The 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs are now underway, with the Audi-branded postseason kicking off on October 22, 2025 as 18 clubs compete for MLS Cup.
The expanded format sends the top nine teams from each conference into the postseason (seeds 8 and 9 in each conference face a single-match Wild Card), followed by a best-of-three Round One, conference semis and finals, and the MLS Cup final on December 6.
Supporters’ Shield winners Philadelphia Union enter as the Eastern No.1 seed, while expansion sensation San Diego FC claimed the Western Conference top spot — setting up a high-stakes bracket of established powers and surprising contenders.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, including the tournament structure, qualified teams, schedule, standings, top scorers, and where to watch.
2025 MLS Cup Playoffs Tournament Overview
The 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs mark the culmination of the MLS season, where the top teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences compete for the MLS Cup, awarded on December 6, 2025.
The playoffs feature a mix of single-elimination and best-of-three series, showcasing the best of MLS in a high-stakes format.
The postseason begins with Wild Card matches on October 22, 2025, and concludes with the MLS Cup final, hosted by the finalist with the better regular-season record. Expect fierce rivalries, dramatic goals, and a showcase of talent, including stars like Lionel Messi and rising young players.
- Qualified teams – 18
- Date – 22 October – 6 December
- Country – United States and Canada
2025 MLS Cup Playoffs Latest Update
The playoff race is heating up as the postseason gets underway. Key developments include:
Wild Card action kicked off on October 22, with the Wild Card round producing shocks as the ninth seeds were eliminated and Chicago Fire and Portland Timbers advanced to face higher seeds in Round One.
- Philadelphia Union sealed the Supporters’ Shield (Eastern No.1) on October 4, guaranteeing home-field advantage through the MLS Cup Playoffs.
- FC Cincinnati clinched a playoff berth with a dramatic 90+8′ winner from Evander in a 2–1 victory over Nashville SC on September 13.
- New York City FC confirmed their place in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs with a 2–0 win over Charlotte FC, marking their ninth postseason appearance in 11 seasons.
- Inter Miami CF, led by Lionel Messi, clinched a playoff spot after a 4–0 win over NYCFC — Messi scored twice and continues to lead the MLS scoring charts.
- San Diego FC made history by clinching the Western Conference top seed in their inaugural season, setting expansion-team records for wins and points and securing home advantage in the West.
- Seattle Sounders FC have also locked in a postseason berth and remain contenders for a high Western seed, with key attackers returning to form.
The playoff picture is still competitive — clubs such as Charlotte FC, Orlando City, and Austin FC are battling for top seeds and home-field advantages as the bracket finalises.
Teams
The 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs feature the top nine teams from each conference (Eastern and Western), totaling 18 teams. All the 18 qualified teams are:
Eastern Conference:
- Charlotte FC – Qualified on September 13
- Chicago Fire FC – Qualified on September 30
- FC Cincinnati – Qualified on September 13
- Columbus Crew – Qualified on September 27
- Inter Miami CF – Qualified on September 24
- Nashville SC – Qualified on September 27
- New York City FC – Qualified on September 20
- Orlando City SC – Qualified on September 27
- Philadelphia Union – Qualified on August 30
Western Conference:
- Austin FC – Qualified on October 5
- FC Dallas – Qualified on October 18
- Los Angeles FC – Qualified on September 20
- Minnesota United FC – Qualified on August 30
- Portland Timbers – Qualified on October 5
- Real Salt Lake – Qualified on October 18
- San Diego FC – Qualified on August 23
- Seattle Sounders FC – Qualified on September 27
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC – Qualified on September 13
Teams ranked 1-7 in each conference automatically qualify for the Round One Best-of-3 Series, while the 8th and 9th seeds compete in single-elimination Wild Card matches.
Inter Miami, featuring Lionel Messi, and San Diego FC, led by Anders Dreyer, are among the top favorites, but the playoff race remains wide open as Decision Day draws near.
Tournament Structure
The 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs follow a structured format:
- Wild Card Matches (October 22, 2025): Single-elimination games between the 8th and 9th seeds in each conference, hosted by the higher seed. Winners advance to face the No. 1 seed in Round One.
- Round One Best-of-3 Series (October 24 – November 9, 2025): The top seven teams per conference, plus Wild Card winners, compete in best-of-three series. The higher seed hosts Game 1, the lower seed hosts Game 2, and the higher seed hosts Game 3 (if necessary).
- Conference Semifinals (November 22-23, 2025): Single-elimination matches hosted by the higher seed.
- Conference Finals (November 29-30, 2025): Single-elimination matches, with hosting rights based on regular-season records.
- MLS Cup Final (December 6, 2025): A single match hosted by the finalist with the better regular-season record, crowning the MLS champion.
This format ensures every Round One team plays at least one home game, adding to the intensity of the postseason.
Specific fixtures and matchups will be finalized after Decision Day, with the full bracket announced by MLS.
Standings
Orlando City and Charlotte FC are battling for home-field advantage, while teams like D.C. United have already been eliminated.
By October 25, 2025, the playoff picture is beginning to take shape.
