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2023 MLS season predictions: Expert picks for MLS Cup, MVP award, Supporters' Shield

usa today network
·3 min read

With the 2023 Major League Soccer season kicking off this weekend, we surveyed USA TODAY Network's team of soccer experts for their predictions on how the new season will shake out.

Can Los Angeles FC become the first repeat MLS Cup winner since the Los Angeles Galaxy did it more than a decade ago in 2011-12? Which teams are the top contenders for the league championship? Who will win league MVP honors? Which player will score the most goals and claim the Golden Boot?

MLS SEASON PREVIEW: What should fans expect from MLS in 2023? How about some chaos?

WHO WILL WIN MLS MVP? Top candidates and betting odds for league's best players

NEW PLAYOFF FORMAT: MLS unveils postseason format for 2023. It's unorthodox and complicated.

The Philadelphia Union and midfielder Dániel Gazdag are projected to have a big season in 2023.
The Philadelphia Union and midfielder Dániel Gazdag are projected to have a big season in 2023.

Here's how we see the 2023 MLS season unfolding (important note: an asterisk denotes which team is predicted to win the wild-card playoff games between eighth and ninth seeds):

Jason Anderson, Pro Soccer Wire

MLS Cup: Philadelphia Union over Seattle Sounders

Eastern Conference playoff teams:

  1. Philadelphia Union

  2. FC Cincinnati

  3. Orlando City

  4. New York City FC

  5. New England Revolution

  6. New York Red Bulls

  7. Nashville SC

  8. Atlanta United

  9. Toronto FC*

Western Conference playoff teams:

  1. Austin FC

  2. Los Angeles FC

  3. Seattle Sounders

  4. Sporting Kansas City

  5. Portland Timbers

  6. FC Dallas

  7. Los Angeles Galaxy

  8. Colorado Rapids

  9. Real Salt Lake*

Supporters' Shield winner: Philadelphia Union

MVP: Sebastián Driussi, Austin FC

Golden Boot: Hany Mukhtar, Nashville SC

Pat Brennan, Cincinnati Enquirer

MLS Cup: Philadelphia Union over Los Angeles FC

Eastern Conference playoff teams:

  1. Philadelphia Union

  2. Toronto FC

  3. Nashville SC

  4. FC Cincinnati

  5. inter Miami CF

  6. New York Red Bulls

  7. New England Revolution

  8. Columbus Crew*

  9. New York City FC

Western Conference playoff teams:

  1. Austin FC

  2. Los Angeles FC

  3. FC Dallas

  4. Seattle Sounders

  5. Minnesota United

  6. Portland Timbers

  7. Los Angeles Galaxy

  8. Real Salt Lake*

  9. Vancouver Whitecaps

Supporters’ Shield winner: Philadelphia Union

MVP: Andre Blake, Philadelphia Union

Golden Boot: Brandon Vazquez, FC Cincinnati

Drake Hills, The Tennessean

MLS Cup: Philadelphia Union over Seattle Sounders FC

Eastern Conference playoff teams: 

  1. New York City FC

  2. Philadelphia Union

  3. Toronto FC

  4. Orlando City

  5. Atlanta United

  6. Nashville SC

  7. FC Cincinnati

  8. Columbus Crew*

Western Conference playoff teams:

  1. Austin FC

  2. Los Angeles FC

  3. Seattle Sounders FC

  4. Los Angeles Galaxy

  5. FC Dallas

  6. Sporting Kansas City

  7. Portland Timbers

  8. San Jose Earthquakes*

Supporters’ Shield winner: Philadelphia Union

MVP: Lorenzo Insigne, Toronto FC

Golden Boot: Sebastián Driussi, Austin FC

Bailey Johnson, The Columbus Dispatch

MLS Cup: Philadelphia Union over Los Angeles FC

Eastern Conference playoff teams:

  1. Philadelphia Union

  2. FC Cincinnati

  3. Orlando City

  4. New York Red Bulls

  5. Toronto FC

  6. Columbus Crew

  7. Atlanta United

  8. New England Revolution*

  9. Nashville SC

Western Conference playoff teams: 

  1. Los Angeles FC

  2. Austin FC

  3. Seattle Sounders

  4. Portland Timbers

  5. FC Dallas

  6. Los Angeles Galaxy

  7. Sporting Kansas City

  8. Real Salt Lake

  9. Minnesota United*

Supporters' Shield winner: Philadelphia Union

MVP: Sebastián Driussi, Austin FC

Golden Boot: Cucho Hernández, Columbus Crew

Jim Reineking, USA TODAY Sports

MLS Cup: Los Angeles FC over FC Cincinnati

Eastern Conference playoff teams:

  1. Philadelphia Union

  2. FC Cincinnati

  3. New York Red Bulls

  4. Toronto FC

  5. Atlanta United

  6. Orlando City

  7. New York City FC

  8. Nashville SC*

  9. Inter Miami CF

Western Conference playoff teams:

  1. Los Angeles FC

  2. Austin FC

  3. Seattle Sounders

  4. Los Angeles Galaxy

  5. Portland Timbers

  6. FC Dallas

  7. Sporting Kansas City

  8. Vancouver Whitecaps*

  9. Real Salt Lake

Supporters’ Shield winner: Philadelphia Union

MVP: Dániel Gazdag, Philadelphia Union

Golden Boot: Sebastián Driussi, Austin FC

Seth Vertelney, Pro Soccer Wire

MLS Cup: Philadelphia Union over Seattle Sounders

Eastern Conference playoff teams:

  1. Philadelphia Union

  2. Orlando City

  3. FC Cincinnati

  4. Toronto FC

  5. New York City FC

  6. New York Red Bulls

  7. Charlotte FC

  8. Atlanta United*

  9. Columbus Crew

Western Conference playoff teams:

  1. Seattle Sounders

  2. Los Angeles FC

  3. Austin FC

  4. Portland Timbers

  5. FC Dallas

  6. Sporting Kansas City

  7. Colorado Rapids

  8. Minnesota United

  9. Vancouver Whitecaps*

Supporters' Shield winner: Philadelphia Union

MVP: Sebastián Driussi, Austin FC

Golden Boot: Sebastián Driussi, Austin FC

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: MLS 2023: MLS Cup, playoff teams, MVP, Golden Boot predictions