As we approach the end of the 2024 MLS season, only one team has officially locked in a playoff spot so far.

That team is Inter Miami.

This weekend, however, three teams have the opportunity to secure their own playoff places:

➤ FC Cincinnati

• Simple Path: Win or draw against their local rivals, the Columbus Crew, in the “Hell is Real” matchup.
• Complicated Path: Hope for losses or draws from Toronto FC, New England Revolution, Atlanta United, Charlotte FC, or the New York Red Bulls.

➤ Columbus Crew

• Simple Path: Beat FC Cincinnati in their “Hell is Real” clash.
• Complicated Path: Rely on Philadelphia Union and Atlanta United to lose or draw, Toronto FC to draw, and New York Red Bulls to lose.

➤ LA Galaxy

• Simple Path: Win against their El Tráfico opponent, Los Angeles FC, then receive assistance (win or draw) from Toronto FC, St. Louis City SC, San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo FC, or Colorado Rapids.
• Complicated Path: If the Galaxy draws LAFC, they will also need Toronto FC to beat Austin FC.

Inter Miami is currently enjoying a significant lead in the race for the Supporters’ Shield, sitting seven points clear of LA Galaxy with one game in hand. If they secure a win or draw against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, they will accumulate 60 points across 28 games, a feat achieved by only three other teams in MLS history— the 1998 LA Galaxy, 2019 Los Angeles FC, and 2021 New England Revolution. It’s particularly notable considering Inter Miami has maintained its top position in the league even in Lionel Messi’s absence, who is now set to play his first MLS match in over three months.

Upcoming Matches for MLS Matchday 32

(All matches can be streamed on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.)

Saturday’s Matches

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

Sunday’s Match

• Seattle Sounders FC vs. Sporting Kansas City, 7:15 p.m. ET (FS1)

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2024 MLS Cup Playoffs Format

For the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, a total of 18 teams will qualify— the top nine teams from each conference.

The teams finishing in eighth and ninth place in each conference will compete in wild-card matches, while the top seven teams earn a place in the Round 1 best-of-three series.

Start Date for the MLS Playoffs

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 (one-off winner-takes-all match)

Current MLS Playoff Scenario

As we head into MLS Matchday 30, here’s how the playoff matchups would look:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

➤ Confirmed Playoff Team: Inter Miami CF

Wild-card Match:

• Toronto FC (No. 8 seed) vs. D.C. United (No. 9)

Round 1 (Best-of-Three Series):

• Inter Miami CF (1) vs. Toronto FC-D.C. United Winner
• FC Cincinnati (2) vs. Orlando City SC (7)
• Columbus Crew (3) vs. Charlotte FC (6)
• New York Red Bulls (4) vs. New York City FC (5)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Wild-card Match:

• Portland Timbers (No. 8 seed) vs. Minnesota United FC (No. 9)

Round 1 (Best-of-Three Series):

• LA Galaxy (1) vs. Portland Timbers-Minnesota United FC Winner
• Los Angeles FC (2) vs. Houston Dynamo FC (7)
• Real Salt Lake (3) vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (6)
• Colorado Rapids (4) vs. Seattle Sounders FC (5)

MLS Championship Odds

As per BetMGM, Inter Miami CF (+165) is the current frontrunner to claim the 2024 league championship, followed by Los Angeles FC (+500), LA Galaxy (+800), Columbus Crew (+800), and FC Cincinnati (+1200).