Decision Day 2025 Guide: Everything to know, questions answered

When are the games? What are the biggest storylines to follow? Who’s in the playoff picture?

Here’s your one-stop shop preview for what awaits.

Bracket Challenge: Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs

Image Credit: Ernesto Diaz/Latino Sports

All Decision Day matches can be watched via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Matches will take place during two windows:

• Eastern Conference: Saturday, Oct. 18 – 6 pm ET
• Western Conference: Saturday, Oct. 18 – 9 pm ET

Note: New York City FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC, the lone inter-conference matchup, will occur at 6 pm ET.

1. Who wins the West?

Vancouver Whitecaps FC lead the West with 63 points, knowing a win or a draw on Decision Day will secure the No. 1 seed. San Diego FC (60 points) can leapfrog them with a win, potentially adding another flourish to their historic expansion season.

2. Home-field in the East

Charlotte FC, New York City FC and Nashville SC are all vying for the East No. 4 seed – a spot that gives them home-field advantage for their Round One Best-of-3 Series. Charlotte are the current No. 4 seed, but are only ahead of NYCFC on the first tiebreaker (most wins; tied on 56 points).

Image Credit: Ernesto Diaz/Latino Sports

3. Who gets the Wild Card spots?

In the West, FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake enter Decision Day in the Wild Card spots. However, the Colorado Rapids and San Jose Earthquakescould jump above the line if results fall their way.

In the East, Chicago Fire FC and the Columbus Crew enter Decision Day in the Wild Card spots. They could qualify directly to a Round One Best-of-3 Series, should they win and other results fall their way. Similarly, Orlando City and Nashville could drop into the Wild Card match.

4. What seeds do LAFC & Inter Miami get?

With big-name stars, LAFC and Inter Miami are always in the spotlight.

LAFC could finish anywhere from No. 2-4 in the West, giving Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga extra motivation for their visit to Colorado. Before the October international break, they combined to score each of LAFC’s last 18 goals.

Meanwhile, Inter Miami are vying for the East No. 2 seed with FC Cincinnati. Lionel Messi leads the Golden Boot presented by Audi race, and he could become the league’s first-ever back-to-back Landon Donovan MLS MVP.

Image Credit: Ernesto Diaz/Latino Sports

5. Golden Boot race

Messi enters with a league-best 26 goals, boosted by a league-record nine multi-goal games this season.

He is trailed by Bouanga (24 goals) and Nashville SC forward Sam Surridge (23 goals).

The first Golden Boot tiebreaker is assists, followed by fewest minutes played.

All nine Eastern Conference playoff spots are locked in, with only seeding left to be determined.

Seven Western Conference playoff spots are locked in, with two up for grabs.

Eastern Conference (9 of 9 filled)

• Charlotte FC
• Chicago Fire FC
• Columbus Crew
• FC Cincinnati
• Inter Miami CF
• Nashville SC
• New York City FC
• Orlando City SC
• Philadelphia Union

Western Conference (7 of 9 filled)

• Austin FC
• LAFC
• Minnesota United FC
• Portland Timbers
• San Diego FC
• Seattle Sounders FC
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Image Credit: MLS

Below are the matchups and qualifiers if the postseason started today.

Image Credit: MLS

SCENARIOS

Four Western Conference teams are battling for the final two Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs spots, three Eastern Conference sides are looking to lock up home-field advantage, while Vancouver and San Diego are vying for the West’s No. 1 seed.

Full breakdown

Image Credit: MLS

TIEBREAKERS

Playoff seeding could come down to tiebreakers, with a team’s number of wins (1), goal differential (2) and goals scored (3) the first three.

Full breakdown

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.

Image Credit: Ernesto Diaz/Latino Sports

Four rounds follow the Wild Card matches, ending with MLS Cup presented by Audi on December 6 (hosting rights awarded to the finalist with the best regular-season record).

• Wild Card Matches: Wednesday, October 22
• Round One Best-of-3 Series: Friday, October 24 – Sunday, November 9
• Conference Semifinals: Saturday, November 22 – Sunday, November 23
• Conference Finals: Saturday, November 29 – Sunday, November 30
• MLS Cup presented by Audi: Saturday, December 6

Full format

Information Courtesy of Major League Soccer

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