The 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs (branded as the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons) was the post-season championship of Major League Soccer (MLS), the top soccer league in the United States and Canada. It was the 28th edition of the MLS Cup Playoffs, the tournament culminating at the end of the 2023 season. The playoffs began on October 25 and concluded with MLS Cup 2023 on December 9.[1]
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| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States Canada |
| Dates | October 25 – December 9 |
| Teams | 18 |
| Defending champions | Los Angeles FC |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Columbus Crew (3rd title) |
| Runner-up | Los Angeles FC |
| Semifinalists | |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 28 |
| Goals scored | 78 (2.79 per match) |
| Attendance | 646,677 (23,096 per match) |
| Top goal scorer(s) |  Denis Bouanga Cucho Hernández(5 goals each) |
Los Angeles FC entered the playoffs as the defending MLS Cup champions. FC Cincinnati entered as Supporters' Shield winners, but were eliminated by Columbus Crew in the Conference Finals. Charlotte FC and St. Louis City SC reached the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time in 2023, the latter qualifying in their debut MLS season.
Columbus Crew won a third MLS Cup title after defeating Los Angeles FC 2–1.
Format edit
The playoffs featured a new format from previous years with an expanded field of 18 teams—the top nine teams from each conference. The eighth and ninth-placed teams in each conference contested a single wild card match with only a penalty shoot-out occurring if the game was tied. Round One comprised a best-of-three format with higher seeds playing against lower seeds, for the first time since 1999. The round did not have the aggregate score kept, and tied matches proceeded directly to a penalty shoot-out to determine the winner. The remaining three rounds — the Conference Semifinals, Conference Final, and MLS Cup — were single-elimination matches played with extra time and a penalty shoot-out if still tied.[1][2] The higher seed hosted the match in all rounds except for the best-of-three series in Round One, where the lower seed hosted the second of three possible matches. All matches were broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass, a streaming service operated by Apple.[1]
The introduction of a best-of-three round and the expanded field, which allowed 62% of the league's 29 teams to qualify for the playoffs, were criticized for being more confusing and diluting the competition.[3] It was the first major revamp of the playoff format since 2019, when all rounds were switched to single-elimination matches.[4] The format added more matches, including home games for lower seeds, and was developed with fan input according to MLS officials; other outlets noted that new broadcaster Apple TV would benefit from the additional matches.[5][6] The new playoff format was announced on February 21, 2023, shortly before the start of the regular season;[7] earlier media reports indicated that another format with a round-robin group stage was also considered.[8]
Unlike regular season matches, playoff matches did not have a sixth substitute added for periods of extra time. Players were suspended for a match after accumulating three yellow cards; the suspension applied to the next match, whether it was in the playoffs or the 2024 regular season. In the event that a playoff match could not be played and neither team had forfeited or is at fault, the team with the higher points per game during the 2023 regular season would advance.[9][10]
Qualified teams edit
The playoffs were contested by eighteen teams. The date listed indicates when each team qualified for the playoffs.
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Conference standings edit
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Eastern Conference
Source: MLS
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Western Conference
Source: MLS
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Bracket edit
The higher seeded teams hosted single-elimination matches, with the MLS Cup host determined by overall points in the Supporters' Shield table. During the best-of-three round, the team with higher seed hosted the first match, and the third match if necessary.
Wild Card round edit
Eastern Conference edit
Western Conference edit
Round One edit
| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Match 1 | Match 2 | Match 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | |||||
| FC Cincinnati | 2–0 | New York Red Bulls | 3–0 | 1–1 (8–7 p) | — |
| Orlando City SC | 2–0 | Nashville SC | 1–0 | 1–0 | — |
| Columbus Crew | 2–1 | Atlanta United FC | 2–0 | 2–4 | 4–2 |
| Philadelphia Union | 2–0 | New England Revolution | 3–1 | 1–0 | — |
| Western Conference | |||||
| St. Louis City SC | 0–2 | Sporting Kansas City | 1–4 | 1–2 | — |
| Seattle Sounders FC | 2–1 | FC Dallas | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–0 |
| Los Angeles FC | 2–0 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 5–2 | 1–0 | — |
| Houston Dynamo FC | 2–1 | Real Salt Lake | 2–1 | 1–1 (4–5 p) | 1–1 (4–3 p) |
Eastern Conference edit
FC Cincinnati won the series 2–0.
