MLS playoffs bracket, schedule 2025: Fixtures, results as teams learn MLS Cup fate on Decision Day

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• 2025 MLS Cup playoff schedule, fixtures, results
• MLS Cup playoff format for 2025
• When do the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs start?
• When is the 2025 MLS Cup final?
• 2025 Deadline Day fixtures and playoff scenarios

The 2025 MLS Cup playoffs are just around the corner, with the final day of the regular season -- known as Deadline Day -- set to finalize the bracket.

Starting with the Wild Card round and continuing through the conference finals and MLS Cup, the 2025 playoffs will bring the league’s stars together for a shot at this year’s title.

Last season’s champions, the LA Galaxy, will not be defending their crown after struggling through much of the 2025 regular season. A loss on the final day could make the Galaxy the first team in MLS history to win the title and then finish last in their conference the following year.

Meanwhile, stars like Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will aim for their first-ever playoff title, while Supporters’ Shield winners Philadelphia Union and Western Conference champions Vancouver Whitecaps will provide stiff competition.

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MLS Cup playoff format

The 2025 MLS Cup playoff format will be played across the span of around six weeks and will determine the league's ultimate champion for the season. Things get underway over October 22 and culminate in the MLS Cup final on December 6.

First up is the Wild Card round, which will feature the eighth- and ninth-seeded teams from each conference facing off in a play-in game for the final two spots in Round 1.

Once those teams are determined, the best-of-three Round 1 will begin, with each game producing a winner. Each team hosts one match, and if necessary, a winner-take-all Game 3 will be played at the higher seed’s home field. The Wild Card winners will face the regular-season conference champions (Inter Miami and LAFC), while the rest of the Round 1 matchups are set based on regular-season standings.

From there, each round is single elimination: the winner advances, and the loser is out. The conference semifinals and finals will narrow the field to two teams, who will meet in the 2025 MLS Cup final, hosted by the team with the higher overall regular-season finish.

MORE: How do MLS Cup Playoffs work? A full breakdown of the format, past winners, and more

Which teams are in the 2025 MLS playoffs?

This section will be updated once the seeds are locked in following the final day of the 2025 regular season.

The few teams already listed below have been confirmed in certain positions prior to Deadline Day due to certain point gaps in the table.

Eastern Conference

Eliminated: NY Red Bulls, New England Revolution, Toronto FC, CF Montreal, Atlanta United, D.C. United.

Western Conference

Eliminated: San Jose Earthquakes, Colorado Rapids, Houston Dynamo, St. Louis City FC, LA Galaxy, Sporting KC.

2025 MLS Cup playoff bracket, schedule

The fixtures below will be updated to reflect the matchups and schedule released by Major League Soccer at the conclusion of the regular season.

Dates and times will be updated once confirmed by the league.

Wild Card round

Round One

Game 1

Game 2

Game 3

If necessary

Conference Semifinals

Conference Finals

2025 MLS Cup final

When do the 2025 MLS playoffs start?

The 2025 MLS Cup playoffs will begin with the wild card matches for each conference.

While last season these two games were spread across two days, this season they will both take place on the same day.

The wild card matches will be held on Wednesday, October 22, which comes just four days after the regular season concludes, representing a quick turnaround for wild card participants while their upcoming Round One opponents get a week's worth of rest.

When is the 2025 MLS Cup final?

The 2025 MLS Cup final will be held on Saturday, December 6 which is in line with previous seasons.

The match will be hosted by whichever team finished higher in the overall league table, NOT by whoever had the higher seed in their conference. For example, if the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference meets the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, but the Eastern Conference participant finished the regular season with more points than their opponent, they would host the final.

2025 MLS Decision Day results

Deadline Day scenarios

Below are the potential outcomes for a few of the major races in the 2025 MLS Cup playoff chase.

Supporters' Shield:

Prior to Deadline Day, the Philadelphia Union had already mathematically confirmed the best record in the regular season. They sat three points above second-place Vancouver coming into the final fixture, and they held the tiebreaker with two more victories on the year.

By proxy, this also means had have confirmed the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference entering play.

A 2-0 defeat to Charlotte FC on the road to conclude the season meant they finished just one point above FC Cincinnati in the Eastern Conference standings.

Western Conference champion

Coming into the final matchday of the season, the only way leaders Vancouver Whitecaps could fail to win the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference is if they lose to FC Dallas and San Diego FC defeats the Portland Timbers. This outcome would tie San Diego FC with Vancouver in points while giving them one more win, allowing them to claim the tiebreaker.

Sure enough, that came to pass as the Whitecaps bungled the Western Conference title on the last day of the season, beaten at home after an early red card, while San Diego FC clobbered Portland by a 4-0 score to celebrate the Western Conference title.

Wild Card — Eastern Conference

The cut line in the Eastern Conference had already been established coming into Deadline Day, and all teams 10th or below have already mathematically been eliminated. Thus, all nine playoff participants have already been confirmed, leaving teams to simply fight for playoff seeding.

The Chicago Fire, who sat in eighth entering the final day, one point above the Columbus Crew, had to better the result of either Orlando City or Nashville SC to pull out of a wild card place, but were unable to do so thanks to a draw with eliminated New England. The Columbus Crew, meanwhile, had to better the result of two of the three in front of them to do so, and thanks to a 3-1 win over the New York Red Bulls at home, they did so, successfully.

With Orlando City beaten by Toronto FC on the road, they dropped to the ninth seed, forced to navigate a road wild card game, while Columbus secured a bye to Round One.

Wild Card — Western Conference

The Western Conference playoff race was far more wide open than the East, with 11 teams still mathematically in the mix for nine places at the start of Deadline Day.

Colorado and San Jose both sat outside the cut line going into the day, with Colorado level on points with ninth-placed Real Salt Lake while the Earthquakes sit two points further back.

Neither Colorado nor San Jose managed to jump into a playoff position, with Real Salt Lake finishing in the final playoff spot thanks to their tiebreaker of one more win.