest remaining seed, and the No. 2 seed played the next lowest seed.[36][37]
In the 2019, 2021, and 2022 seasons, the top seven teams per conference qualified for the playoffs, with only the best-ranked team in each conference earning a first-round bye. Each round is still single-elimination. The playoff brackets were fixed, as the league abolished re-seeding.[38][39] Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the top ten teams from the Eastern and top eight teams from the Western conference qualified for the playoffs in the 2020 season, with single-elimination remaining intact. The top six Eastern teams earned byes to the first round while teams seeded 7–10 and competed in play-in games. The lowest-ranked team to advance from the play-in round advanced to play the conference's first-placed team while the highest-ranked remaining team from that round advanced to face the conference's runner-up. In the Western Conference, the top eight teams competed in their first round with no byes.[40]
The playoffs expanded to nine teams per conference in 2023 with the re-addition of a best-of-three series. The eighth and ninth seeds play awild card match, with the winner advancing to face the best-ranked team in their conference in Round One while teams ranked 2–7 face each other, with the higher seed hosting. The Conference Semifinals, Conference Final, and MLS Cup final remain single-elimination matches hosted by the team with the better regular season record in late November and early December; as before, without re-seeding.[41][42]
Since the2023 edition, the presenting sponsor of MLS Cup has been German automotive companyAudi.[B] The company had already been the presenting sponsor of the MLS Cup playoffs and theMLS Golden Boot.[43]
The winner ofMajor League Soccer's MLS Cup, the final match of theMLS Cup Playoffs, determines that season's league champion. Theplayoff tournament is organized by the league at the conclusion of the regular season in a format similar to otherNorth American professional sports leagues. The tournament is open to the top nine clubs of theEastern andWestern Conferences.
Thefirst MLS Cup final was played on October 20, 1996. To date, the record for the most championships is held by the LA Galaxy with six cup titles. The record for the most championships lost is held by theNew England Revolution, who lost the game five times during their history. The championship has been won by the same team in two or more consecutive years on three occasions.
As of 2024[update], 19 of the 32 teams that have played in the league have appeared at an MLS Cup final, and 15 have won a championship.[44][45] TheLA Galaxy has appeared at and won MLS Cup the most times, with six championships in ten appearances. TheNew England Revolution has appeared five times as a finalist, but has not won an MLS Cup.[44][46] TheChicago Fire won MLS Cup in their inaugural season in1998; the only previous professional American soccer team to win a league championship in their inaugural season was thePhiladelphia Atoms in the 1973NASL season.[45]
| Apps | Team[C] | Champion(s) | Runners-up | Win % | Years of appearance (in MLS Cup Finals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | LA Galaxy | 6 | 4 | .600 | 1996,1999,2001,2002,2005,2009,2011,2012,2014,2024 |
| 5 | D.C. United | 4 | 1 | .800 | 1996,1997,1998,1999,2004 |
| 4 | Columbus Crew | 3 | 1 | .750 | 2008,2015,2020,2023 |
| 4 | Houston Dynamo FC | 2 | 2 | .500 | 2006,2007,2011,2012 |
| 4 | Seattle Sounders FC | 2 | 2 | .500 | 2016,2017,2019,2020 |
| 3 | Sporting Kansas City | 2 | 1 | .667 | 2000,2004,2013 |
| 2 | San Jose Earthquakes | 2 | 0 | 1.00 | 2001,2003 |
| 3 | Chicago Fire FC | 1 | 2 | .333 | 1998,2000,2003 |
| 3 | Portland Timbers | 1 | 2 | .333 | 2015,2018,2021 |
| 3 | Toronto FC | 1 | 2 | .333 | 2016,2017,2019 |
| 2 | Colorado Rapids | 1 | 1 | .500 | 1997,2010 |
| 2 | Real Salt Lake | 1 | 1 | .500 | 2009,2013 |
| 2 | Los Angeles FC | 1 | 1 | .500 | 2022,2023 |
| 1 | Atlanta United FC | 1 | 0 | 1.00 | 2018 |
| 1 | New York City FC | 1 | 0 | 1.00 | 2021 |
| 5 | New England Revolution | 0 | 5 | .000 | 2002,2005,2006,2007,2014 |
| 2 | New York Red Bulls | 0 | 2 | .000 | 2008,2024 |
| 1 | FC Dallas | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2010 |
| 1 | Philadelphia Union | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2022 |
For most of the league's history, only U.S. teams were eligible to fill MLS based qualification slots for CONCACAF competitions. Canadian teams, even MLS Cup participants, had to qualify by winning the separateCanadian Championship; as of 2020[update], the only Canadian winner has been 2017 MLS Cup champion Toronto FC, who also won the Canadian Championship that year. However, starting with the2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup, Canadian clubs could qualify via MLS slots.
