The 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs will begin soon in late October. Reigning champion Columbus Crew hopes to compete again under Wilfried Nancy.

All but four spots are confirmed for this year’s postseason, which features teams like Inter Miami, LAFC, LA Galaxy, FC Cincinnati and the aforementioned Crew. The postseason format for the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs has not changed, as this year’s playoffs will use the same format.

Last December, we saw the Crew defeat LAFC in an epic finale at Lower.com Field that ended the Black and Gold’s hopes of winning two straight championships. This year, both teams remain favorites to achieve the goal after impressive regular seasons.

Wildcard round

The action begins in the Wild Card, with the eighth- and ninth-seeded teams from both conferences competing to decide who will face the number one overall seed in round one.

Round one

As we saw in 2023, the best-of-three series returns in the first round of the postseason. The higher seeded teams in the postseason will host the first and third games (if necessary), while the lower seeds will play the second game at home.

Conference semifinals

There are only eight teams left in the playoffs until the conference semifinals. Unlike the first round, this is a one-game scenario where teams compete for a spot in the conference finals. The home team in this round will be determined based on the seeding list in the overall ranking.

Conference finals

The Conference Finals determine which two teams from the Western and Eastern Conference reach the MLS Cup. Like the conference semifinals, this game is a game played by the team that performs better in their respective conference.

MLS Cup

The entire postseason continues until the MLS Cup, which is not played at a neutral venue but at the stadium of the team that has the better overall record from the regular season.