Decision Day Guide: Must-watch games & everything to know | MLSSoccer.com
The regular season concludes on Saturday, with Decision Day’s 14-match bonanza determining Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs places and seeding.
What matches are must-watch? What’s at stake? How’s the postseason field looking?
Here’s your one-stop-shop primer for what awaits.
All Decision Day matches can be watched via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. There are two windows, each with seven games:
Eastern Conference: Saturday, Oct. 19 – 6 pm ET
Western Conference: Saturday, Oct. 19 – 6 pm ET
MATCH
WHEN
WATCH
Chicago Fire FC vs. Nashville SC
Saturday, Oct. 19 – 6 pm ET
Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
D.C. United vs. Charlotte FC
Saturday, Oct. 19 – 6 pm ET
Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
Inter Miami CF vs. New England Revolution
Saturday, Oct. 19 – 6 pm ET
Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
CF Montréal vs. New York City FC
Saturday, Oct. 19 – 6 pm ET
Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
New York Red Bulls vs. Columbus Crew
Saturday, Oct. 19 – 6 pm ET
Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
Orlando City SC vs. Atlanta United
Saturday, Oct. 19 – 6 pm ET
Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
Philadelphia Union vs. FC Cincinnati
Saturday, Oct. 19 – 6 pm ET
Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
Austin FC vs. Colorado Rapids
Saturday, Oct. 19 – 9 pm ET
Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
FC Dallas vs. Sporting Kansas City
Saturday, Oct. 19 – 9 pm ET
Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
Houston Dynamo FC vs. LA Galaxy
Saturday, Oct. 19 – 9 pm ET
Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
LAFC vs. San Jose Earthquakes
Saturday, Oct. 19 – 9 pm ET
Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
Minnesota United FC vs. St. Louis CITY SC
Saturday, Oct. 19 – 9 pm ET
Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
Real Salt Lake vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Saturday, Oct. 19 – 9 pm ET
Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Portland Timbers
Saturday, Oct. 19 – 9 pm ET
Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
Toronto FC are the only team not competing on Matchday 38.
1. Who gets the East’s final two spots?
As it stands, D.C. United (eighth place) and CF Montréal (ninth place) hold the East’s final two playoff spots with 40 points apiece. However, Philadelphia Union (11th place) and Atlanta United (12th place) are still in contention with 37 points apiece. The East’s final two playoff spots will come down to the wire.
2. Who wins the West?
El Tráfico rivals LA Galaxy and LAFC are the Western Conference frontrunners, and either could emerge from Decision Day holding the No. 1 seed. The Galaxy just need a point at Houston to secure it for themselves, while the Black & Gold could nab it with a win over San Jose and some help.
3. Will Inter Miami make history?
Inter Miami will set a new MLS single-season points record if they beat New England at home. The 2021 Revs are the current record-holders with 73 points, while Lionel Messi & Co. enter with 71 points. The Herons have already clinched the Supporters’ Shield title and have MLS Cup hosting priority.
4. Seeding solidified
The top three seeds in the East are set, but New York City FC can pass Orlando City SC for a spot in the top four and claim Round One hosting rights. Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake will duke it out for the No. 3 seed in the West, with plenty of movement still possible further down. Meanwhile, Vancouver Whitecaps and Minnesota United look to avoid the West’s Wild Card game.
5. Golden Boot race
Barring a late miracle, D.C. United’s Christian Benteke will bookend a stellar individual season by finishing as the league’s top goal-scorer. The Belgian striker has tallied 23 times in 2024, four clear of LAFC’s Denis Bouanga and Columbus Crew’s Cucho Hernández.
SCENARIOS
Four teams can clinch an Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot, two can earn the Western Conference No. 1 seed, and two can clinch home-field advantage in Round One. See the full breakdown here.
TIEBREAKERS
Playoff seeding could come down to tiebreakers, with a team’s number of wins (1), goal differential (2) and goals for (3) the first three. See the full breakdown here.
Overall, 18 teams qualify for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs – the top nine from the Eastern Conference and the top nine from the Western Conference.
Seeds 1-7 in each conference automatically qualify for the Round One Best-of-3 series.
Seeds 8-9 in each conference qualify for the Wild Card matches.
Four rounds follow the Wild Card matches, ending with MLS Cup presented by Audi on December 7 (hosting rights awarded to the finalist with the best regular-season record).
ROUND
WHEN
Wild Card Matches
Tuesday, October 22 – Wednesday, October 23
Round One Best-of-3 Series
Friday, October 25 – Sunday, November 10
Conference Semifinals
Saturday, November 23 – Sunday, November 24
Conference Finals
Saturday, November 30 – Sunday, December 1
MLS Cup presented by Audi
Saturday, December 7
Below are the would-be matchups and qualifiers if the postseason started today.
All nine Western Conference playoff spots are filled. In the Eastern Conference, seven spots are filled and two are up for grabs.
Eastern Conference (7 of 9 filled)
Charlotte FC
Columbus Crew
FC Cincinnati
Inter Miami CF
New York City FC
New York Red Bulls
Orlando City SC
Western Conference (9 of 9 filled)
Colorado Rapids
Houston Dynamo FC
LA Galaxy
LAFC
Minnesota United FC
Portland Timbers
Real Salt Lake
Seattle Sounders FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
