MLS announces new playoff format for 2023 season

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 games ahead of an enhanced round one, which now includes a Best-of-3 series.

After Decision Day on October 21, the playoff schedule will go as follows:

• Wild Card matches: 25-26 Oct
• Round one Best-of-3 series games: Oct. 28-Nov. 12
• Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals: Nov. 25-Dec. 3
• MLS Cup presented by Audi: December 9.

• Seeds 1-7 in each conference will automatically qualify for the Round 1 Best-of-3 series.
• Seeds 8-9 in each conference will qualify for the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card games.

• Two single-game elimination matches hosted by the higher seed.
• If the score of a Wild Card game is tied at the end of regulation, no extra time will be played, the teams will participate in penalty kicks to determine the winner.
• The winner of each Wild Card game advances to the Round One Best-of-3 series to face the conference’s No. 1 seed.
  • Eastern Conference Wild Card Match: No. 8 against No. 9
  • Western Conference Wild Card Match: No. 8 against No. 9

• Each round one game will have a winner; no tie, no total score.
• The matches are organized in one home-away-home format:
  • Match 1: higher seed hosts
  • Match 2: lower seed hosts
  • Match 3: higher seed hosts
• If a game is tied at the end of regulation, no extra time will be played, the teams will participate in penalty kicks to decide the winner.
• The first team to win two matches advances.
• Four teams from each conference advance to the conference semifinals.
  • Eastern Conference Round 1 Best-of-3 Series
    • No. 1 against No. 8 or 9
    • No. 2 against No. 7
    • No. 3 against No. 6
    • No. 4 against No. 5
  • Western Conference Round 1 Best-of-3 series
    • No. 1 against No. 8 or 9
    • No. 2 against No. 7
    • No. 3 against No. 6
    • No. 4 against No. 5

• Single-game elimination matches, hosted by the higher seeds.
• If the score for a semifinal game is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra periods are played in full. If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra periods, the teams will participate in penalty kicks to determine the winner.
• Winners of the conference semifinals advance to the conference finals.
  • Eastern Conference Semifinals
    • Winner of No. 1 vs. No. 8/9 series vs. winner of No. 4 vs. No. 5 series
    • Winner of No. 3 vs. No. 6 series vs. winner of No. 2 vs. No. 7 series
  • Western Conference Semifinals
    • Winner of No. 1 vs. No. 8/9 series vs. winner of No. 4 vs. No. 5 series
    • Winner of No. 3 vs. No. 6 series vs. winner of No. 2 vs. No. 7 series

• Single-elimination match hosted by the higher seed.
• If the score of a conference finals game is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra periods will be played in their entirety. If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra periods, the teams will participate in penalty kicks to determine the winner.
• The winner of each conference final match advances to the MLS Cup presented by Audi.
  • Eastern Conference Final: highest advancing seed vs. lowest advancing seed
  • Western Conference Final: highest advancing seed vs. lowest advancing seed

• A single match hosted by the higher seed.
• If the game is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra periods are played in their entirety. If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra periods, the teams will participate in penalty kicks to determine the winner.
• MLS Cup presented by Audi: Eastern Conference Champion vs Western Conference Champion

The MLS Season Pass will feature every match in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs as well as the 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 feature commentary in French.

Fans in the US 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 the MLS Cup, will also be available through FOX Sports in the US and TSN and RDS in Canada. Linear programming schedules and game selections for the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs will be announced at a later date.