Everything you need to know about the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs

The 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs kick off on Oct. 15. Here’s everything you need to know about the teams and players contending to be this season’s MLS champion. 

The fall brings with it cooler temperatures, the changing color of leaves and, once again, the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Decision Day ended the regular season and again produced the drama and excitement we have come to expect over the last few years. The result was 14 teams who will be competing for MLS Cup.

Here’s how the Eastern Conference ended:

And the situation over in the Western Conference:

https://twitter.com/MLS/status/1579283321795682304

Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming MLS Cup Playoffs.

MLS Cup Playoffs: Schedule

Higher seed teams hosts games, meaning the No. 2, 3 and 4 seeds in both conferences will play at home in the first round.

The teams that finished first in each conference (Philadelphia Union in the Eastern Conference and Los Angeles FC in the Western Conference) will also host games, but have a bye in the opening round.

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Below is the MLS Cup Playoffs schedule:

Round One:
Saturday, Oct. 15

• 12 p.m. ET: New York Red Bulls (East No. 4) vs. FC Cincinnati (East No. 5)
• 3 p.m. ET: Los Angeles Galaxy (West No. 4) vs. Nashville SC (West No. 5)

Sunday, Oct. 16

• 3 p.m. ET: Austin FC (West No. 2) vs. Real Salt Lake (West No. 7)
• 8 p.m. ET: CF Montreal (East No. 2) vs. Orlando City SC (East No. 7)

Monday, Oct. 17

• 7 p.m. ET: New York City FC (East No. 3) vs. Inter Miami CF (East No. 6)
• 9:30 p.m. ET: FC Dallas (West No. 3) vs. Minnesota United FC (West No. 6)

Conference Semifinals:
Thursday, Oct. 20

• 8 p.m. ET: Philadelphia Union (East No. 1) vs. Winner of New York Red Bulls (East No. 4) vs. FC Cincinnati (East No. 5)
• 10 p.m. ET: Los Angeles FC (West No. 1) vs. Winner of LA Galaxy (West No. 4) vs. Nashville SC (West No. 5)

Sunday, Oct. 23

• 1 p.m. ET: Winner (East No. 2/7) vs. Winner (East No. 3/6)
• 8 p.m. ET: Winner (West No. 2/7) vs. Winner (West No. 3/6)

Conference Finals:
Sunday, Oct. 30

• 3 p.m. ET: Eastern Conference Final
• 8 p.m. ET: Western Conference Final

MLS Cup Final:
Saturday, Nov. 5

• 4 p.m. ET: Eastern Conference winner vs. Western Conference winner

MLS Cup Playoffs: Favorites

Winner of the Supporters’ Shield, given to the team with the best regular season record, have won MLS Cup only six times in league history. The last team to do so was Toronto FC in 2017. That does not bode well for Los Angeles FC, who came out on top overall this season.

If LAFC can buck this trend, then they certainly have the talent to win it all. Other favorites include the Philadelphia Union, Austin FC and CF Montreal. All four of these teams have never before won an MLS Cup.

Since the playoffs began expanding to include more than four teams from each conference in 2014, clubs that begin the playoffs on the road have not won MLS Cup. It is meant to favor the teams that did well in the regular season, giving the last eight months more meaning.

MLS Cup Playoffs: Sleepers

There are a few sleepers who can go on Cinderella runs this fall. In a league that’s loaded with parity, a lower-seeded team could very well get hot over the next few weeks and end up winning it all.

New York City FC, for example, won it all in 2021 after finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference. This year, they finished third, but are at a disadvantage since they won’t be able to play at Yankee Stadium. Since they share a stadium with a baseball team that’s also in the playoffs, NYCFC will be forced to play at Red Bull Arena (which houses their rivals) while the Yanks compete in the ALDS.

Over in the Western Conference, teams such as Orlando City SC, Minnesota United and Real Salt Lake could surprise the field this month.