Key
| Champions | Runners-up | Semifinals or consolation match |
|
|
| Year | MLS Cup champions | Result | MLS Cup runners-up | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | D.C. United | CON | LA Galaxy | F | |
| 1998 | D.C. United | F | Colorado Rapids | QR1 | |
| 1999 | Chicago Fire | CON | D.C. United | CON | |
| 2000 | D.C. United | CON | LA Galaxy | F | |
| 2002[1] | Kansas City Wizards | SF | did not qualify | ||
| San Jose Earthquakes | QF | Chicago Fire | QF | ||
| 2003 | D.C. United | SF | Kansas City Wizards | QF | |
| 2006 | LA Galaxy | QF | New England Revolution | QF | |
| 2007 | Houston Dynamo | SF | did not qualify | ||
| 2008 | Houston Dynamo | SF | |||
| 2008–09 | Houston Dynamo | QF | New England Revolution | PR | |
| 2009–10 | Columbus Crew | QF | New York Red Bulls | PR | |
| 2010–11 | Real Salt Lake | F | LA Galaxy | PR | |
| 2011–12 | Colorado Rapids | GS | FC Dallas | GS | |
| 2012–13 | LA Galaxy | SF | Houston Dynamo | QF | |
| 2013–14 | LA Galaxy | QF | Houston Dynamo | GS | |
| 2014–15 | Sporting Kansas City | GS | Real Salt Lake | GS | |
| 2015–16 | LA Galaxy | QF | did not qualify | ||
| 2016–17 | Portland Timbers | GS | |||
| 2018 | Toronto FC[2] | F | Seattle Sounders FC[3] | QF | |
| 2019 | Atlanta United FC | QF | did not qualify | ||
| 2020 | Seattle Sounders FC | R16 | |||
| 2021 | Columbus Crew | QF | |||
| 2022 | New York City FC | SF | |||
| 2023 | Los Angeles FC | F | Philadelphia Union | SF | |
| 2024 | Columbus Crew | F | did not qualify | ||
| 2025 | LA Galaxy | QF | |||
Notes
Culminating the championship, the winning team is presented with a trophy, known as thePhilip F. Anschutz Trophy, named for the contributions and investment to American soccer and MLS byPhilip Anschutz. Typically, the award presentation is held on a podium in the center of the field, where the league commissioner will award the team with the cup.
Before the actual award presentation, the finalists are awarded with silver medals with the league's logo imprinted on them. The champions are then presented with gold medals, before the trophy is handed to the winning team's captain.
In cup history, the MLS Cup champions have been awarded with three different trophies. For the first three MLS Cup finals, the winning team was awarded with theAlan I. Rothenberg Trophy, named for Rothenberg's contributions to American soccer. The Rothenberg Trophy was a dark gold trophy that had two handles around a soccer ball, with the league's logo imprinted on the plaque. In 1999, the Rothenberg Trophy was redesigned with a soccer ball placed on a beacon. In 2008, the trophy was redesigned again to its present state and renamed the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy.
In MLS Cup history, eight matches have been played in the Greater Los Angeles area (once at theRose Bowl in Pasadena, California, six times atDignity Health Sports Park (formerly StubHub Center and Home Depot Center) in Carson, California, and once atBanc of California Stadium). Columbus, Ohio is alone in second place having hosted MLS Cup final 4 times (3 held at theHistoric Crew Stadium and one atLower.com Field). Three markets are tied for having hosted MLS Cup the third-most number of times, with three matches each: the Greater Boston metro area (twice contested atFoxboro Stadium and once atGillette Stadium, both in Foxborough, Massachusetts), Washington, D.C. (all played atRFK Stadium), and Toronto (all held atBMO Field).
Through the2011 season every MLS Cup had been played at a predetermined site (i.e., announced before the playoff participants were known). On the day before the 2011 Cup, MLS announced that starting in 2012, Cup finals would be hosted by the participant with the highest point total during the regular season.[47] As is the case with awarding the Supporters' Shield, if the two finalists are tied on points, the team with the most wins hosts the final. For example, atMLS Cup 2022,Los Angeles FC and thePhiladelphia Union both finished with 67 points, but LAFC had two more wins and thus hosted the final.
Before the 2012 Cup and the change to awarding the final to the participant with the higher point total, only three teams played the match on their home field. In the1997 MLS Cup final, D.C. United won the match in their home stadium over Colorado Rapids,[48]RFK Stadium. The same occurrence applied in the2002 MLS Cup final, where the LA Galaxy defeated the New England Revolution 1–0, in the Revolution's home stadiumGillette Stadium. As a result, the 1997 and 2002 MLS Cup finals drew the largest crowds in MLS Cup history prior to the 2012 change to the higher point total hosting.[49]In 2011, the LA Galaxy won their2011 MLS Cup match in their home stadium (Home Depot Center), 1–0, over the Houston Dynamo. The Galaxy became the second team (and first since D.C. United in 1997) to win the Cup at home.
