San Diego FC continues to make history in their inaugural season by securing their spot in the 2025 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs presented by DIRECTV for the first-time ever. As SDFC nears the end of regular season play, the Club clinched their spot and will be making their first-ever post-season appearance.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Before kicking off the Wild Card matches, Clubs have to wrap up the regular-season matches. Decision Day is Saturday, October 18, where the Eastern Conference teams play at 3 PM PST and the Western Conference teams play at 6 PM PST.
What is Decision Day?
Decision Day is the final regular season matchday for all 30 Clubs in the MLS. This match is crucial as it will determine who will secure their spot in the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs and who will be out of contention.
What is the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs Format?
Out of 30 Clubs, only 18 teams will qualify for the playoffs. The top nine from the Eastern Conference and the top nine from the Western Conference will participate.
Seeds one-seven in each conference will automatically qualify for Round One Best-of-3 Series. Seeds eight-nine in each conference will qualify for the Wild Card Matches.
What are the dates of the Playoff rounds?
Mark your calendars and don’t miss out on any of the action!
Following Round One Best-of-3 Series is the Conference Semifinals Saturday, November 22 – Sunday, November 23. Clubs who advance will face off Saturday, November 29 – Sunday, November 30 for the Conference Finals.
The 2025 MLS Cup Champions will be announced Saturday, December 6 between the top Clubs in the Eastern and Western Conference.
What is the Wild Card Round?
There will be two single-game elimination matches hosted by the higher seed; the Eastern Conference No. 8 vs. No. 9 and the Western Conference No. 8 vs. No 9. No extra time will be played if the score is tied at the end of regulation. There will be a penalty kick shootout immediately after the match to determine the winner.
The winner of each Wild Card match will advance to the Round One Best-of-3 series, where they will face their conference’s No. 1 seed.
What is Round One Best-of-3 Series?
The Round One Best-of-3 Series must have a winner. The Club who wins two matches first will advance. There will be no ties, no aggregate score moving forward. The matches will be hosted in a home-away-home format which the higher seed will host.
Western Conference Round One Best-of-3 Series
- No. 1 vs. No. 8 or 9
- No. 2 vs. No. 7
- No. 3 vs. No. 6
- No. 4 vs. No. 5
The four teams from each conference will advance to the Conference Semifinals.
How are the Conference Semifinals set up?
The Conference Semifinals are a single-elimination match hosted by the higher seed. Two 15-miinute extra time periods will be played if the score is tied at the end of regulation. If the score is still tied at the end of extra time, the winner will be determined by penalty kick shootout.
The winner will advance to the Conference Finals.
Western Conference Semifinals
- Winner of No. 1 vs. No. 8/9 series vs. winner of No. 4 vs. No. 5 series
- Winner of No. 3 vs. No. 6 series vs. winner of No. 2 vs. No. 7 series
How are the Conference Finals set up?
The Western Conference Finals will be Sunday, November 30. The winner will compete against the Eastern Conference winner.
The 2025 MLS Cup presented by Audi will wrap up with a Champion, Saturday, December 6. The final match of the 2025 season will be awarded to the finalist with the better regular-season record. The Club would host the Championship at their stadium and the winner would be presented with the trophy following the match.
