2023 MLS Cup Playoffs
| top goal scorer     =  Elias Manoel(3 goals)
| prevseason          = 2022
| nextseason          = 2024
| updated             = October 30, 2023
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The 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs (branded as the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons) is the ongoing post-season championship of Major League Soccer (MLS), the top soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is the 28th edition of the MLS Cup Playoffs, the tournament culminating at the end of the 2023 regular season. The playoffs began on October 25 and are scheduled to conclude with MLS Cup 2023 on December 9. Los Angeles FC enter the playoffs as the defending MLS Cup champions, while FC Cincinnati enter as Supporters' Shield winners. Charlotte FC and St. Louis City SC reached the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time in 2023, the latter qualifying in their debut MLS season. Format

The playoffs feature a new format from previous years with an expanded field of 18 teams—the top nine teams from each conference. The eighth and ninth placed teams in each conference contested a single wild card match with no extra time before a penalty shoot-out. Round One will comprise a best-of-three format with higher seeds playing against lower seeds, for the first time since 1999. The round will have no aggregate score and tied matches will proceed directly to a penalty shoot-out to determine the winner. The remaining three rounds — the Conference Semifinals, Conference Final, and MLS Cup — will be single-elimination matches played with extra time and a penalty shoot-out if still tied. The higher seed hosts the match in all rounds except for the best-of-three series in Round One, where the lower seed hosts the second of three possible matches. All matches will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass, a streaming service operated by Apple. The introduction of a best-of-three round and the expanded field, which allows 62 percent of the league's 29 teams to qualify for the playoffs, were criticized for being more confusing and diluting the competition. It was the first major revamp of the playoff format since 2019, when all rounds were switched to single-elimination matches. The format adds more matches, including home games for lower seeds, and was developed with fan input according to MLS officials; other outlets noted that new broadcaster Apple TV would benefit from the additional matches. The new playoff format was announced on February 21, 2023, shortly before the start of the regular season; earlier media reports indicated that another format with a round-robin group stage was also considered. Unlike regular season matches, playoff matches do not have a sixth substitute added for periods of extra time. Players are also suspended for a match after accumulating three yellow cards; the suspension applies to the next match, whether it is in the playoffs or the 2024 regular season. In the event that a playoff match cannot be played and neither team has forfeited or is at fault, the team with the higher points per game during the 2023 regular season will advance. Qualified teams

The playoffs are being contested by 18 teams. The date listed indicates when each team qualified for the playoffs. Eastern Conference
Atlanta United FC (September 23)
Charlotte FC (October 21)
Columbus Crew (September 20)
FC Cincinnati (August 30)
Nashville SC (September 30)
New England Revolution (September 23)
New York Red Bulls (October 21)
Orlando City SC (September 20)
Philadelphia Union (September 20)

Western Conference
FC Dallas (October 21)
Houston Dynamo FC (October 4)
Los Angeles FC (October 4)
Real Salt Lake (October 4)
St. Louis City SC (September 20)
San Jose Earthquakes (October 21)
Seattle Sounders FC (October 4)
Sporting Kansas City (October 21)
Vancouver Whitecaps FC (October 4)

Conference standings

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

Bracket

The higher seeded teams host single-elimination matches, with the MLS Cup host determined by overall points in the Supporters' Shield table. During best-of-three rounds, the team with higher seed will host the first match and third match if necessary. Wild Card round

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

Round One

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Eastern Conference

Western Conference

Conference Semifinals

The higher-seeded team as determined by regular season ranking will host the match. |-
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Eastern Conference

Western Conference

Conference Finals

The higher-seeded team as determined by regular season ranking will host the match. Eastern Conference

Western Conference

MLS Cup 2023

The highest-ranked finalist in the overall Supporters' Shield table will host the match. Top goalscorers

Players and clubs in bold are still active in the playoffs. References

2023 Major League Soccer season
MLS Cup Playoffs
MLS Cup Playoffs
MLS Cup Playoffs
MLS Cup Playoffs
MLS Cup Playoffs