MLS has announced an overhaul of its playoff system that will see more teams involved and a single-leg elimination format introduced from the 2019 season.
Fourteen teams will make up the revised postseason field, up from 12 this year in a nod to the league s continued expansion – Los Angeles FC joined the league in 2018 and Cincinnati will compete for the first time next term.
The top seed from each conference will get a bye in the first round and will face the winner of the clash between the fourth and fifth seeds in the conference semi-finals.
Teams will not be re-seeded based on upsets during postseason matches, as they have in the past, and the higher seed will be the host in each round, offering a greater reward for their regular-season performance.
Single-game rounds
All between Oct/Nov FIFA breaks
Rewards regular-season success
Our new format:
— Major League Soccer (@MLS)
By eliminating two-legged matches in the conference semi-finals and finals, the more streamlined bracket will fit entirely between FIFA s October and November international breaks.
The 2019 regular season will conclude on October 6, about three weeks earlier than in 2018, with the playoffs set to start on October 19.
A date of November 10 has been set for the MLS Cup, which was played on December 8 this year.
