MLS Decision Day 2023: Playoff picture, clinching scenarios, how to watch season finales
The 2023 Major League Soccer regular season has reached its final day, as all but one team (sorry, D.C. United) will take part in the league's Decision Day on Saturday.
The dramatic day of soccer-football begins at 6 p.m. ET with seven matchups between Eastern Conference teams, each of which could have some impact on the final playoff picture. Supporters' Shield winners FC Cincinnati has clinched home-field advantage through MLS Cup, should the team be fortunate enough to advance that far. Two playoff spots still are up for grabs, with five teams — CF Montréal, New York Red Bulls, Chicago Fire FC, Charlotte FC and New York City FC — in contention for those berths.
In the Western Conference, expansion team St. Louis City SC has clinched first place in one of the 2023 season's most stunning developments. On the season's final day, the Portland Timbers, FC Dallas, San Jose Earthquakes, Sporting Kansas City and Minnesota United FC will vie for the conference's final three playoff spots.
Some storylines to follow for Saturday's MLS Decision Day:
➤ Securing valuable top-four seeds: The league's new playoff format puts extra emphasis on finishing in the top four in the conference, as those teams will host two of the three Round 1 games. In the Eastern Conference, FC Cincinnati and Orlando City SC already have top-four seeds wrapped up, but the Philadelphia Union, Columbus Crew and New England Revolution will take aim at the last two top-four seeds on Decision Day. In the Western Conference, St. Louis City SC and defending MLS Cup champion Los Angeles FC already have top-four seeds clinched, with Seattle Sounders FC, Houston Dynamo FC, Real Salt Lake and Vancouver Whitecaps FC vying for the final two top four seeds.
➤ Can Lionel Messi and Inter Miami play spoiler? Inter Miami was eliminated from playoff contention after a loss to Supporters' Shield winners FC Cincinnati on Oct. 7. However, Inter Miami can still impact the final playoff picture in its game against postseason hopeful Charlotte FC, which needs a win and some help to qualify for its first playoff appearance. Making Charlotte FC's playoff push an even greater challenge is that Messi has indicated his intent to play in the regular-season finale.
➤ Can St. Louis City SC make expansion history? A win against the Seattle Sounders in the regular-season finale would give St. Louis the most points ever for an MLS expansion team, besting Los Angeles FC's 57 points from the 2018 season. St. Louis already is the first major U.S. men's pro sports expansion team to win its regular-season conference title. An MLS Cup win would make St. Louis City SC the greatest expansion team in American sports history, surpassing the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights, who reached the 2018 Stanley Cup Final.
➤ Can New York Red Bulls keep playoff streak going? RBNY currently owns the longest active playoff streak among major U.S. pro sports leagues at 13 seasons (MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers own the next-best streak at 11, followed by the NBA's Boston Celtics at nine and NFL's Kansas City Chiefs at eight). The Red Bulls currently are tied with the Seattle Sounders (2009-2021) for longest playoff streak in league history; qualification would give RBNY an MLS-record 14th consecutive postseason appearance.
➤ Can Chicago Fire FC end league's longest playoff drought? The Chicago Fire have missed the postseason the previous five years, but are in position to finally make the playoff field with a win and some help.
What are the 2023 MLS Decision Day matchups?
Charlotte FC vs. Inter Miami CF, 6 p.m. ET
FC Cincinnati vs. Atlanta United FC, 6 p.m. ET
Columbus Crew vs. CF Montréal, 6 p.m. ET
New York City FC vs. Chicago Fire FC, 6 p.m. ET
Nashville SC vs. New York Red Bulls, 6 p.m. ET
Toronto FC vs. Orlando City SC, 6 p.m. ET
Colorado Rapids vs. Real Salt Lake, 9 p.m. ET
Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United FC, 9 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. FC Dallas, 9 p.m. ET
Portland Timbers vs. Houston Dynamo FC, 9 p.m. ET
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Austin FC, 9 p.m. ET
St. Louis City SC vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 9 p.m. ET
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Los Angeles FC, 9 p.m. ET
All games are available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
What is the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs format and schedule?
A total of 18 teams qualify for the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs — the top nine finishers from each conference.
The eighth- and ninth-place finishers in each conference will play in wild-card matches. The top seven seeds qualify for the Round 1 best-of-three series.
