The 1996 playoffs.

The format

How 1996 worked.

The top four clubs in each of the two conferences qualified. Conference semifinals and conference finals were best-of-three series (first to two game wins) and MLS Cup was a single match at a predetermined venue. There were no draws: any game level after 90 minutes was settled by the MLS 35-yard shootout, and the shootout winner took the game.

• Inaugural season — no prior format.

1. 01Conference semifinalsBest of three · Games level after 90 minutes were decided by the MLS 35-yard shootout (decidedBy 'so'); Wikipedia's boxes label these 'penalties'.Sep 24 – Oct 2
2. 02Conference finalsBest of threeOct 10 – 13
3. 03MLS CupSingle matchOct 20

Seeding

Seeded 1–4 within each conference on regular-season points (3 for a win, 1 for a shootout win, 0 for any loss). Pairings E1 v E4, E2 v E3, W1 v W4, W2 v W3; conference champions met in MLS Cup.

Hosting

Conference semifinals were 1-2 series: the lower seed hosted Game 1 and the higher seed hosted Games 2 and 3. The conference finals were also home-and-away, but the match tables show D.C. (E2) hosting Game 1 and Tampa Bay (E1) Game 2 in the East, and Los Angeles (W1) hosting Game 1 and Kansas City (W3) Game 2 in the West. MLS Cup was played at Foxboro Stadium as a predetermined venue.

Ties

A game level after 90 minutes went straight to the MLS shootout (no extra time); the shootout winner was credited with the game. Series were first to two game wins, so no series tiebreak was needed. MLS Cup used sudden-death (golden-goal) overtime, then a shootout if required.