With the regular season now finished, things are bound to get a lot more interesting as the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs gets underway on Saturday, October 28th.
Here's all you need to know ahead of these key matches.
When does the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs kick off?
The 28th installment of the MLS Cup Playoffs starts on Saturday, October 28th. Prior to this, four teams - New York Red Bulls, Charlotte, Sporting Kansas City, and San Jose Earthquakes - all featured in a "wild-card" round to determine the final two teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences. Those matches were played on October 25th and October 26, with New York Red Bulls and Kansas City securing their places in the Eastern and Western Conferences respectively.
Now that is all sorted, all eyes will turn towards round one of the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs,
What is the format for the upcoming games in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs?
This series of matches will be known as round one, which will be played as a "best of three" series.
That means that the team who wins two out of three matches against their opponents will proceed to the next round.
Each game will be played over the course of 90 minutes. Should the scores be level at regulation time, the match will proceed straight to penalties, so no extra time. The team that wins on penalties (if needed) will earn a victory for that specific match.
In addition, the teams involved are seeded, with the higher ranking team getting to host game one (and game three, if needed) while the lower ranking team will host game two.
Will we get to see Lionel Messi and Inter Miami taking part in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs?
Unfortunately, Messi fans will not get to see the Argentinian superstar in action during the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs. Despite showing signs of improvement earlier this season, Inter Miami were unable to qualify for the playoffs after finishing in 14th place in the Eastern Conference.
However, there will still be plenty of great games to follow during the post-season tournament, and many eyes will be on Cincinnati to see how far they can go after having a very impressive season that saw them win the Supporters' Shield.
Other teams looking to make a major splash include St. Louis, Orlando City, and Seattle Sounders, plus, of course, Los Angeles, who will aim to retain their title.
What teams are taking part in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs?
A total of 16 teams will be taking part in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs. They are as follows:
Eastern Conference:
- Cincinnati
- New York Red Bulls
- Orlando City
- Nashville
- Columbus Crew
- Atlanta United
- Philadelphia Union
- New England Revolution
Western Conference:
- St. Louis
- Kansas City
- Seattle Sounders
- Dallas
- Los Angeles
- Vancouver Whitecaps
- Houston Dynamo
- Real Salt Lake
Who are the defending champions in the MLS Cup?
Los Angeles are the reigning champions in the MLS Cup. They will begin their title defense against Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday, October 28th.
How can I watch the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs?
Fans in the USA have a wide range of options to follow these upcoming games, including Foxsports.com, FOX Sports App, MLS Pass on Apple TV, Fox Sports 1, FOX Deportes, fuboTV, and Sling TV.
MLS Pass on Apple TV will also be live-streaming the games for fans in a wide range of locations outside the USA.
Make sure you bookmark our special Major League Soccer match page to find specific options for wherever you are based.
