2024 MLS Cup playoffs
Tournament details | |
---|---|
Country | United States Canada |
Dates | October 22 – December 7 |
Teams | 18 |
Defending champions | Columbus Crew |
Tournament statistics | |
Matches played | 26 |
Goals scored | 69 (2.65 per match) |
Attendance | 619,218 (23,816 per match) |
Top goal scorer(s) | Ryan Gauld (5 goals) |
All statistics correct as of November 24, 2024. |
The 2024 MLS Cup playoffs (branded as the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons) is the post-season championship of Major League Soccer (MLS), the top soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is the 29th edition of the MLS Cup playoffs, the tournament culminating at the end of the 2024 season. The playoffs began on October 22 and will conclude with MLS Cup 2024 on December 7.[1][2]
The Columbus Crew entered the playoffs as the defending MLS Cup champions, but were eliminated by the New York Red Bulls in round one. Inter Miami CF entered as Supporters' Shield winners and MLS Eastern Conference regular-season leaders; they were eliminated in round one by Atlanta United FC. MLS Western Conference regular-season leaders Los Angeles FC were eliminated in the Conference semi-final by Seattle Sounders FC.
Format
[edit]Similar to the 2023 edition, the playoffs feature a field of eighteen teams—the top nine teams from each conference. The top seven teams in each conference automatically qualified for round one, while the eighth and ninth-placed teams in each conference contested a single wild card match for the right to play the best-ranked team in their conference, with only a penalty shoot-out occurring if the game is tied. Round one will comprise a best-of-three format, with higher seeds playing against lower seeds. The round does not have the aggregate score kept, and tied matches proceed directly to a penalty shoot-out to determine the winner. The remaining three rounds — the conference semifinals, conference final, and MLS Cup — would be single-elimination matches played with extra time and a penalty shoot-out if still tied.[1][3] The team with the better regular season record hosts the match in all rounds except for the best-of-three series in round one, where the lower seed hosts the second of three possible matches. All matches are broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass, a streaming service operated by Apple.[1]
Qualified teams
[edit]The playoffs are contested by eighteen teams. The date listed indicates when each team qualified for the playoffs.
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Conference standings
[edit] Eastern Conference
Source: MLS | Western Conference
Source: MLS
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Bracket
[edit]The higher seeded teams host single-elimination matches, with the MLS Cup host determined by overall points in the Supporters' Shield table. During the best-of-three round, the team with higher seed hosts the first match and the third match if necessary.
Wild card round
[edit]Home team | Score | Away team |
---|---|---|
Eastern Conference | ||
CF Montréal | 2–2 (4–5 p) | Atlanta United FC |
Western Conference | ||
Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 5–0 | Portland Timbers |
Eastern Conference
[edit]Western Conference
[edit]Round one
[edit]Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern Conference | |||||
Inter Miami CF | 1–2 | Atlanta United FC | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–3 |
Columbus Crew | 0–2 | New York Red Bulls | 0–1 | 2–2 (4–5 p) | — |
FC Cincinnati | 1–2 | New York City FC | 1–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 (5–6 p) |
Orlando City SC | 2–1 | Charlotte FC | 2–0 | 0–0 (1–3 p) | 1–1 (4–1 p) |
Western Conference | |||||
Los Angeles FC | 2–1 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–0 |
LA Galaxy | 2–0 | Colorado Rapids | 5–0 | 4–1 | — |
Real Salt Lake | 0–2 | Minnesota United FC | 0–0 (4–5 p) | 1–1 (1–3 p) | — |
Seattle Sounders FC | 2–0 | Houston Dynamo FC | 0–0 (5–4 p) | 1–1 (7–6 p) | — |
Eastern Conference
[edit]Atlanta United FC won the series 2–1.
New York Red Bulls won the series 2–0.
New York City FC | 3–1 | FC Cincinnati |
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| Report | Orellano 65' |
New York City FC won the series 2–1.
