The Supporters’ Shield-winning Philadelphia Union (Eastern Conference) and San Diego FC (Western Conference) are the top seeds in their respective conferences.
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will look to win their first MLS Cup. Inter Miami enters the playoffs as the betting favorite to hoist the championship trophy.
All MLS playoff games will be available to stream on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, with select games airing on FOX Sports.
The 2025 edition of the MLS Cup Playoffs opens with its wild-card matches on Wednesday, Oct. 22 and will conclude on Saturday, Dec. 6 with MLS Cup.
Wednesday night’s wild-card matchups include the Chicago Fire — making their first playoff appearance since 2017 — hosting Orlando City SC at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois (8:30 p.m. ET), and the Portland Timbers hosting Real Salt Lake at Providence Park (10:30 p.m. ET).
Following the wild-card matches, the road to the 30th MLS Cup includes best-of-three series in Round 1, and then single-elimination conference semifinals and finals.
Round 1 kicks off Friday, Oct. 24 and features some intriguing matchups.
In the Eastern Conference, FC Cincinnati and the Columbus Crew renew their ‘Hell is Real’ rivalry. The two teams met in a dramatic 2023 Eastern Conference final, which the Crew won en route to winning MLS Cup. Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will play Nashville SC, a team the Herons defeated 5-2 on Decision Day as Messi had a hat trick to win the league’s Golden Boot. Inter Miami also defeated Nashville in the 2023 Leagues Cup final.
Out West, Minnesota United and the Seattle Sounders square off; the two teams met in the 2020 Western Conference final, in which the Sounders rallied for a 3-2 win. Los Angeles FC will take on Austin FC, which LAFC defeated 3-0 in the 2022 conference final en route to winning MLS Cup. Expansion side San Diego FC is the conference’s top seed and will look to become the first expansion team to reach MLS Cup since the Chicago Fire won the 1998 league title.
Here’s a look at the 2025 MLS playoff teams, seeds, schedule, matchups and how to watch information:
MLS playoff seeds
Eastern Conference
Philadelphia Union
FC Cincinnati
Inter Miami
FC Charlotte
New York City FC
Nashville SC
Columbus Crew
Chicago Fire
Orlando City SC
Western Conference
San Diego FC
Vancouver Whitecaps
Los Angeles FC
Minnesota United
Seattle Sounders
Austin FC
FC Dallas
Portland Timbers
Real Salt Lake
MLS Cup Playoffs 2025: Wild card and Round 1 matchups
(All games available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Select games also will air on FOX Sports.)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Wild-card match:
Chicago Fire vs. Orlando City SC, Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 8:30 p.m. ET
Round 1 (best-of-three series):
Philadelphia Union vs. Chicago Fire-Orlando City winner
Game 1 (at Philadelphia): Sunday, Oct. 26 at 5:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
Game 2 (at Chicago Fire-Orlando City winner): Saturday, Nov. 1 at 5:30 p.m. ET
Game 3 (at Philadelphia): Saturday, Nov. 8 (if necessary)
FC Cincinnati vs. Columbus Crew
Game 1 (at Cincinnati): Monday, Oct. 27 at 6:45 p.m. ET (FS1)
Game 2 (at Columbus): Sunday, Nov. 2 at 6:30 p.m. ET
Game 3 (at Cincinnati): Saturday, Nov. 8 (if necessary)
Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC
Game 1 (at Miami): Friday, Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. ET (FS1)
Game 2 (at Nashville): Saturday, Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Game 3 (at Miami): Saturday, Nov. 8 (if necessary)
Charlotte FC vs. New York City FC
Game 1 (at Charlotte): Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 6:45 p.m. ET (FS1)
Game 2 (at New York): Saturday, Nov. 1 at 3:30 p.m. ET
Game 3 (at Charlotte): Friday, Nov. 7 (if necessary)
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Wild-card match:
Portland Timbers vs. Real Salt Lake, Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Round 1 (best-of-three series):
San Diego FC vs. Portland Timbers-Real Salt Lake winner
Game 1 (at San Diego): Sunday, Oct. 26 at 9:30 p.m. ET
Game 2 (at Portland Timbers-Real Salt Lake winner): Saturday, Nov. 1 at 9:30 p.m. ET
Game 3 (at San Diego): Sunday, Nov. 9 (if necessary)
Vancouver Whitecaps vs. FC Dallas
Game 1 (at Vancouver): Sunday, Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Game 2 (at Dallas): Saturday, Nov. 1 at 9:30 p.m. ET
Game 3 (at Vancouver): Friday, Nov. 7 (if necessary)
Los Angeles FC vs. Austin FC
Game 1 (at Los Angeles): Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Game 2 (at Austin): Sunday, Nov. 2 at 8:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
Game 3 (at Los Angeles): Saturday, Nov. 8 (if necessary)
Minnesota United vs. Seattle Sounders
Game 1 (at Minnesota): Monday, Oct. 27 at 9 p.m. ET
Game 2 (at Seattle): Monday, Nov. 3 at 10:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
Game 3 (at Minnesota): Saturday, Nov. 8 (if necessary)
2025 MLS playoff schedule
Oct. 22: Wild-card matches (single-elimination matches)
Oct. 24-Nov. 9: Round 1 (best-of-three series)
Nov. 22-23: Conference semifinals (single-elimination matches)
Nov. 29-30: Conference finals (single-elimination matches)
Dec. 6: MLS Cup (single winner-take-all match)
Watch the MLS playoffs on Apple TV
MLS betting odds: Who is favorite to win 2025 championship?