Here is the playoff schedule:
Oct. 25-26: Wild-card matches (single-elimination matches)
Oct. 28-Nov. 12: Round 1 (best-of-three series)
Nov. 25-Dec. 3: Conference semifinals and finals (single-elimination matches)
Dec. 9: MLS Cup (single winner-take-all match)
MLS playoff picture
Heading into MLS Decision Day, these would be the MLS playoff matchups through the first round …
EASTERN CONFERENCE
➤ Clinched playoff spots: Atlanta United, FC Cincinnati, Columbus Crew, Orlando City, Nashville SC, New England Revolution and Philadelphia Union.
➤ Eliminated from playoff contention: D.C. United, Inter Miami CF and Toronto FC.
➤ FC Cincinnati has clinched the Supporters' Shield and has home-field advantage throughout the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Wild-card match:
CF Montréal (No. 8 seed) vs. New York Red Bulls (9)
Round 1 (best-of-three series)
FC Cincinnati (1) vs. CF Montréal (8)-New York Red Bulls (9) winner
Orlando City SC (2) vs. Nashville SC (7)
Philadelphia Union (3) vs. Atlanta United (6)
Columbus Crew (4) vs. New England Revolution (5)
WESTERN CONFERENCE
➤ Clinched playoff spots: Houston Dynamo FC, Los Angeles FC, Real Salt Lake, Seattle Sounders FC, St. Louis City SC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
➤ Eliminated from playoff contention: Austin FC, Colorado Rapids and Los Angeles Galaxy.
➤ St. Louis City SC has clinched the conference's top playoff seed.
Wild-card match
FC Dallas (No. 8 seed) vs. San Jose Earthquakes (9)
Round 1 (best-of-three series)
St. Louis City SC (1) vs. FC Dallas (8)-San Jose Earthquakes (9) winner
Los Angeles FC (2) vs. Portland Timbers (7)
Seattle Sounders FC (3) vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (6)
Houston Dynamo FC (4) vs. Real Salt Lake (5)
Clinching scenarios for 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs
EASTERN CONFERENCE
CF Montréal can clinch playoff berth with:
Win
Chicago Fire FC loss or draw and Charlotte FC loss or draw
Chicago Fire FC loss or draw and New York Red Bulls loss or draw
Charlotte FC loss or draw and New York Red Bulls loss or draw
New York Red Bulls can clinch playoff berth with:
Win and CF Montréal loss or draw
Win and Chicago Fire FC loss or draw
Win and advantage in tiebreakers over Chicago Fire FC
Draw and Chicago Fire FC loss or draw and Charlotte FC loss or draw
Chicago Fire FC can clinch playoff berth with:
Win and CF Montréal loss or draw
Win and New York Red Bulls loss or draw
Win and advantage in tiebreakers over New York Red Bulls
Draw and New York Red Bulls loss and Charlotte FC loss or draw
Charlotte FC can clinch playoff berth with:
Win and CF Montréal loss or draw and Chicago Fire FC loss or draw
Win and CF Montréal loss or draw and New York Red Bulls loss or draw
Win and Chicago Fire FC loss or draw and New York Red Bulls loss or draw
New York City FC can clinch playoff berth with:
Win and New York Red Bulls loss and Charlotte FC loss or draw
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland Timbers can clinch playoff berth with:
Win
Draw and San Jose Earthquakes draw
Draw and FC Dallas draw
San Jose Earthquakes loss
FC Dallas loss
Sporting Kansas City draw
FC Dallas can clinch playoff berth with:
Win
Draw and Portland Timbers loss
Draw and San Jose Earthquakes loss or draw
San Jose Earthquakes loss and advantage in tiebreakers over Earthquakes
Sporting Kansas City draw
San Jose Earthquakes can clinch playoff berth with:
Win
Draw and Portland Timbers loss
Draw and FC Dallas loss
FC Dallas loss and advantage on tiebreakers over FC Dallas
Sporting Kansas City draw
Sporting Kansas City can clinch playoff berth with:
Win and Portland Timbers loss or draw
Win and San Jose Earthquakes loss or draw
Win and FC Dallas loss or draw
Minnesota United FC can clinch playoff berth with:
Win and Portland Timbers loss or draw
Win and San Jose Earthquakes loss or draw
Win and FC Dallas loss or draw
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLS Cup playoff picture 2023: Lionel Messi, Inter Miami eliminated
