MLS announces new playoff format for 2023 season

Major League Soccer today announced the format and schedule for the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs and MLS Cup presented by Audi.

Building on the popular single-elimination format, the 2023 MLS postseason will see the addition of a pair of single-elimination Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card matches ahead of an enhanced Round One, which now includes a Best-of-3 series.

Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Schedule

After Decision Day on Oct. 21, the playoff schedule will go as follows:

• Wild Card matches: Oct. 25-26
• Round One Best-of-3 series matches: Oct. 28-Nov. 12
• Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals: Nov. 25-Dec. 3
• MLS Cup presented by Audi: Dec. 9.

Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Format

Qualification:

• Seeds 1-7 in each conference will automatically qualify for the Round One Best-of-3 series.
• Seeds 8-9 in each conference will qualify for the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card matches.

Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card Matches (2 games)

• Two single-game elimination matches hosted by the higher seed.
• If the score of a Wild Card game is tied at the end of regulation, no extra time will be played, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.
• The winner of each Wild Card match will advance to the Round One Best-of-3 series to face the conference No. 1 seed.
  • Eastern Conference Wild Card Match: No. 8 vs. No. 9
  • Western Conference Wild Card Match: No. 8 vs. No. 9

Round One Best-of-3 Series (8-16 games)

• Every Round One game will have a winner; no ties, no aggregate score.
• The matches will be hosted in a home-away-home format:
  • Match 1: higher seed hosts
  • Match 2: lower seed hosts
  • Match 3: higher seed hosts
• If a match is tied at the end of regulation, no extra time will be played, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.
• The first team to win two matches will advance.
• Four teams from each conference will advance to the Conference Semifinals.
  • Eastern Conference Round One Best-of-3 Series
    • No. 1 vs. No. 8 or 9
    • No. 2 vs. No. 7
    • No. 3 vs. No. 6
    • No. 4 vs. No. 5
  • Western Conference Round One Best-of-3 Series
    • No. 1 vs. No. 8 or 9
    • No. 2 vs. No. 7
    • No. 3 vs. No. 6
    • No. 4 vs. No. 5

Conference Semifinals (4 games)

• Single-game elimination matches, hosted by the higher seed.
• If the score of a Conference Semifinal game is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety. If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra time periods, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.
• Conference Semifinal winners will advance to the Conference Final.
  • Eastern Conference Semifinals
    • Winner of No. 1 vs. No. 8/9 series vs. winner of No. 4 vs. No. 5 series
    • Winner of No. 3 vs. No. 6 series vs. winner of No. 2 vs. No. 7 series
  • Western Conference Semifinals
    • Winner of No. 1 vs. No. 8/9 series vs. winner of No. 4 vs. No. 5 series
    • Winner of No. 3 vs. No. 6 series vs. winner of No. 2 vs. No. 7 series

Conference Final (2 games)

• Single-elimination match hosted by the higher seed.
• If the score of a Conference Final game is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety. If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra time periods, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.
• The winner of each Conference Final match will advance to MLS Cup presented by Audi.
  • Eastern Conference Final: highest advancing seed vs. lowest advancing seed
  • Western Conference Final: highest advancing seed vs. lowest advancing seed

MLS Cup presented by Audi (1 game)

• A single match hosted by the higher seed.
• If the score of the game is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety. If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra time periods, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.
• MLS Cup presented by Audi: Eastern Conference Champion vs. Western Conference Champion

Every Postseason Game, Everywhere on MLS Season Pass

MLS Season Pass will feature every match of the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs as well as MLS Cup presented by Audi, all in one place, with no blackouts. All matches will feature commentary in either English or Spanish, while matches involving Canadian teams will also offer commentary in French.

Fans in the U.S. and Canada will also have the option to select their home team’s radio for broadcast audio on the Apple TV app where available.

Select playoff games, including MLS Cup, will also be available through FOX Sports in the U.S. and TSN and RDS in Canada. Linear programming schedules and match selections for the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs will be announced at a later date.