MLS Decision Day: Key Matches and Playoff Implications

Major League Soccer (MLS) is reaching a crucial point with Decision Day set to conclude the regular season. This event will solidify the playoff landscape through a series of 14 matches scheduled for Saturday. Lionel Messi and Inter Miami have successfully secured the top position in the Eastern Conference, having claimed the Supporters' Shield on October 2. In contrast, the Los Angeles Galaxy, despite a challenging 2023 season, need only one point to confirm their status as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. However, the Galaxy face a formidable challenge as they are scheduled to play against the Houston Dynamo on the road. Meanwhile, LA Galaxy’s closest competitors, LAFC, host the struggling San Jose Earthquakes in a pivotal match.

The Eastern Conference presents significant intrigue as four teams are in contention for the final two playoff berths. D.C. United and CF Montréal both enter the weekend with 40 points, putting them ahead of the Philadelphia Union and Atlanta United, who have 37 points each. Although Toronto FC also has 37 points, they have completed their regular season and find themselves on the outside looking in. D.C. United and Montreal will benefit from home-field advantage, but any loss by these teams could allow Philadelphia or Atlanta to seize a postseason position dramatically.

The postseason structure for the 2024 MLS playoffs will feature nine teams from each conference. It will commence with a single-elimination wild card round, followed by a best-of-three series in Round 1. The format reverts to single-leg matches for the conference semifinals, conference finals, and MLS Cup, with higher-seeded teams earning home-field advantage. Though teams are yet to be finalized, the Wild Card round is scheduled for October 22-23, where the No. 8 seed will host the No. 9 seed in both conferences.

In the Eastern Conference, the top three seeds have been determined. Teams such as Orlando City, New York City FC, Charlotte FC, and the New York Red Bulls have clinched playoff entries, but their seeding depends on the outcome of Decision Day matches. In the Western Conference, while the nine playoff teams are known, their exact seedings remain unpredictable. The Galaxy and LAFC will claim the top two positions, while the Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake compete for the third and fourth seeds. The Houston Dynamo‘s fate lies between fifth and sixth, and a tightly contested race among the Colorado Rapids, Minnesota United, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Portland Timbers sees just four points separating them.

The MLS playoffs will be interrupted by an international window, requiring clubs to release players for national team duties. The Conference Semifinals will occur on November 23-24. Subsequent conference finals will transpire on November 30 and December 1, culminating in the MLS Cup scheduled for December 7, where the two conference champions will meet in a single-game final hosted by the team with the superior record.

MLS Decision Day games will be broadcast exclusively on Apple TV through the MLS Season Pass. Enthusiasts can follow “MLS 360,” a live show featuring the most significant league moments as they unfold during the matches.