Orlando City SC won the series 2–0.
| Atlanta United FC | 4–2 | Columbus Crew |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
| Columbus Crew | 4–2 | Atlanta United FC |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
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Columbus Crew won the series 2–1.
Philadelphia Union won the series 2–0.
Western Conference edit
Sporting Kansas City won the series 2–0.
Seattle Sounders FC won the series 2–1.
| Los Angeles FC | 5–2 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 0–1 | Los Angeles FC |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Los Angeles FC won the series 2–0.
Houston Dynamo FC won the series 2–1.
Conference semifinals edit
The higher-seeded team as determined by regular season ranking hosted the match.[1]
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | ||
| Orlando City SC | 0–2 (a.e.t.) | Columbus Crew |
| FC Cincinnati | 1–0 | Philadelphia Union |
| Western Conference | ||
| Houston Dynamo FC | 1–0 | Sporting Kansas City |
| Seattle Sounders FC | 0–1 | Los Angeles FC |
Eastern Conference edit
Western Conference edit
Conference finals edit
The higher-seeded team as determined by regular season ranking hosted the match.[1]
Eastern Conference edit
Western Conference edit
| Los Angeles FC | 2–0 | Houston Dynamo FC |
|---|---|---|
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Report |
MLS Cup 2023 edit
The highest-ranked finalist in the overall Supporters' Shield table (Columbus Crew) hosted the match.[1][23]
Top goalscorers edit
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f "MLS announces new playoff format for 2023 season". Major League Soccer. February 21, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ "MLS adds best-of-3 series to expanded playoffs for 2023 season". ESPN. February 21, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ Anderson, Jason (February 21, 2023). "MLS has a new playoff format, and it's complicated". Pro Soccer Wire. USA Today. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ Maurer, Pablo; Rueter, Jeff (February 21, 2023). "MLS expanding playoffs to 9 teams per conference, first round will be best-of-3 series: Sources". The Athletic. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ Tannenwald, Jonathan (February 21, 2023). "MLS changes its playoff format again, now guaranteeing home games for more teams". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ Peterson, Anne M. (February 21, 2023). "MLS expands playoffs to 9 teams from each conference". Associated Press. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ Davidson, Neil (February 21, 2023). "MLS revamps and expands post-season format for upcoming 2023 season". CBC Sports. The Canadian Press. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ "What's driving MLS' reported playoff revamp? Is a World Cup-style postseason the right move?". ESPN. October 27, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ "2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Media Guide". Major League Soccer. October 27, 2023. pp. 8–10. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
- ^ "2023 MLS Competition Guidelines". Major League Soccer. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
- ^ Roberson, Doug (September 23, 2023). "Atlanta United clinches MLS playoff berth with win over Montreal". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
- ^ "Charlotte FC clinch Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. October 21, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
- ^ a b c "How things stand: Major League Soccer". Soccer America. September 21, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
- ^ Brennan, Pat (August 31, 2023). "FC Cincinnati has its playoff berth. Now, it's closing in on MLS history". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ "Nashville SC clinch Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. September 30, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ "New England Revolution clinch Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. September 23, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
- ^ "New York Red Bulls clinch Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. October 21, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
- ^ "FC Dallas clinch Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. October 21, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Sigal, Jonathan (October 5, 2023). "Team of the Matchday: Five Western Conference teams clinch playoffs in Matchday 36". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ Timmermann, Tom (September 21, 2023). "St. Louis City SC clinches playoff spot after tie with LAFC and results elsewhere". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
- ^ "San Jose Earthquakes clinch Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. October 21, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
- ^ "Sporting Kansas City clinch Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSsoccer.com. October 21, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
- ^ "MLS Cup 2023 hosting scenarios: Where will the final be held?". Major League Soccer. November 12, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ "MLS Player Stats". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. Retrieved December 9, 2023.