Have a look at the MLS 2023 playoffs format and how the postseason will be played
Major League Soccer will once again take centre stage when the 2023 regular season begins this weekend, following a lengthy hiatus that featured the 2022 World Cup.
An expanded playoff field for the 2023 postseason is coming with the start of a new Major League Soccer season. See the new MLS playoff format here.
MLS 2023 playoffs format, rules, schedule, date and matches list
With St. Louis City SC, an expansion team, playing its first season this year, the new season will feature fresh faces. The MLS Cup playoffs, however, will undoubtedly see the most shift.
The playoffs will feature a different structure this year because the league increased the postseason field to nine teams per conference.
What will the 2023 MLS Cup playoff format be?
There will be 18 teams in the bracket for the 2023 MLS playoffs, which is a change from last year. The addition of two single-legged Wild Card games to the Round One Best-of-3 series will be the biggest change.
Single-game elimination will be used for the Conference Semifinals, Finals, and MLS Cup. The top seven teams from each conference advance to Round One, while the eighth and ninth seeds determine the field for the Wild Card round.
Wild Card Round
- Every conference will have a single-game elimination match.
- 8th seed hosts 9th seed.
- Penalty kicks serve as the tiebreaker as there is no overtime.
- The winner advances to Round One, where they will face the top seed from their respective conference.
Round One
Per Conference:
- No.1 seed vs. Wild Card winner
- No. 2 vs. No. 7
- No. 3 vs. No. 6
- No. 4 vs. No. 5
How it works:
- Played to a Best-of-3 series.
- A team advances if they are the first to win two games.
- There will be neither ties nor total scores (aggregate); penalties will serve as the deciding factor.
- Home field advantage belongs to the higher seed (home-away-home format).
- The winners move on to the conference semifinals.
Conference Semifinals
Per conference:
- Winner of No. 1 vs. Wild Card team vs. Winner of 4 vs. 5
- Winner of 3 vs. 6 vs. Winner of 2 vs. 7
Format:
- Single-game elimination matches.
- Tiebreaker: If there is still a tie after two further periods of 15 minutes each, the winner will be decided by penalty kicks.
- Those that win move on to the Conference Final.
Conference Finals
- Single-elimination match per conference.
- Game is hosted by a higher seed
- Tiebreaker: two 15-minute overtime periods; if a tie still exists, the winner will be decided by penalty kicks.
MLS Cup
- Single match.
- Higher seed hosts the final.
- Tiebreaker: If a tie still exists after two 15-minute overtime periods, the winner will be decided by penalty kicks.
When do the MLS Cup 2023 playoffs begin?
On Wednesday, October 25, the opening Wild Card game will kick off the MLS Cup playoffs for 2023.
That weekend will begin with Round One, then the Conference Semifinals, and finally the Finals.
On December 9th, 2023, the MLS Cup will take place.
- Wild Card: Oct. 25-26
- Round One Best-of-3 series: Oct. 28-Nov. 12
- Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals: Nov. 25-Dec. 3
- MLS Cup: Dec. 9.