2023 MLS Cup Playoffs

The 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs (branded as the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons) is the ongoing post-season championship of Major League Soccer (MLS), the top soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is the 28th edition of the MLS Cup Playoffs, the tournament culminating at the end of the 2023 regular season. The playoffs began on October 25 and are scheduled to conclude with MLS Cup 2023 on December 9.[1]

Main article: 2023 Major League Soccer season
2023 MLS Cup Playoffs
CountryUnited States
Canada
DatesOctober 25 – December 9
Teams18
Defending championsLos Angeles FC
Matches played2
Goals scored7 (3.5 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)Brazil Elias Manoel
(3 goals)
← 2022
2024 →
All statistics correct as of October 25, 2023.

The playoffs feature a new format from previous years with an expanded field of 18 teams—the top nine teams from each conference. The eighth and ninth placed teams in each conference contested a single wild card match with no extra time before a penalty shoot-out. Round One will comprise a best-of-three format with higher seeds playing against lower seeds. The round will have no aggregate score and tied matches will proceed directly to a penalty shootout to determine the winner. The remaining three rounds — the Conference Semifinals, Conference Final, and MLS Cup — will be single-elimination matches played with extra time and a penalty shootout if still tied.[1][2] The higher seed hosts the match in all rounds except for the best-of-three series in Round One, where the lower seed hosts the second of three possible matches. All matches will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass, a streaming service operated by Apple.[1]

The introduction of a best-of-three round and the expanded field, which allows 62 percent of the league's 29 teams to qualify for the playoffs, were criticized for being more confusing and diluting the competition.[3] It was the first major revamp of the playoff format since 2019, when all rounds were switched to single-elimination matches.[4] The format adds more matches, including home games for lower seeds, and was developed with fan input according to MLS officials; other outlets noted that new broadcaster Apple TV would benefit from the additional matches.[5][6] The new playoff format was announced on February 21, 2023, shortly before the start of the regular season;[7] earlier media reports indicated that another format with a round-robin group stage was also considered.[8]

Qualified teams

The playoffs will be contested by 18 teams. The date listed indicates when each team qualified for the playoffs.

Conference standings

Bracket

The higher seeded teams host single-elimination matches, with the MLS Cup host determined by overall points in the Supporters' Shield table. During best-of-three rounds, the team with higher seed will host the first match and 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
E1 FC Cincinnati
E8 New York Red Bulls 5 E8 New York Red Bulls
E9 Charlotte FC 2  
 
E4 Philadelphia Union Eastern Conference
E5 New England Revolution
 
 
E3 Columbus Crew
E6 Atlanta United FC
 
 
E2 Orlando City SC
E7 Nashville SC
 
 
W1 St. Louis City SC
W8 Sporting Kansas City (p) 0 (4) W8 Sporting Kansas City
W9 San Jose Earthquakes 0 (2)  
 
W4 Houston Dynamo FC Western Conference
W5 Real Salt Lake
 
 
W3 Los Angeles FC
W6 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
 
 
W2 Seattle Sounders FC
W7 FC Dallas

Wild Card round

Eastern Conference
New York Red Bulls5–2Charlotte FC
  • Manoel 10', 37', 78'
  • Tolkin 26'
  • Barlow 56'
 Report
Attendance: 16,074
Referee: Ismail Elfath

Western Conference

Round One
Team 1 Series Team 2 Match 1 Match 2 Match 3
Eastern Conference
FC Cincinnati – New York Red Bulls Oct 29 Nov 4 Nov 11
Orlando City SC – Nashville SC Oct 30 Nov 7 Nov 12
Columbus Crew – Atlanta United FC Nov 1 Nov 7 Nov 12
Philadelphia Union – New England Revolution Oct 28 Nov 8 Nov 12
Western Conference
St. Louis City SC – Sporting Kansas City Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 11
Seattle Sounders FC – FC Dallas Oct 30 Nov 4 Nov 10
Los Angeles FC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC Oct 28 Nov 5 Nov 9
Houston Dynamo FC – Real Salt Lake Oct 29 Nov 6 Nov 11

