Wild Card explained: Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs

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Major League Soccer

·20 October 2025

Wild Card explained: Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs

By MLSsoccer staff

The Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs begin on Wednesday, Oct. 22 with two Wild Card matches.

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Who plays?

To begin the 18-team playoff field, there are two single-game elimination matches (Eastern Conference No. 8 vs. No. 9; Western Conference No. 8 vs. No. 9).

Eastern Conference

(8) Chicago Fire FC vs. (9) Orlando City

WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 22 | 8:30 pm ET
WATCH: MLS Season Pass, Apple TV
WHERE: SeatGeek Stadium

Western Conference

(8) Portland Timbers vs. (9) Real Salt Lake

WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 22 | 10:30 pm ET
WATCH: MLS Season Pass, Apple TV
WHERE: Providence Park

How does it work?

PK shootout: If a Wild Card game is tied at the end of regulation time (90 minutes), no extra time will be played. There will immediately be a penalty kick shootout to determine the winner.

Single elimination: The winner of each Wild Card match will advance to the Round One Best-of-3 Series, where they will face the conference's No. 1 seed – either the Philadelphia Union (East) or San Diego FC (West). The loser's playoff journey ends.

What's next?

The Wild Card winners advance to a Round One Best-of-3 Series against their conference's top seed.

At this stage, matches tied after regulation go straight to a penalty kick shootout (no ties). The matches will be hosted in a home-away-home format; the first team to two wins advances.

The Round One Best-of-3 Series spans from Friday, October 24 to Sunday, November 9.

Eastern Conference Round One Best-of-3 Series

No. 1 Philadelphia Union vs. Wild Card winner
No. 2 FC Cincinnati vs. No. 7 Columbus Crew
No. 3 Inter Miami CF vs. No. 6 Nashville SC
No. 4 Charlotte FC vs. No. 5 New York City FC

Western Conference Round One Best-of-3 Series

No. 1 San Diego FC vs. Wild Card winner
No. 2 Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. No. 7 FC Dallas
No. 3 LAFC vs. No. 6 Austin FC
No. 4 Minnesota United FC vs. No. 5 Seattle Sounders FC

When is MLS Cup?

Date: MLS Cup presented by Audi is set for December 6.

Hosting: Hosting rights are awarded to the finalist with the better regular-season record. If both finalists have the same amount of regular-season points, the team with more wins – or, if they're tied in that category, better goal difference – will host MLS Cup.