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Major League Soccer have 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.
Following Decision Day on October 21, the top seven teams from each conference will automatically qualify to the Round One Best-of-3 series while the next two teams in each conference standings will qualify for a single-elimination Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card match. The winners of each Wild Card game will earn a spot in the Round One Best-of-3 series.
The expanded format will deliver even more must-win matches, as every game in the Round One Best-of-3 series will have a winner and a loser. With the addition of the Wild Card games and the Round One Best-of-3 series, the playoffs will see up-to 24 must-win matches ahead of MLS Cup presented by Audi in 2023 (compared with 12 in 2022).
All 16 teams qualifying for the Round One Best-of-3 series will earn at least one home playoff game with the higher seed hosting the first match, the lower seed hosting the second match, before returning, if necessary, to the higher seed’s venue for the final deciding game.
Following the excitement and drama of the expanded Round One, the pressure doesn’t let up, as the Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals, and MLS Cup presented by Audi will continue to be single elimination, win-or-go-home matches hosted by the team with the better regular season record.
While providing the highest advantage to each conference No. 1 seed, through the new playoff format, the higher a team’s regular season finish in the standings, the more advantage that team will see throughout the playoffs. Teams will need to fight from match day one through Decision Day for the best chance to capture an MLS Cup title.
In addition to the advantage earned in the MLS postseason, higher MLS regular season ranking is rewarded with greater homefield advantage and grouping with lower seeded LIGA MX opponents during Leagues Cup group play, while the MLS Cup champion earns a bye past the group stage all together.
Postseason Match Schedule
The postseason will kick off with the two Wild Card matches on Oct. 25-26 and Round One Best-of-3 series matches from October 28 – November 12. The Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals will be played between November 25 – December 3. Major League Soccer’s championship match, MLS Cup presented by Audi, will be played on December 9.
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.
Postseason Review Process
Major League Soccer, in concert with the MLS Product Strategy Committee, undertook a review of the playoff format beginning in 2021 to deliver an enhanced playoff format that would provide fans with more games of consequence and better reward regular season results while maintaining the best elements from the single-elimination format. Incorporating fan research and feedback, MLS engaged a third-party expert in the global sports industry to support the process with data and analysis.
Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Format
Qualification
Seeds 1-7 in each conference will automatically qualify to 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.
