The 2024 playoffs.

The format

How 2024 worked.

Eighteen clubs qualified, nine per conference. Seeds 8 and 9 met in a single Wild Card match at the 8 seed for the right to face the 1 seed. Round One was a best-of-three series with no aggregate score and no extra time — a drawn game went straight to penalties — with the higher seed hosting games one and three. The conference semifinals, conference finals and MLS Cup were single matches at the higher seed, with extra time and penalties if level.

• No format change from 2023.

1. 01Wild CardSingle match · 8 v 9, hosted by the 8 seed; no extra time, penalties if levelOct 22–23
2. 02Round OneBest of three · Best of three; no aggregate, no extra time — drawn games go straight to penaltiesOct 25 – Nov 9
3. 03Conference semifinalsSingle matchNov 23–24
4. 04Conference finalsSingle matchNov 30
5. 05MLS CupSingle matchDec 7

Seeding

Top nine per conference by points. Fixed bracket: 1 v Wild Card winner, 4 v 5, 3 v 6, 2 v 7; semifinals pair the (1/WC) and (4/5) winners and the (3/6) and (2/7) winners.

Hosting

Higher seed hosted the Wild Card match, games one and three of Round One, and every later match; MLS Cup hosted by the finalist with the better regular-season record.

Ties

Wild Card and Round One games: no extra time, penalty shoot-out if level after 90 minutes; Round One decided by games won (first to two). Semifinals onward: 30 minutes of extra time, then penalties.