MLS playoffs 2025: Schedule, standings, bracket, format, TV and live streams as Lionel Messi and Inter Miami feature in MLS Cup

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Nov 10, 2025 - 18:08

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MLS playoffs 2025: Schedule, standings, bracket, format, TV and live streams as Lionel Messi and Inter Miami feature in MLS Cup

Inter Miami and MLS golden boot winner Lionel Messi are the most high-profile participants in the 2025 , MLS playoffs, having finished third in the Eastern Conference.

The 30th edition of the post-season tournament initially featured 18 teams hoping to win the MLS cup across a schedule lasting more than a month.

“We have some of the greatest players ever to have played the game,” Miami defender Ian Fray said after the end of the regular season. “Whoever we play, we’re going to have the same mindset.”

Here are all the details you need to know on the 2025 MLS playoffs, including the schedule, bracket and how to watch.

29 goals in the regular season. 💪
Hat trick and an assist to secure the dub.
Potential Golden Boot pres. by Audi award for Messi waiting. pic.twitter.com/9sUbONDSXT— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 19, 2025

Table of Contents

2025 playoffs: MLS schedule, dates, fixtures

The post-season competition started on October 22 and will run until December 6 2025. The regular season ended on October 18.

The top nine teams from the Eastern Conference and Western Conference contest the matches, which started with one-off Wild Card matches in each division between the eighth and ninth-placed teams.

The winners of those games joined the rest of the teams in best-of-three first round matches, followed by one-off semi-finals and finals in each conference and the single MLS Cup match between the winners of each final.

The teams finishing higher play at home or play the first and, if required, third matches at home in the best-of-three fixtures.

Denis ➡️ Son ➡️ Goal
Thrill of the Match | @Yaamava pic.twitter.com/yPySGXGzuX— LAFC (@LAFC) October 19, 2025

2025 MLS playoffs bracket

You can find the official MLS bracket here.

Western Conference semifinals

SF1: San Diego vs Minnesota

SF2: LAFC vs Vancouver

Western Conference final

San Diego/Minnesota vs LAFC/Vancouver

Eastern Conference semifinals

SF1: Philadelphia vs New York City

SF2: Cincinnati vs Inter Miami

Eastern Conference final

Philadelphia/New York City vs Cincinnati/Inter Miami

Western Conference Wild Card match: Portland Timbers 3-1 Real Salt Lake

Western Conference round one

San Diego vs Portland

Game 1: San Diego 2-1 Portland

Game 2: Portland 2-2 San Diego (3-2 pens)

Game 3: San Diego 4-0 Portland

Minnesota United vs Seattle Sounders

Game 1: Minnesota 0-0 Seattle (3-2 pens)

Game 2: Seattle 4-2 Minnesota

Game 3: Minnesota 3-3 Seattle (7-6 pens)

Los Angeles FC vs Austin

Game 1: LAFC 2-1 Austin

Game 2: Austin 1-4 LAFC

Vancouver Whitecaps vs Dallas

Game 1: Vancouver 3-0 Dallas

Game 2: Dallas 1-1 Vancouver (2-4 pens)

Eastern Conference Wild Card match: Chicago Fire 3-1 Orlando City

Eastern Conference round one

Philadelphia Union vs Chicago Fire

Game 1: Philadelphia 2-2 Chicago (4-2p)

Game 2: Chicago 0-3 Philadelphia

Charlotte vs New York City

Game 1: Charlotte 0-1 New York City

Game 2: New York City 0-0 Charlotte (6-7 pens)

Game 3: Charlotte 1-3 New York City

Inter Miami vs Nashville

Game 1: Miami 3-1 Nashville

Game 2: Nashville 2-1 Miami

Game 3: Miami 4-0 Nashville

Cincinnati vs Columbus Crew

Game 1: Cincinnati 1-0 Columbus

Game 2: Columbus 4-0 Cincinnati

Game 3: Cincinnati 2-1 Columbus

MLS playoffs 2025 standings

Eastern Conference

Philadelphia Union
Cincinnati
Inter Miami
Charlotte
New York City
Nashville
Columbus
Chicago
Orlando

Western Conference

San Diego
Vancouver
Los Angeles
Minnesota
Seattle
Austin
Dallas
Portland
Real Salt Lake

MLS Cup 2025: Lionel Messi, Inter Miami fixtures

Miami hosted Nashville, who they completed a double over with a 5-2 away win on the final day of the regular season, in the first round, winning the third and deciding between the teams 4-0 with the help of two Messi goals.

They then faced one of the teams who finished above them, Cincinnati, in the semifinals. Their kindest run by ranking could pit them against fifth-placed New York City in the conference final.

Messi and his teammates suffered a shock exit in their first playoff tie last season, when they were ranked first as the Supporters’ Shield winners but were knocked out by ninth-ranked Atlanta United despite winning the opening match between the teams.