Orlando City SC | 1–1 | Charlotte FC |
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Torres 90+12' | Report | Świderski 81' |
Penalties | ||
4–1 |
Orlando City SC won the series 2–1.
Western Conference
[edit]Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 3–0 | Los Angeles FC |
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| Report |
Los Angeles FC won the series 2–1.
Colorado Rapids | 1–4 | LA Galaxy |
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Larraz 19' | Report |
|
LA Galaxy won the series 2–0.
Minnesota United FC | 1–1 | Real Salt Lake |
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Rosales 53' | Report | Eneli 75' |
Penalties | ||
3–1 |
Minnesota United FC won the series 2–0.
Houston Dynamo FC | 1–1 | Seattle Sounders FC |
---|---|---|
C. Roldan 90+3' (o.g.) | Report | C. Roldan 87' |
Penalties | ||
6–7 |
Seattle Sounders FC won the series 2–0.
Conference semifinals
[edit]The higher-seeded team as determined by regular season ranking hosted the match.[1]
Home team | Score | Away team |
---|---|---|
Eastern Conference | ||
Orlando City SC | 1–0 | Atlanta United FC |
New York City FC | 0–2 | New York Red Bulls |
Western Conference | ||
Los Angeles FC | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | Seattle Sounders FC |
LA Galaxy | 6–2 | Minnesota United FC |
Eastern Conference
[edit]Western Conference
[edit]LA Galaxy | 6–2 | Minnesota United FC |
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| Report | Yeboah 6', 45+4' (pen.) |
Conference finals
[edit]The higher-seeded team as determined by regular season ranking will host the match.[1]
Home team | Score | Away team |
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Eastern Conference | ||
Orlando City SC | Nov 30 | New York Red Bulls |
Western Conference | ||
LA Galaxy | Nov 30 | Seattle Sounders FC |
Eastern Conference
[edit]Western Conference
[edit]MLS Cup 2024
[edit]The highest-ranked finalist in the overall Supporters' Shield table will host the match.[1]
Western Conference champions | v | Eastern Conference champions |
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Top goalscorers
[edit]- As of November 24, 2024
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f "MLS announces new playoff format for 2023 season". Major League Soccer. February 21, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ "Inter Miami begin Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs path with standalone match". Major League Soccer. October 3, 2024. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
- ^ "MLS adds best-of-3 series to expanded playoffs for 2023 season". ESPN. February 21, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ "Atlanta United clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". Major League Soccer. October 19, 2024. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
- ^ "Charlotte FC clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". Major League Soccer. October 2, 2024. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ^ "FC Cincinnati clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". Major League Soccer. September 14, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "Columbus Crew clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". Major League Soccer. September 14, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "Inter Miami clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". Major League Soccer. August 24, 2024. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
- ^ "CF Montréal clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". Major League Soccer. October 19, 2024. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
- ^ "New York City FC clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". Major League Soccer. September 28, 2024. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
- ^ "New York Red Bulls clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". Major League Soccer. September 28, 2024. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
- ^ "Orlando City clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". Major League Soccer. September 28, 2024. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
- ^ "Colorado Rapids clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". Major League Soccer. September 21, 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
- ^ "Houston Dynamo clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". Major League Soccer. September 28, 2024. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
- ^ "LA Galaxy clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". Major League Soccer. September 14, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "LAFC clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". Major League Soccer. September 28, 2024. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
- ^ "Minnesota United clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". Major League Soccer. October 2, 2024. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ^ "Portland Timbers clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". Major League Soccer. October 6, 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
- ^ "Real Salt Lake clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". Major League Soccer. September 21, 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
- ^ "Seattle Sounders clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". Major League Soccer. September 28, 2024. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
- ^ "Vancouver Whitecaps clinch Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". Major League Soccer. September 28, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
- ^ "Whitecaps FC to open 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs versus Portland Timbers". Vancouver Whitecaps FC. October 19, 2024. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
- ^ "MLS Player Stats". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. Retrieved November 24, 2024.