With the Leagues Cup now concluded — cheers to the Columbus Crew for their championship — the 2024 Major League Soccer season is gearing up for the playoffs, which are just over a month away.

The regular season wraps up on Saturday, Oct. 19, commonly known as Decision Day, and the 29 teams in the league have between seven to eleven matches remaining. Inter Miami, which missed the playoffs last year, is the only team to have officially secured a spot in the 2024 postseason. They are also leading the Supporters’ Shield standings, currently four points clear of the LA Galaxy, with an extra game to play. Remarkably, Inter Miami has maintained its top position even without Lionel Messi, who may be back just in time for the crucial final games.

Upcoming MLS Matches: What to Watch This Weekend?

(Catch all matches on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.)

Saturday

• Charlotte FC vs. Atlanta United, 7:30 p.m. ET
• FC Cincinnati vs. CF Montréal, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Columbus Crew vs. New York City FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
• New York Red Bulls vs. Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Orlando City SC vs. Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Toronto FC vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Austin FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 8:30 p.m. ET
• Chicago Fire FC vs. Inter Miami CF, 8:30 p.m. ET
• FC Dallas vs. Colorado Rapids, 8:30 p.m. ET
• Real Salt Lake vs. New England Revolution, 9:30 p.m. ET
• Los Angeles FC vs. Houston Dynamo FC, 10:30 p.m. ET
• Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 10:30 p.m. ET
• San Jose Earthquakes vs. Minnesota United FC, 10:30 p.m. ET

Sunday

• St. Louis City SC vs. LA Galaxy, 2:45 p.m. ET (FOX)

What’s the Format and Schedule for the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs?

A total of 18 teams will qualify for the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs — the top nine teams from each conference.

The teams that finish in eighth and ninth place in each conference will compete in wild-card matches, while the top seven seeds will move directly to the first round, which will be a best-of-three series.

Here’s the playoff schedule:

• Oct. 3: Wild-card matches (single-elimination)
• Oct. 26-Nov. 10: Round 1 (best-of-three series)
• Nov. 23-24: Conference semifinals (single-elimination)
• Nov. 30-Dec. 1: Conference finals (single-elimination)
• Dec. 7: MLS Cup (winner-takes-all match)

MLS Playoff Outlook: Current Matchups If the Season Ended Now

As we approach MLS Matchday 30, here are the projected playoff matchups for the first round:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

➤ Confirmed playoff berth: Inter Miami CF

Wild-card match:

• Toronto FC (8th seed) vs. Atlanta United (9th)

Round 1 (best-of-three series):

• Inter Miami CF (1st) vs. Winner of Toronto FC vs. Atlanta United
• FC Cincinnati (2nd) vs. Orlando City SC (7th)
• Columbus Crew (3rd) vs. Charlotte FC (6th)
• New York Red Bulls (4th) vs. New York City FC (5th)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Wild-card match:

• Houston Dynamo FC (8th) vs. Austin FC (9th)

Round 1 (best-of-three series):

• LA Galaxy (1st) vs. Winner of Houston Dynamo FC vs. Austin FC
• Los Angeles FC (2nd) vs. Portland Timbers (7th)
• Real Salt Lake (3rd) vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (6th)
• Colorado Rapids (4th) vs. Seattle Sounders FC (5th)

Betting Odds for the MLS Championship: Who’s the Favorite?

According to BetMGM, Inter Miami CF (+175) is currently the top contender to win the 2024 league championship. They are followed by Los Angeles FC (+550), LA Galaxy (+700), Columbus Crew (+800), and FC Cincinnati (+1100).

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