Playoff Scenarios

Decision Day: Who clinched playoffs or was eliminated?

23MLS_Decision_Day_Scenarios

On Decision Day, the final matchday of the 2023 MLS regular season, the following was up for grabs:

  • 5 spots in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs – two in the Eastern Conference, three in the Western Conference
  • 4 top-four seeds in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs – two in the Eastern Conference, two in the Western Conference

Montréal will clinch a berth in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs (Eastern Conference) if:

  1. ❌ Montréal win at Columbus or…
  2. ❌ Chicago lose/draw at New York City AND Charlotte lose/draw vs. Miami or…
  3. ❌ Chicago lose/draw at New York City AND New York lose/draw at Nashville or…
  4. ❌ Charlotte lose/draw vs. Miami AND New York lose/draw at Nashville

UPDATE: Montréal lost at Columbus.

New York will clinch a berth in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs (Eastern Conference) if:

  1. ✅ New York win at Nashville AND Montréal lose/draw at Columbus or…
  2. ✅ New York win at Nashville AND Chicago lose/draw at New York City or…
  3. New York win at Nashville AND New York advantage in tiebreakers over Chicago or…
  4. New York draw at Nashville AND Chicago lose/draw at New York City AND Charlotte lose/draw vs. Miami

UPDATE: New York won at Nashville, plus both Montréal and Chicago lost.

Chicago will clinch a berth in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs (Eastern Conference) if:

  1. ❌ Chicago win at New York City AND Montréal lose/draw at Columbus or…
  2. ❌ Chicago win at New York City AND New York lose/draw at Nashville or…
  3. ❌ Chicago win at New York City AND Chicago advantage in tiebreakers over New York or…
  4. ❌ Chicago draw at New York City AND New York lose at Nashville AND Charlotte lose/draw vs. Miami

UPDATE: Chicago lost at New York City.

Charlotte will clinch a berth in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs (Eastern Conference) if:

  1. ✅ Charlotte win vs. Miami AND Montréal lose/draw at Columbus AND Chicago lose/draw at New York City or…
  2. Charlotte win vs. Miami AND Montréal lose/draw at Columbus AND New York lose/draw at Nashville or…
  3. Charlotte win vs. Miami AND Chicago lose/draw at New York City AND New York lose/draw at Nashville

New York City will clinch a berth in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs (Eastern Conference) if:

  1. ❌ New York City win vs. Chicago AND New York lose at Nashville AND Charlotte lose/draw vs. Miami

UPDATE: New York City won vs. Chicago, but New York won at Nashville and Charlotte won vs. Miami.

Portland will clinch a berth in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs (Western Conference) if:

  1. ❌ Portland win vs. Houston or…
  2. ❌ Portland draw vs. Houston AND San Jose draw vs. Austin or…
  3. ❌ Portland draw vs. Houston AND Dallas draw at LA or…
  4. ❌ San Jose lose vs. Austin or…
  5. ❌ Dallas lose at LA or…
  6. ❌ Kansas City draw vs. Minnesota

UPDATE: Portland lost vs. Houston and other results didn't go their way.

Dallas will clinch a berth in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs (Western Conference) if:

  1. ✅ Dallas win at LA or…
  2. Dallas draw at LA AND Portland lose vs. Houston or…
  3. Dallas draw at LA AND San Jose lose/draw vs. Austin or…
  4. San Jose lose vs. Austin AND Dallas advantage in tiebreakers over San Jose or…
  5. Kansas City draw vs. Minnesota

UPDATE: Dallas won at LA.

San Jose will clinch a berth in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs (Western Conference) if:

  1. San Jose win vs. Austin or…
  2. ✅ San Jose draw vs. Austin AND Portland lose vs. Houston or…
  3. San Jose draw vs. Austin AND Dallas lose at LA or…
  4. Dallas lose at LA AND San Jose advantage in tiebreakers over Dallas or…
  5. Kansas City draw vs. Minnesota

UPDATE: San Jose drew vs. Austin and Portland lost vs. Houston.

