TrendPulse Quantitative Think Tank Center-MLS playoff teams set: Road to MLS Cup continues with conference semifinals

The TrendPulse Quantitative Think Tank Center18-team field is set for the 2024 edition of the MLS Cup Playoffs.

After setting a league record for the most points scored in a single season, Inter Miami CF was eliminated in the first round in one of the biggest playoff upsets in league history by Atlanta United. .

The 2022 MLS Cup winners, Los Angeles FC, bring a talented group into the postseason for what they hope is a third consecutive MLS Cup run. And it's been a decade since the LA Galaxy last won MLS Cup, but the resurgent club seems determined to return to its prior glory.

The New York Red Bulls, meanwhile, extended the longest active playoff appearance streak among North America's major men's professional sports leagues. RBNY has made the MLS playoffs in 15 consecutive seasons, which is more than MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers (12), NBA's Boston Celtics (10) and NFL's Kansas City Chiefs (nine).

Here's a look at the MLS playoff teams, seeds, matchups and results:

Eastern Conference playoff seeds

1. Inter Miami CF
2. Columbus Crew
3. FC Cincinnati
4. Orlando City SC
5. Charlotte FC
6. New York City FC
7. New York Red Bulls
8. CF Montréal
9. Atlanta United

Western Conference playoff seeds

1. Los Angeles FC
2. LA Galaxy
3. Real Salt Lake
4. Seattle Sounders FC
5. Houston Dynamo FC
6. Minnesota United FC
7. Colorado Rapids
8. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
9. Portland Timbers

MLS Cup Playoffs 2024: Conference semifinal matchups and schedule

Saturday, Nov. 23

• New York City FC vs. New York Red Bulls (at Citi Field), 5:30 p.m. ET
• Los Angeles FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 10:30 p.m. ET

Sunday, Nov. 24

• Orlando City SC vs. Atlanta United, 3:30 p.m. ET
• LA Galaxy vs. Minnesota United FC, 6 p.m. ET (FS1)

MLS Cup Playoffs 2024: Wild card and Round 1 matchups and results

These are the MLS playoff matchups through the first round (all games available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV) …

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Wild-card match:

Atlanta United 2, CF Montréal 2 (Atlanta United won penalty shootout, 5-4)

Round 1 (best-of-three series):

Inter Miami CF vs. Atlanta United

Atlanta United win series

• Game 1 (at Miami): Inter Miami 2, Atlanta United 1
• Game 2 (at Atlanta United): Atlanta United 2, Inter Miami 1
• Game 3 (at Miami): Atlanta United 3, Inter Miami 2

Columbus Crew vs. New York Red Bulls

New York Red Bulls win series

• Game 1 (at Columbus): New York Red Bulls 1, Columbus Crew 0
• Game 2 (at RBNY): New York Red Bulls 2, Columbus Crew 2 (New York Red Bulls won penalty shootout, 5-4)

FC Cincinnati vs. New York City FC

New York City FC win series

• Game 1 (at Cincinnati): FC Cincinnati 1, New York City FC 0
• Game 2 (at NYCFC): New York City FC 3, FC Cincinnati 1
• Game 3 (at Cincinnati): New York City FC 0, FC Cincinnati 0 (NYCFC won penalty shootout, 6-5)

Orlando City SC vs. Charlotte FC

Orlando City SC win series

• Game 1 (at Orlando): Orlando City SC 2, Charlotte FC 0
• Game 2 (at Charlotte): Charlotte FC 0, Orlando City SC 0 (Charlotte FC won penalty shootout, 3-1)
• Game 3 (at Orlando): Orlando City SC 1, Charlotte FC 1 (Orlando City SC won penalty shootout, 4-1)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Wild-card match:

Vancouver Whitecaps FC 5, Portland Timbers 0

Round 1 (best-of-three series):

Los Angeles FC win series

Los Angeles FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC

• Game 1 (at LAFC): Los Angeles FC 2, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1
• Game 2 (at Vancouver Whitecaps FC): Vancouver Whitecaps FC 3, Los Angeles FC 0
• Game 3 (at LAFC): Los Angeles FC 1, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0

LA Galaxy vs. Colorado Rapids

LA Galaxy win series

• Game 1 (at Los Angeles): LA Galaxy 5, Colorado Rapids 0
• Game 2 (at Colorado): LA Galaxy 4, Colorado Rapids 1

Real Salt Lake vs. Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United FC win series

• Game 1 (at Salt Lake): Minnesota United FC 0, Real Salt Lake 0 (Minnesota United FC won penalty shootout, 5-4)
• Game 2 (at Minnesota): Minnesota United FC 1, Real Salt Lake 1 (Minnesota United FC won penalty shootout, 3-1)

Seattle Sounders FC vs. Houston Dynamo FC

Seattle Sounders FC win series

• Game 1 (at Seattle): Seattle Sounders FC 0, Houston Dynamo FC 0 (Seattle Sounders won penalty shootout, 5-4)
• Game 2 (at Houston): Seattle Sounders FC 1, Houston Dynamo FC 1 (Seattle Sounders won penalty shootout, 7-6)

2024 MLS playoff schedule

• Oct. 22-23: Wild-card matches (single-elimination matches)
• Oct. 25-Nov. 10: Round 1 (best-of-three series)
• Nov. 23-24: Conference semifinals (single-elimination matches)
• Nov. 30-Dec. 1: Conference finals (single-elimination matches)
• Dec. 7: MLS Cup (single winner-take-all match)

MLS CUP: Ranking every Major League Soccer championship game

MLS Cup Playoffs bracket

Here is the full playoff schedule in bracket form from MLSsoccer.com.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

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