Eastern Conference:
Here are the current Eastern Conference MLS standings for the top teams, formatted for clarity and SEO-friendly usage:
| Pos | Team | Pld | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia Union (S) | 34 | 66 |
| 2 | FC Cincinnati | 34 | 65 |
| 3 | Inter Miami CF | 34 | 65 |
| 4 | Charlotte FC | 34 | 59 |
| 5 | New York City FC | 34 | 56 |
| 6 | Nashville SC | 34 | 54 |
| 7 | Columbus Crew | 34 | 54 |
| 8 | Chicago Fire FC | 34 | 53 |
| 9 | Orlando City SC | 34 | 53 |
Western Conference:
Here are the current MLS Western Conference standings for the top teams, reflecting the latest matches up to October 25, 2025:
| Pos | Teams | Pld | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego FC | 34 | 63 |
| 2 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 34 | 63 |
| 3 | Los Angeles FC | 34 | 60 |
| 4 | Minnesota United FC | 34 | 58 |
| 5 | Seattle Sounders FC | 34 | 55 |
| 6 | Austin FC | 34 | 47 |
| 7 | FC Dallas | 34 | 44 |
| 8 | Portland Timbers | 34 | 44 |
| 9 | Real Salt Lake | 34 | 41 |
Schedule / Fixtures
Key dates for the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs:
- Decision Day: October 18, 2025 – Philadelphia Union – Supporters’ Shield winner.
- Wild Card Matches: October 22, 2025
- Round One Best-of-3 Series: October 24 – November 9, 2025
- Conference Semifinals: November 22-23, 2025
- Conference Finals: November 29-30, 2025
- MLS Cup Final: December 6, 2025
Wild Card Matches
- Eastern Conference – Chicago Fire FC vs Orlando City SC – 3–1
- Western Conference – Portland Timbers vs Real Salt Lake – 3–1
Round One Best-of-3 Series
Eastern Conference
- Philadelphia Union vs Chicago Fire FC
- Game 1: October 26 (Philadelphia Union vs Chicago Fire) – 2–2 (4–2)
- Game 2: November 1 (Chicago Fire vs Philadelphia Union) – 0–3
- Game 3: November 8
- FC Cincinnati vs Columbus Crew
- Game 1: October 27 (Cincinnati vs Columbus Crew) – 1–0
- Game 2: November 2 (Columbus Crew vs Cincinnati) – 4–0
- Game 3: November 8
- Inter Miami CF vs Nashville SC
- Game 1: Score – 3–1 (Inter Miami CF vs Nashville) – 3–1
- Game 2: November 1 (Nashville SC vs Inter Miami) – 2–1
- Game 3: November 8 (Inter Miami vs Nashville SC)
- Charlotte FC vs New York City FC
- Game 1: October 28 (Charlotte FC vs New York City) – 0–1
- Game 2: November 1 (New York City vs Charlotte FC) – 0–0
- Game 3: November 7 (Charlotte FC vs New York City) – 1–3
Western Conference
- San Diego FC vs Portland Timbers
- Game 1: October 26 (San Diego vs Portland Timbers) – 2–1
- Game 2: November 1 (Portland Timbers vs San Diego) – 2–2
- Game 3: November 9 (San Diego vs Portland Timbers) –
- Vancouver Whitecaps vs FC Dallas
- Game 1: October 26 (Vancouver Whitecaps vs FC Dallas) – 3–0
- Game 2: November 1 (FC Dallas vs Vancouver Whitecaps FC) – 1-1
- Game 3: November 7
- Los Angeles FC vs Austin FC
- Game 1: October 29 (Los Angeles vs Austin) – 2–1
- Game 2: November 2 – (Austin vs Los Angeles) – 1-4
- Game 3: November 8
- Minnesota United vs Seattle Sounders FC
- Game 1: October 27 – (Minnesota United vs Seattle Sounders) – 0–0
- Game 2: November 3 – (Seattle Sounders vs Minnesota United) – 4–2
- Game 3: November 8 – (Minnesota United v Seattle Sounders)
Conference semifinals
Eastern Conference
- Philadelphia Union vs New York City – November 22/23
- TBD vs TBD – November 22/23
Western Conference
- TBD vs TBD – November 22/23
- Vancouver Whitecaps vs LAFC – November 22/23
Conference finals
Eastern Conference
- TBD vs TBD – November 29/30
Western Conference
- TBD vs TBD – November 29/30
MLS Cup 2025
- TBD vs TBD – December 6, 2025
Top Scorers | 2025 Golden Boot
The 2025 MLS Golden Boot race, presented by Audi, is won by
- Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF): Winner of the Major League Soccer 2025 Golden Boot race with 29 Goals and 19 Assists
Other RunnerUp scorers include:
- Denis Bouanga (Los Angeles FC) – 24 goals
- Sam Surridge (Nashville SC): 24 goals, including a hat-trick in the US Open Cup semifinal.
- Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC): 19 goals
These players are expected to shine in the playoffs, driving their teams’ championship hopes.
Where to Watch 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs
Every 2025 MLS Cup Playoff match, including the MLS Cup final, is available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, accessible in over 100 countries. Features include:
- Commentary in English and Spanish.
- Option for home team radio broadcasts in the U.S. and Canada.
- Available on Apple devices, Android devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, game consoles, DIRECTV, Xfinity, and tv.apple.com.
Select playoff games, including the MLS Cup, will also air on FOX Sports in the U.S. and TSN/RDS in Canada.
As a promotional offer, Apple has made Wild Card matches and Game 1 of each Round One series free to watch, even without an MLS Season Pass subscription.
The 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs are shaping up to be a thrilling conclusion to the MLS season, with powerhouse teams like Inter Miami, FC Cincinnati, and San Diego FC leading the charge.
With an exciting format, a jam-packed schedule, and worldwide streaming options, fans everywhere can enjoy every moment. Stay updated on all the latest news and catch every moment of the action with MLS Season Pass. Who will claim the MLS Cup on December 6, 2025?