

Real Salt Lake Takes on the Portland Timbers in the Wild Card Game
Head to the Beer Bar in SLC to Support RSL in The Wild Card Game

Real Salt Lake Takes on the Portland Timbers in the Wild Card Game
Head to the Beer Bar in SLC to Support RSL in The Wild Card Game
A total of 18 clubs will qualify for the postseason – the top nine from Eastern Conference and the top nine from the Western Conference. Seeds 1–7 earn automatic entry into the Round One Best-of-3 Series, while seeds 8–9 face off in a single-match Wild Card. The 2025 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs begin in late October, with the MLS Cup Final scheduled for December 6. A full breakdown of the playoffs can be found here.
Wild Card | Wednesday, October 22 |
Round One Best-of-3 Series | Friday, October 24 - Sunday, November 9 |
Conference Semifinals | Saturday, November 22 - Sunday, November 23 |
Conference Finals | Saturday, November 29 - Sunday, November 30 |
2025 MLS Cup Presented by Audi | Saturday, December 6 |


(Via Mlssoccer.com)
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.
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