The final stage of the 2024 MLS season is here.
With the Concacaf Champions League, Leagues Cup and more in-season tournaments in the books, next up is the fight for the MLS Cup title.
More than a dozen teams will compete for the honors, with Lionel Messi's Inter Miami, Riqui Puig's LA Galaxy and Denis Bouanga's LAFC all in the race and expected to make deep runs.
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So, when do the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs start and what are the key dates? Here's everything to know:
When is MLS Decision Day 2024?
Decision Day, the last day of the MLS regular season, is set for Saturday, Oct. 19. It's the last chance for teams to settle their spots in the standings for both the Eastern and Western Conferences.
When do the MLS Cup Playoffs start?
Soccer
The 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 22 with the wild card round. The No. 8 and 9 seeds in each conference will duke it out for the chance to play the respective No. 1 seed in the conference. The second wild card game is set for Wednesday, Oct. 23.
What is the MLS Cup Playoffs format?
Here's the order in which the MLS Cup Playoffs are completed:
- Wild Card round
- Round one best-of-three games (1-1-1 format)
- Conference semifinals
- Conference finals
- MLS Cup Final
2024 MLS Cup Playoffs dates
Here's a look at when the games will be played:
- Wild Card round: Tuesday, Oct. 22 - Wednesday, Oct. 23
- Round one best-of-three games (1-1-1 format): Friday, Oct. 25 - Sunday, Nov. 10
- Conference semifinals: Saturday, Nov. 23 - 24
- Conference finals: Saturday, Nov. 30 - Sunday, Dec. 1
- MLS Cup Final: Saturday, Dec. 7
Who won the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield?
The 2024 Supporters' Shield, awarded to the team with the best regular-season record, went to Inter Miami in Messi's first full season with the club, despite his injuries.
Who won the last MLS Cup Final?
The 2023 MLS Cup Final was won by the Columbus Crew, who beat LAFC 2-1 at home. Columbus will be in the mix to repeat again with manager Wilfried Nancy at the helm.