Kansas City will clinch a berth in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs (Western Conference) if:

  1. ✅ Kansas City win vs. Minnesota AND Portland lose/draw vs. Houston or…
  2. ✅ Kansas City win vs. Minnesota AND San Jose lose/draw vs. Austin or…
  3. Kansas City win vs. Minnesota AND Dallas lose/draw at LA

UPDATE: Kansas City won vs. Minnesota, plus Portland lost vs. Houston and San Jose drew vs. Austin.

Minnesota will clinch a berth in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs (Western Conference) if:

  1. ❌ Minnesota win at Kansas City AND Portland lose/draw vs. Houston or…
  2. ❌ Minnesota win at Kansas City AND San Jose lose/draw vs. Austin or…
  3. ❌ Minnesota win at Kansas City AND Dallas lose/draw at LA

UPDATE: Minnesota lost at Kansas City.

Top-four seed in playoffs

Philadelphia will clinch a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference if:

  1. ❌ Philadelphia win/draw at New England or…
  2. ❌ Columbus lose vs. Montréal or…
  3. ✅ Philadelphia lose by two or fewer goals at New England

UPDATE: Philadelphia lost at New England, but clinched via the goal-differential tiebreaker.

Columbus will clinch a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference if:

  1. ✅ Columbus win/draw vs. Montréal or…
  2. ❌ New England lose/draw vs. Philadelphia

UPDATE: Columbus won vs. Montréal.

New England will clinch a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference if:

  1. ❌ New England win vs. Philadelphia AND Columbus lose vs. Montréal or…
  2. ❌ New England win by three or more goals vs. Philadelphia or…
  3. ❌ New England win vs. Philadelphia AND Columbus draw vs. Montréal AND New England advantage in tiebreakers over Columbus

UPDATE: New England beat Philadelphia, but other results didn't go their way.

Seattle will clinch a top-four seed in the Western Conference if:

  1. ✅ Seattle win/draw at St. Louis or…
  2. Houston lose/draw at Portland AND Salt Lake lose/draw at Colorado or…
  3. Houston lose/draw at Portland AND Vancouver lose/draw vs. LAFC or…
  4. Vancouver lose/draw vs. LAFC AND Salt Lake lose/draw at Colorado

UPDATE: Seattle won at St. Louis.

Houston will clinch a top-four seed in the Western Conference if:

  1. ✅ Houston win at Portland or…
  2. Houston draw at Portland AND Vancouver lose/draw vs. LAFC AND Salt Lake lose/draw at Colorado or…
  3. Vancouver lose/draw vs. LAFC AND Salt Lake lose at Colorado or…
  4. Vancouver lose/draw vs. LAFC AND Salt Lake draw at Colorado AND Houston advantage in tiebreakers over Salt Lake

UPDATE: Houston won at Portland.

Salt Lake will clinch a top-four seed in the Western Conference if:

  1. ❌ Salt Lake win at Colorado AND Seattle lose at St. Louis or…
  2. ❌ Salt Lake win at Colorado AND Houston lose/draw at Portland or…
  3. ❌ Salt Lake draw at Colorado AND Houston lose at Portland AND Vancouver lose/draw vs. LAFC AND Salt Lake advantage in tiebreakers over Houston

UPDATE: Salt Lake won at Colorado, but other results didn't go their way.

Vancouver will clinch a top-four seed in the Western Conference if:

  1. ❌ Vancouver win vs. LAFC AND Seattle lose at St. Louis AND Houston lose/draw at Portland or…
  2. ❌  Vancouver win vs. LAFC AND Seattle lose at St. Louis AND Salt Lake lose/draw at Colorado or…
  3. ❌  Vancouver win vs. LAFC AND Houston lose/draw at Portland AND Salt Lake lose/draw at Colorado

UPDATE: Vancouver drew vs. LAFC.