Main League Soccer is seeking to as soon as once more change its MLS Cup Playoffs format, which I am guessing is lastly motivated heading into the 2026 cycle with the US together with Canada and Mexico internet hosting the World Cup.

This is a glance again at the way it has modified or expanded its playoffs many instances throughout its existence and this is the way it has modified during the last 26 years.

1996-1999 (8 Groups with a minimal of 13 Matches to a most of 19 matches)

Within the first 4 seasons of MLS, the playoffs included eight groups, who would play a best-of-three collection to advance to the convention semifinals and finals. No ties had been allowed and the groups would go to penalty kicks to find out the winner of the match. The MLS Cup Last can be a one-game encounter.

2000-2002 (8 Groups with a minimal of 13 Matches to a most of 19 matches, The Better of Three collection nonetheless remained, however with a Factors System added)

In 2000, Main League Soccer made a slight change to the playoff format by including a factors system, giving a staff 3 factors for a win, 1 level for a tie, and nil factors for a loss, with a staff needing 5 factors. factors to advance to the subsequent spherical, with the very best of three collection nonetheless in use. As wanted, added sudden demise additional time (ASDET) and sudden demise additional time (SDET) throughout the playoffs had been included. The MLS Cup Last remained a one-game match.

2003-2010 (8 Groups and 11 Video games Performed)

In 2003, MLS as soon as once more modified its playoff format and as an alternative of the best-of-three collection, the Convention Semifinal can be a two-game back-and-forth mixture collection. The staff that had the best rating would play its house sport within the second leg of the collection. The Convention Finals would develop into a single match and the MLS Cup Last would proceed to be a single match.

2011 (10 Groups and 13 Video games Performed)

2011 was the primary playoff collection to incorporate ten MLS groups with the playoffs containing 4 groups (seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth seeds) taking part in a Play-In spherical match, which occurred to incorporate a crossover collection with the Columbus Crew (Japanese Desk) enjoying Colorado Rapids (West Desk) and the New York Purple Bulls (East Desk) enjoying FC Dallas (West Desk) The format of the Convention Semifinals, Finals and MLS Cup would stay the identical. identical as beforehand performed.

2012-2014 (10 Groups and 15 Video games Performed)

In 2012, the Play-In (Wild Card) eradicated the crossover collection seen solely in 2011. The primary spherical can be only a one-off matchup between the fourth- and fifth-place groups from every Convention. The Convention Semifinals and Convention Championship collection had been held in a home-and-away aggregate-goal format. The staff with the bottom seed within the Convention Semifinal hosts the primary sport and the best seed hosts the second. The MLS Cup Last would stay a one-game match.

2015-2018 (12 Groups and 17 Video games Performed)

Spherical-trip home-and-away collection with 1 match Knockout spherical (3dr4the5the & 6the Seeds in every Convention)

In 2015, MLS would once more improve the variety of groups that made the playoffs from 10 to 12 groups. The primary spherical would solely be a single sport between the third, fourth, fifth and sixth groups from every convention. The format of the MLS semifinals, finals and playoffs would stay the identical as beforehand performed.

2019, 2021-Present (14 Groups and 13 Video games Performed)

In 2019, the highest seven groups from every convention superior to a single-elimination bracket, with the highest staff from every convention incomes a first-round bye.

2020 (18 Groups and 17 Video games Performed)

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, MLS introduced that the ultimate common season standings and playoff qualification can be decided by factors per sport reasonably than whole factors, as not all groups had been capable of play all 23 video games. the common season.

It will even be a play-in spherical the place seventh-place Nashville SC performed and beat tenth-place Inter Miami CF whereas eighth-place New England Revolution beat ninth-place Montreal Influence. .

The highest-seeded staff hosted matches within the first three rounds with the common season staff with the very best report to host the MLS Cup Last.

In 2021 we’d see MLS return to the newer playoff format that they used throughout the 2019 season, which the followers appeared to just accept due to its fast-paced format and with total attendance at MLS Cup Playoff video games has been good, however I’ve than questioning what to increase. playoff video games for almost double for soccer within the US throughout an already busy fall sports activities season, but it surely appears like we’ll discover out quickly sufficient.