2024 MLS Cup: Playoffs, schedule, brackets, Messi, teams, players, final

 

The 2024 Major League Soccer (MLS) season in North America is heading towards its conclusion, with the region’s top club football teams vying for a chance to lift the coveted MLS Cup.

The 2024 tournament is expected to attract a wider global audience with the inclusion of football icon Lionel Messi’s team, Inter Miami, who have qualified for the playoffs for the first time.

How does the MLS season work?

The 29 MLS teams are divided into two conferences – eastern and western – and play a series of home and away matches in a league format, known as the regular season.

The team at the top of the league at the end of the regular season is awarded the Supporters’ Shield – won by Messi’s Inter Miami in 2024 – and the league then moves towards the MLS Cup.

What’s the MLS Cup and what’s its format?

Known as the pinnacle of the North American football season, the MLS Cup crowns the MLS champion after a series of knockout games – known in North American sports as playoffs.

The top seven teams from each conference automatically make it to the playoffs. The eighth club in each conference is determined through a wildcard playoff between the next two sides in each conference, respectively.

How do the MLS Cup Playoffs work?

The playoffs are played by conference and the eastern and western winners then meet for the MLS Cup final at the end of the season.

In the quarterfinals of each conference, teams must win a best-of-three series of matches to advance. There are no aggregate scores and no ties at that stage. The team that finishes higher in the league hosts the first match. In the case of a draw, the game goes directly to penalty kicks – no extra time.

The conference semifinals, finals and MLS Cup final return to the single-game format with possible extra time before penalties. These games will be hosted by the higher-seeded club.

What’s the schedule of MLS Cup Playoffs?

First round (best of three series): Saturday, October 26 to Sunday, November 10

Conference semifinals: Saturday, November 23 and Sunday, November 24

Conference finals: Saturday, November 30 and Sunday, December 1

Final: Saturday, December 7

Which teams are in the MLS Cup Playoffs?

Eastern Conference:

Inter Miami

Atlanta United

Orlando City

Charlotte FC

FC Cincinnati

New York Red Bulls

NYCFC

Columbus Crew

Western Conference:

LA Galaxy

LAFC

Seattle Sounders

Houston Dynamos

Colorado Rapids

Real Salt Lake

Minnesota United

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Who are the five top players to watch in the MLS Cup 2024?

Lionel Messi (Inter Miami): 20 goals, 16 assists

Luis Suarez (Inter Miami): 20 goals, 9 assists

Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati): 14 goals, 19 assists

Denis Bouanga (LA FC): 20 goals, 11 assists