The 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs kick off tonight with two Wild Card games. This play-in round adds another two matches to a tournament that could more than double in size from the 13-game format used in 2021 and 2022, to a competition with between 25 and 33 games depending on the results in Round One.
All those soccerball games will take a long time to play. The 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs will start October 28 and finish December 9 — that’s six weeks total, which is two weeks longer than the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Confused? You’re not alone.
Three notes. One, all games will be broadcast on Apple TV. Two, games are staggered so that no games conflict with each other — and that means the start times for the Round One Best-of-3 Series are all over the place. Three, we include the full playoff schedule at the end of this post.
Read on, and it might start to make sense.
Wild Card: 2 games
October 25
The MLS Cup Playoffs begins with a Wild Card round between the 8th and 9th seeds in the Eastern and Western Conferences. This is a one-and-done matchup played at the home of the 8th seed.
A game that ends in a draw after 90′ goes straight to penalty kicks: There is no extra time.
Round One Best-of-3 Series: 16 to 24 games
October 28 – November 12
That’s right, Round One of the 2023 MLS Cup Championship is a nutty best-of-three series that will take place over the course of three weeks. We’re sure that the reason for this pileup of games is sporting fairness, and not simply creating more programming for Apple TV.
The highest seed in each conference plays the winner of the Wild Card round. Higher seeds host the first match, lower seeds the second, and higher seeds the third (if necessary).
A game that ends in a draw after 90′ goes straight to penalty kicks: There is no extra time.
Conference Semifinals: 4 games
November 25 – 26
The tournament looks more familiar from this stage on. The Conference Semifinals are single-elimination matches played at the home of the higher seed, just as in 2021 and 2022. Seeding is determined by the regular season table.
A game that ends in a draw after 90′ goes into extra time, which consists of two 15′ halves. If the game is a draw after extra time, it goes to penalty kicks.
Conference Finals: 2 games
December 2 – 3
The Conference Finals are single-elimination matches played at the home of the higher seed. Seeding is determined by the regular season table.
A game that ends in a draw after 90′ goes into extra time, which consists of two 15′ halves. If the game is a draw after extra time, it goes to penalty kicks.
MLS Cup Final: 1 game
December 9
The 2023 MLS Cup Final is played at the home of the higher seed. Seeding is determined by the regular season table.
A game that ends in a draw after 90′ goes into extra time, which consists of two 15′ halves. If the game is a draw after extra time, it goes to penalty kicks.
2023 MLS Cup Championship Schedule
Wild Card
New Jersey Red Bulls vs Charlotte FC
Wed, October 25, 7:30 pm ET
Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ
Sporting Kansas City vs San Jose Earthquakes
Wed, October 25, 9:30 pm ET
Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, KS
Round One Best-of-3 Series
• Game 1
Philadelphia Union vs New England Revolution
Sat, October 28, 8 pm ET
Subaru Park, Chester PA
LAFC vs Vancouver Whitecaps
Sat, October 28, 9 pm ET
BMO Stadium, Los Angeles
Houston Dynamo vs Real Salt Lake
Sun, October 29, 6 pm ET
Shell Energy Stadium, Houston
FC Cincinnati vs Eastern Conference Wild Card winner
Sun, October 29, 10 pm ET
TQL Stadium, Cincinnati
St. Louis City vs Western Conference Wild Card winner
Sun, October 29, 10 pm ET
City Park, St. Louis
Orlando City vs Nashville SC
Mon, October 30, 7 pm ET
Exploria Stadium, Orlando
Seattle Sounders vs FC Dallas
Mon, October 30, 9 pm ET
Lumen Field, Seattle
Columbus Crew vs Atlanta United
Wed, November 1, 7:30 pm ET
Lower.com Field
• Game 2
Eastern Conference Wild Card winner vs FC Cincinnati
Sat, November 4, 7 pm ET
Venue TBD
FC Dallas vs Seattle Sounders
Sat, November 4, 9 pm ET
Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
Western Conference Wild Card winner vs St. Louis City
Sun, November 5, 5 pm ET
Venue TBD
Real Salt Lake vs Houston Dynamo
Mon, November 6, 9 pm ET
America First Field, Sandy, UT
Atlanta United vs Columbus Crew
Tue, November 7, 7 pm ET
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Nashville SC vs Orlando City
Tue, November 7, 9 pm ET
Geodia Park, Nashville
New England Revolution vs Philadelphia Union
Wed, November 8, 7 pm ET
Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA
LAFC vs Vancouver Whitecaps
Sat, October 28, 5 pm ET
BMO Stadium, Los Angeles
LAFC vs Vancouver Whitecaps
Sat, October 28, 5 pm ET
BMO Stadium, Los Angeles
LAFC vs Vancouver Whitecaps
Sat, October 28, 5 pm ET
BMO Stadium, Los Angeles
• Game 3
LAFC vs Vancouver Whitecaps (if necessary)
Thu, November 9, 10 pm ET
BMO Stadium, Los Angeles
Seattle Sounders vs FC Dallas (if necessary)
Fri, November 10, 10 pm ET
Lumen Field, Seattle
FC Cincinnati vs Eastern Conference Wild Card winner (if necessary)
Sat, November 11, 2 pm ET
TQL Stadium, Cincinnati
Houston Dynamo vs Real Salt Lake (if necessary)
Sat, October 29, 4 pm ET
Shell Energy Stadium, Houston
St. Louis City vs Western Conference Wild Card winner (if necessary)
Sat, November 11, 6 pm ET
City Park, St. Louis
Philadelphia Union vs New England Revolution (if necessary)
Sun, November 12, 3 pm ET
Subaru Park, Chester, PA
Orlando City vs Nashville SC (if necessary)
Sun, November 12, 5 pm ET
Exploria Stadium, Orlando
Columbus Crew vs Atlanta United (if necessary)
Sun, November 12, 7 pm ET
Lower.com Field
Conference Semifinals
Sat, November 25 and Sun, November 26
Conference Finals
Sat, December 2 and Sun, December 3
MLS Cup Final
Sat, December 9