Eastern Conference
New York Red BullsvFC Cincinnati
Report
FC CincinnativNew York Red Bulls
Report
Nashville SCvOrlando City SC
Report
Orlando City SCvNashville SC
Report
Atlanta United FCvColumbus Crew
Report
Columbus CrewvAtlanta United FC
Report
New England RevolutionvPhiladelphia Union
Report
Philadelphia UnionvNew England Revolution
Report

Western Conference
Sporting Kansas CityvSt. Louis City SC
Report
St. Louis City SCvSporting Kansas City
Report
FC DallasvSeattle Sounders FC
Report
Seattle Sounders FCvFC Dallas
Report
Vancouver Whitecaps FCvLos Angeles FC
Report
Los Angeles FCvVancouver Whitecaps FC
Report
Real Salt LakevHouston Dynamo FC
Report
Houston Dynamo FCvReal Salt Lake
Report

Conference Semifinals

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

Team 1  Score  Team 2
Eastern Conference
Winner of 1st–8th/9th series Nov 25–26 Winner of 4th–5th series
Winner of 3rd–6th series Nov 25–26 Winner of 2nd–7th series
Western Conference
Winner of 1st–8th/9th series Nov 25–26 Winner of 4th–5th series
Winner of 3rd–6th series Nov 25–26 Winner of 2nd–7th series

Eastern Conference
Winner of 1st–8th/9th seriesvWinner of 4th–5th series
Winner of 3rd–6th seriesvWinner of 2nd–7th series

Western Conference
Winner of 1st–8th/9th seriesvWinner of 4th–5th series
Winner of 3rd–6th seriesvWinner of 2nd–7th series

Conference Finals

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

Eastern Conference
TBDvTBD

Western Conference
TBDvTBD

MLS Cup 2023

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

TBDvTBD

Top goalscorers
As of October 25, 2023

Players and clubs in bold are still active in the playoffs.

Rank Player Club Goals[21]
1 Brazil Elias Manoel New York Red Bulls 3
2 United States Patrick Agyemang Charlotte FC 1
United States Tom Barlow New York Red Bulls
United States John Tolkin New York Red Bulls
Colombia Kerwin Vargas Charlotte FC

References
  1. "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. Anderson, Jason (February 21, 2023). "MLS has a new playoff format, and it's complicated". Pro Soccer Wire. USA Today. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  4. Maurer, Pablo; Rueter, Jeff (February 21, 2023). "MLS expanding playoffs to 9 teams per conference, first round will be best-of-3 series: Sources". The Athletic. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  5. Tannenwald, Jonathan (February 21, 2023). "MLS changes its playoff format again, now guaranteeing home games for more teams". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  6. Peterson, Anne M. (February 21, 2023). "MLS expands playoffs to 9 teams from each conference". Associated Press. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  7. Davidson, Neil (February 21, 2023). "MLS revamps and expands post-season format for upcoming 2023 season". CBC Sports. The Canadian Press. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  8. "What's driving MLS' reported playoff revamp? Is a World Cup-style postseason the right move?". ESPN. October 27, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  9. Roberson, Doug (September 23, 2023). "Atlanta United clinches MLS playoff berth with win over Montreal". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  10. "Charlotte FC clinch Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. October 21, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  11. "How things stand: Major League Soccer". Soccer America. September 21, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  12. Brennan, Pat (August 31, 2023). "FC Cincinnati has its playoff berth. Now, it's closing in on MLS history". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  13. "Nashville SC clinch Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. September 30, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  14. "New England Revolution clinch Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. September 23, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  15. "New York Red Bulls clinch Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. October 21, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  16. "FC Dallas clinch Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. October 21, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  17. Sigal, Jonathan (October 5, 2023). "Team of the Matchday: Five Western Conference teams clinch playoffs in Matchday 36". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  18. Timmermann, Tom (September 21, 2023). "St. Louis City SC clinches playoff spot after tie with LAFC and results elsewhere". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  19. "San Jose Earthquakes clinch Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. October 21, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  20. "Sporting Kansas City clinch Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. October 21, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  21. "MLS Player Stats". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
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