After MLS adopted its current criteria for awarding the MLS Cup match, the first three Cup finals were won by the hosts. The2012 MLS Cup saw a rematch of the 2011 Cup at the same site, with the Galaxy successfully defending the title with a 3–1 win. In2013, Sporting Kansas City became the third team to win the cup in their home stadium (Sporting Park) when they beat Real Salt Lake in the penalty kicks, which was the longest shootout in MLS Cup history.[50] Then, in2014, the Galaxy defeated theNew England Revolution 2–1 at the renamedStubHub Center in a match that was also notable as the final competitive match forU.S. national team all-time leading goal scorerLandon Donovan.[51] The pattern was broken in2015, however, when thePortland Timbers defeated theColumbus Crew in the Crew's home stadium.
Through the 2011 season, MLS typically announced the championship location either prior to the start of its respective season, or even a few weeks into the campaign. For the2011 championship, the league selectedHome Depot Center in Carson, California, making it a fourth time the league's championship had been hosted at the venue.[52]
To date, the coldest MLS Cup final was the2013 championship game played in Kansas City, Kansas at Sporting Kansas City'sSporting Park where the temperature was 20 °F (−7 °C).[53] The hottest MLS Cup final was the2005 championship game played in Frisco, Texas at FC Dallas'sPizza Hut Park where the temperature was 75 °F (23 °C).[54][55]
The 2010 edition of MLS Cup was the first final in league history to be played outside of the United States. The match was played in Canada at Toronto'sBMO Field, the home ground of MLS club Toronto FC.
Italics indicate a stadium that is now inactive.
Following each championship, a player on the winning club is awarded with the title of being the Most Valuable Player (MVP). Usually, but not necessarily, the winner of the award is the player who scores the game-winning goal, or sets up the game-winning goal. This is the case of the2007,2008,2010,2017,2019 and2020 recipients, who all scored game-winning goals, or assisted multiple goals for the winning side.
Exceptions to this occurred in2000,2009,2016, and2021 where the Most Valuable Player award went to goalkeepersTony Meola,Nick Rimando,Stefan Frei, andSean Johnson, respectively. Meola and Frei, with theKansas City Wizards andSeattle Sounders FC, both earned shutouts for their respective teams in the cup. Rimando and Johnson made two saves in a penalty shoot-out to giveReal Salt Lake the title over the LA Galaxy andNew York City FC the title overPortland Timbers, respectively.
At least 40 players have won two MLS Cups, mostly for teams with sequential or near-sequential titles (D.C. 1996–1999, San Jose 2001 and 2003, LA Galaxy 2002 and 2005, and 2011–2012, and Houston 2006–2007).Brian Mullan is the only player to have won the Cup with four different teams, while players that have won it with three different teams include:Craig Waibel,Alejandro Moreno,Ezra Hendrickson, andDarlington Nagbe.
| MLS Cups | Players (years won) |
|---|---|
| 6 | Landon Donovan (2001, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014) |
| 5 | Jeff Agoos (1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003) Todd Dunivant (2003, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014) Brian Mullan (2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2010) |
| 4 | Jaime Moreno (1996, 1997, 1999, 2004) Craig Waibel (2002, 2003, 2006, 2007) Dwayne De Rosario (2001, 2003, 2006, 2007) Eddie Robinson (2001, 2003, 2006, 2007) Josh Saunders (2003, 2005, 2011, 2012) Darlington Nagbe (2015, 2018, 2020, 2023) |
| 3 | Richard Mulrooney (2001, 2003, 2007) Marco Etcheverry (1996, 1997, 1999) Brian Kamler (1996, 1997, 1999) John Maessner (1996, 1997, 1999) Clint Peay (1996, 1997, 1999) Eddie Pope (1996, 1997, 1999) Richie Williams (1996, 1997, 1999) Chris Albright (1999, 2002, 2005) Brian Ching (2003, 2006, 2007) Jesse Marsch (1996, 1997, 1998) Alejandro Moreno (2002, 2006, 2008) Ezra Hendrickson (2002, 2004, 2008) Pat Onstad (2003, 2006, 2007) Chad Marshall (2008, 2016, 2019) Juninho (2011, 2012, 2014) Omar Gonzalez (2011, 2012, 2014) Robbie Keane (2011, 2012, 2014) A. J. DeLaGarza (2011, 2012, 2014) Leonardo (2011, 2012, 2014) Hector Jiménez (2011, 2012, 2020) |
General
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