 | |
| 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) |
← 2022
2024 →
| |
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]
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.
The playoffs featured a new format from previous years with an expanded field of 18 teams—the top nine teams from each conference. The top seven teams in each conference automatically qualify for Round One while the eighth and ninth-placed teams in each conference contested a single wild card match for the right to play the No. 1 seed in their conference, 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][11]
The playoffs were contested by eighteen teams. The date listed indicates when each team qualified for the playoffs.
|
|
|
Eastern Conference
Source: MLS
|
Western Conference
Source: MLS
|
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.
| New York Red Bulls | 5–2 | Charlotte FC |
|---|---|---|
 26' 56' |
Report |
64' |
Attendance: 16,074
Referee: Ismail Elfath
| Sporting Kansas City | 0–0 | San Jose Earthquakes |
|---|---|---|
| Report | ||
| Penalties | ||
  |
4–2 |
Yueill Skahan Akapo |
Attendance: 17,437
Referee: Allen Chapman
| 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) |
| FC Cincinnati | 3–0 | New York Red Bulls |
|---|---|---|
35' |
Report |
Attendance: 24,022
Referee: Rubiel Vazquez
| New York Red Bulls | 1–1 | FC Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Barlow 45' |
Report | Boupendza 75' |
| Penalties | ||
|
|
7–8 |
Kubo Arias Vázquez Barreal Miazga Boupendza Santos Mosquera Moreno |
Attendance: 20,044
Referee: Victor Rivas
FC Cincinnati won the series 2–0.
| Orlando City SC | 1–0 | Nashville SC |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Attendance: 19,744
Referee: Armando Villarreal
| Nashville SC | 0–1 | Orlando City SC |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Attendance: 25,315
Referee: Allen Chapman
Orlando City SC won the series 2–0.
| Columbus Crew | 2–0 | Atlanta United FC |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Attendance: 20,176
Referee: Lukasz Szpala
| Atlanta United FC | 4–2 | Columbus Crew |
|---|---|---|
45+4' 83' 88' |
Report |
90+5' |
Attendance: 41,850
Referee: Chris Penso
| Columbus Crew | 4–2 | Atlanta United FC |
|---|---|---|
17' 33' 47' |
Report |
50' |
Attendance: 20,182
Referee: Armando Villarreal
Columbus Crew won the series 2–1.
| Philadelphia Union | 3–1 | New England Revolution |
|---|---|---|
|
26' 37' |
Report |
|
Attendance: 19,778
Referee: Pierre-Luc Lauziere
| New England Revolution | 0–1 | Philadelphia Union |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Attendance: 15,214
Referee: Drew Fischer
Philadelphia Union won the series 2–0.
| St. Louis City SC | 1–4 | Sporting Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
36' 39' 61' |
Attendance: 22,423
Referee: Ted Unkel
| Sporting Kansas City | 2–1 | St. Louis City SC |
|---|---|---|
73' |
Report |
|
Attendance: 21,650
Referee: Ismail Elfath
Sporting Kansas City won the series 2–0.
| Seattle Sounders FC | 2–0 | FC Dallas |
|---|---|---|
|
74' |
Report |
Attendance: 30,741
Referee: Joseph Dickerson
| FC Dallas | 3–1 | Seattle Sounders FC |
|---|---|---|
18' (pen.) 89' |
Report |
|
Attendance: 19,096
Referee: Rosendo Mendoza
| Seattle Sounders FC | 1–0 | FC Dallas |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Attendance: 33,048
Referee: Fotis Bazakos
Seattle Sounders FC won the series 2–1.
| Los Angeles FC | 5–2 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
|---|---|---|
29', 64' 80' |
Report |
40' |
Attendance: 22,002
Referee: Jon Freemon
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 0–1 | Los Angeles FC |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Attendance: 30,204
Referee: Timothy Ford
Los Angeles FC won the series 2–0.
| Houston Dynamo FC | 2–1 | Real Salt Lake |
|---|---|---|
79' |
Report |
|
Attendance: 17,508
Referee: Guido Gonzales Jr.
| Real Salt Lake | 1–1 | Houston Dynamo FC |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
| Penalties | ||
|
|
5–4 |
Carrasquilla Úlfarrson Dorsey Quiñónes |
Attendance: 20,251
Referee: Fotis Bazakos
| Houston Dynamo FC | 1–1 | Real Salt Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Baird 28' |
Report | Luna 65' |
| Penalties | ||
|
|
4–3 |
Rubin Luna Vera Musovski |
Attendance: 16,374
Referee: Chris Penso
Houston Dynamo FC won the series 2–1.
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 |
| Orlando City SC | 0–2 (a.e.t.) | Columbus Crew |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
118' |
Attendance: 25,527
Referee: Jon Freemon
| FC Cincinnati | 1–0 | Philadelphia Union |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Attendance: 25,513
Referee: Ismail Elfath
| Houston Dynamo FC | 1–0 | Sporting Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Attendance: 20,319
Referee: Guido Gonzales Jr.
| Seattle Sounders FC | 0–1 | Los Angeles FC |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Attendance: 33,649
Referee: Ted Unkel
The higher-seeded team as determined by regular season ranking hosted the match.[1]
| FC Cincinnati | 2–3 (a.e.t.) | Columbus Crew |
|---|---|---|
45+3' |
Report |
86' 115' |
Attendance: 25,513
Referee: Allen Chapman
| Los Angeles FC | 2–0 | Houston Dynamo FC |
|---|---|---|
80' (o.g.) |
Report |
Attendance: 22,221
Referee: Victor Rivas
The highest-ranked finalist in the overall Supporters' Shield table (Columbus Crew) hosted the match.[1][24]
| Columbus Crew | 2–1 | Los Angeles FC |
|---|---|---|
| Goals: Cucho Hernández 33' (pen.)Yaw Yeboah 37'Cards: Malte Amundsen  61'Aidan Morris 90+3'Diego Rossi 90' |
Final Score per half: 2–0,0–1 Report |
Goals: Dénis Bouanga 74'Cards: Carlos Vela 49'Timothy Tillman 53'Ilie Sánchez 67'Diego Palacios 85' |
Attendance: 20,802
Referee: Armando Villarreal
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