According to the latest BetMGM odds, Inter Miami (+450) is the current favorite to win the 2025 league championship.
Here are the championship odds for all of the 18 playoff teams:
Inter Miami (+450)
Vancouver Whitecaps (+600)
San Diego FC (+650)
Los Angeles FC (+700)
Philadelphia Union (+700)
FC Cincinnati (+800)
Minnesota United (+1600)
Seattle Sounders (+1800)
Charlotte FC (+2000)
New York City FC (+2200)
Columbus Crew (+2500)
Nashville SC (+2800)
Austin FC (+4000)
Chicago Fire (+4000)
Orlando City (+5000)
FC Dallas (+6600)
Portland Timbers (+6600)
Real Salt Lake (+10000)
MLS Cup: Results of every championship game since 1996
2024: Los Angeles Galaxy over New York Red Bulls (Dignity Health Sports Park), 2-1.
2023: Columbus Crew over Los Angeles FC (Lower.com Field), 2-1
2022: Los Angeles FC over Philadelphia Union (Banc of California Stadium), 3-3 (LAFC won penalty shootout, 3-0)
2021: New York City FC over Portland Timbers (Providence Park), 1-1 (NYCFC won penalty shootout, 4-2)
2020: Columbus Crew over Seattle Sounders FC (Mapfre Stadium), 3-0
2019: Seattle Sounders FC over Toronto FC (CenturyLink Field), 3-1
2018: Atlanta United over Portland Timbers (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), 2-0
2017: Toronto FC over Seattle Sounders FC (BMO Field), 2-0
2016: Seattle Sounders FC over Toronto FC (BMO Field), 0-0 (Sounders won penalty shootout, 5-4)
2015: Portland Timbers over Columbus Crew (Mapfre Stadium), 2-1
2014: Los Angeles Galaxy over New England Revolution (StubHub Center), 2-1 (extra time)
2013: Sporting Kansas City over Real Salt Lake (Sporting Park), 1-1 (SKC won penalty shootout, 7-6)
2012: Los Angeles Galaxy over Houston Dynamo (Home Depot Center), 3-1
2011: Los Angeles Galaxy over Houston Dynamo (Home Depot Center), 1-0
2010: Colorado Rapids over FC Dallas (BMO Field), 2-1 (extra time)
2009: Real Salt Lake over Los Angeles Galaxy (Qwest Field), 1-1 (RSL won penalty shootout, 5-4)
2008: Columbus Crew over New York Red Bulls (Home Depot Center), 3-1
2007: Houston Dynamo over New England Revolution (RFK Stadium), 2-1
2006: Houston Dynamo over New England Revolution (Pizza Hut Park), 1-1 (Dynamo won penalty shootout, 4-3)
2005: Los Angeles Galaxy over New England Revolution (Pizza Hut Park), 1-0 (extra time)
2004: D.C. United over Kansas City Wizards (Home Depot Center), 3-2
2003: San Jose Earthquakes over Chicago Fire (Home Depot Center), 4-2
2002: Los Angeles Galaxy over New England Revolution (Gillette Stadium), 1-0 (extra time)
2001: San Jose Earthquakes over Los Angeles Galaxy (Crew Stadium), 2-1 (extra time)
2000: Kansas City Wizards over Chicago Fire (RFK Stadium), 1-0
1999: D.C. United over Los Angeles Galaxy (Foxboro Stadium), 2-0
1998: Chicago Fire over D.C. United (Rose Bowl), 2-0
1997: D.C. United over Colorado Rapids (RFK Stadium), 2-1
1996: D.C. United over Los Angeles Galaxy (Foxboro Stadium), 3-2 (extra time)
USA TODAY Sports’ 48-page special edition commemorates 30 years of Major League Soccer, from its best players to key milestones and championship dynasties to what exciting steps are next with the World Cup ahead. Order your copy today!
