The climax of the 2024 MLS season is here, as Decision Day wraps up the regular season and sets the stage for the playoffs with 14 matches taking place on Saturday.

Inter Miami, led by Lionel Messi, has already locked in the first position in the Eastern Conference, winning the Supporters Shield on October 2. In the Western Conference, the LA Galaxy — recovering from a poor performance in 2023 — only need to earn one point to secure the top seed. However, they will face a tough away game against the Houston Dynamo, while their closest rivals, LAFC, will be playing at home against the struggling San Jose Earthquakes.

In the East, the most exciting action will involve four teams competing for the last two playoff spots. D.C. United and CF Montréal are both at 40 points ahead of Saturday’s matches. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Union and Atlanta United are close behind with 37 points (Toronto FC has the same points total, but with only 29 teams in the league, they have already finished their season). Both D.C. and Montréal will be playing at home, but a loss for either could create an opportunity for Philadelphia or Atlanta to swoop in and secure a playoff spot.

Here’s everything you need to know about MLS Decision Day and the playoff format for the 2024 MLS playoffs.

Schedule for MLS Decision Day

All times mentioned are in Eastern Time. Home teams are listed first.

• Chicago Fire vs. Nashville SC — 6 p.m.
• D.C. United vs. Charlotte FC — 6 p.m.
• Inter Miami vs. New England Revolution — 6 p.m.
• CF Montréal vs. New York City FC — 6 p.m.
• New York Red Bulls vs. Columbus Crew — 6 p.m.
• Orlando City vs. Atlanta United — 6 p.m.
• Philadelphia Union vs. FC Cincinnati — 6 p.m.
• Austin FC vs. Colorado Rapids — 9 p.m.
• FC Dallas vs. Sporting Kansas City — 9 p.m.
• Houston Dynamo vs. LA Galaxy — 9 p.m.
• LAFC vs. San Jose Earthquakes — 9 p.m.
• Minnesota United vs. St. Louis City SC — 9 p.m.
• Real Salt Lake vs. Vancouver Whitecaps — 9 p.m.
• Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers — 9 p.m.

2024 MLS Playoff Bracket

Nine teams from each conference will qualify for the 2024 MLS playoffs. The format features a single-elimination wild card round, followed by a best-of-three Round 1. After that, the playoffs return to a single-game format for the conference semifinals, finals, and the MLS Cup, with the higher seed hosting the matches.

Wild Card Round

The specifics regarding the teams participating are yet to be confirmed, thus the playoff schedule is not finalized. The Wild Card round will be held on October 22-23, with the eighth seed playing against the ninth seed in both conferences.

• East No. 8 vs. East No. 9
• West No. 8 vs. West No. 9

Round 1

MLS will announce the dates and times for the first round of the playoffs at a later date. In each matchup, the higher-seeded team will host Game 1 and, if needed, Game 3. The lower-seeded team will host Game 2. Ties are not permitted in this round, and there will be no extra time; if the score is tied after regular time, the winner will be decided by penalty kicks.

Round One is set to begin on Friday, October 25, continuing until Sunday, November 10.

Eastern Conference

• Inter Miami vs. East Wild Card round winner
• Columbus Crew vs. East No. 7
• FC Cincinnati vs. East No. 6
• East No. 4 vs. East No. 5

In the Eastern Conference, the top three seeds have already been determined. Orlando City, New York City FC, Charlotte FC, and the New York Red Bulls have all qualified for the playoffs, but their final positions will be influenced by the outcomes of Decision Day.

Western Conference

• West No. 1 vs. West Wild Card winner
• West No. 2 vs. West No. 7
• West No. 3 vs. West No. 6
• West No. 4 vs. West No. 5

In the Western Conference, all nine playoff teams have been determined. However, the seeding remains uncertain. The Galaxy and LAFC will secure the top two positions, while the Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake compete for the third and fourth seeds. The Houston Dynamo could finish in fifth or sixth, and the Colorado Rapids, Minnesota United, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Portland Timbers go into Decision Day with only four points separating them.

Conference Semifinals

The MLS playoffs will have a break for a FIFA international window, requiring clubs to release players for national duty. All four Conference Semifinal matches are scheduled for November 23-24, but pairings and times are not yet finalized.

• East highest remaining seed vs. East lowest remaining seed
• East second-highest remaining seed vs. East second-lowest remaining seed
• West highest remaining seed vs. West lowest remaining seed
• West second-highest remaining seed vs. West second-lowest remaining seed

Conference Finals

The Conference Finals are scheduled for November 30-December 1, where the last two teams from each conference will compete at the stadium of the higher-seeded team.

• East highest remaining seed vs. East lowest remaining seed
• West highest remaining seed vs. West lowest remaining seed

MLS Cup 2024

The MLS Cup will showcase the champions of both conferences in a one-match final, with the host team being the one that finished with the best record. This exciting event is scheduled for Saturday, December 7.

• Eastern Conference champion faces off against Western Conference champion

How to Watch MLS Decision Day

All 14 matches on MLS Decision Day will be aired exclusively on Apple TV as part of the MLS Season Pass.

Fans who wish to follow multiple matches simultaneously can also watch MLS 360, which is a live show that highlights key moments across the league as the games unfold.