Doug McIntyre
Soccer Journalist
The 2024 MLS Cup playoffs kick off on Tuesday following a marathon common season, with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami the clear favorites to win the title.
Messi and Miami will meet the winner of Tuesday’s single elimination Japanese Convention wildcard between CF Montreal and Atlanta United. The Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers will contest the West’s play-in on Wednesday, with the perfect of three sport Spherical 1 collection starting with the Oct. 25 opener between the Herons and Atlanta/Montreal. All matches can be found on Apple TV.
Messi simply led Miami to the best common season in MLS’s 29-year historical past; the GOAT scored an 11-minute hat trick in Saturday’s campaign-ending comeback win over the New England Revolution, a victory that gave the Herons a league report 74 factors.
The Supporters Defend triumph implies that Miami will get pleasure from house area benefit all through the postseason. It additionally certified Tata Martino’s squad for the 2025 Membership World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino introduced on the Chase Stadium area following Saturday’s victory. Infantino additionally revealed that the Herons will host the opening match of the event at 65,000-capacity Onerous Rock Stadium.
FIFA’s determination wasn’t with out controversy, although, for good cause: MLS Cup is the league’s most prestigious award, one which has for nearly three a long time now decided the champion of the U.S. and Canada’s high league. The Supporters Defend does not.
But whereas the industrial attraction of getting Miami take part in its expanded Membership World Cup is clear, it’s not as if Marino’s group — one rounded out by Messi’s former Barcelona teammates Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suárez — isn’t a greater than worthy consultant for MLS.
Miami could make FIFA’s determination moot by successful MLS Cup, in fact. Simpler mentioned than achieved.
Ending first over the eight-month, 34 sport common season has hardly ever been a predictor of what occurs within the fall. Solely eight Supporters Defend holders have gone on to say the double since MLS’s inception in 1996. Simply 5 have achieved it this century.
Given the best way that Messi and mates have dominated all MLS comers in 2024, it might shock no one if Miami grew to become the sixth double winner on Dec. 7. They’ll face stiff competitors even to succeed in the championship match, although, with the defending champion Columbus Crew a possible foe within the one-game East closing.
Out West, the 2 Los Angeles powerhouses took the highest seeds. The LA Galaxy squandered their shot on the high spot by dropping their common season finale Saturday on a last-gasp objective in Houston. Meantime, 2022 champs LAFC eked previous their crosstown rivals by beating the hapless San Jose Earthquakes.
Listed below are the Spherical 1 matchups.
Japanese Convention
Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United or CF Montreal
There can be storylines aplenty irrespective of which group emerges to face the No. 1 seed. Martino led Atlanta to the 2018 MLS Cup title. His star performer with the 5 Stripes? Former Miami striker Josef Martinez, who left for Montreal final winter and helped the Bleu-Blanc-Noir punch their postseason ticket with a Choice Day win over New York Metropolis.
Orlando Metropolis vs. Charlotte FC
Orlando dropped its final match to Atlanta however had been in positive kind beforehand, going 6-1 of their earlier seven video games. A type of was a decisive 2-0 win over Charlotte on Sept. 18. The Lions and the Crown tied in North Carolina in June of their solely different assembly in 2024. The collection begins on Sunday in Central Florida (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1/FOX Deportes/Apple TV).
FC Cincinnati vs. NYCFC
Final yr’s Supporters Defend winners managed simply three wins over their final dozen video games to complete fifth total. However regardless of the lack of key defenders Nick Hagglund and Matt Miazga to season-ending accidents, FCC nonetheless boasts an elite roster led by 2023 MLS MVP Lucho Acosta. And whereas the Pigeons took the newest encounter earlier this month, Cincy beat NYCFC twice at house to take the season collection. Their playoff slate opens at TQL Stadium on Oct. 28 (6:45 p.m. ET, FS1/FOX Deportes/Apple TV).
Columbus Crew vs. New York Crimson Bulls
After successful all of it final December, Wilfried Nancy’s aspect is poised for an additional deep run this fall. The Crew already hosted one piece of silverware in 2024 — the Leagues Cup — and misplaced within the Concacaf Champions Cup closing.
They shouldn’t have an excessive amount of hassle outlasting the Crimson Bulls, which have made the playoffs for 15 straight seasons with out one MLS Cup look to point out for it. The Ohio capital hosts the opener on Oct. 29 (6:45 p.m. ET, FS1/FOX Deportes/Apple TV).
Western Convention
LAFC vs. Portland Timbers or Vancouver Whitecaps
Final yr’s runner up LAFC opens its playoff slate on Sunday (9:45 p.m. ET, FS1/FOX Deportes/Apple TV) with excessive hopes of returning to the ultimate for the third yr working. Throughout the common season, LAFC was unbeaten in 4 video games versus the Timbers and Caps, beating the latter each at house and north of the border.
Seattle Sounders vs. Houston Dynamo
The Sounders are all the time a tricky out this time of yr. And with a report of 18W-6L-8T in opposition to the Dynamo, they’ve owned the all-time collection. Final month, Seattle beat Houston at Lumen Discipline, which hosts the rematch subsequent Monday (9 p.m. ET, FS1/FOX Deportes/Apple TV). The 2 groups performed to a 2-2 tie in Texas in June.
Actual Salt Lake vs. Minnesota United
Successful MLS Cup is commonly about getting sizzling when it counts. Minnesota enters the playoffs scorching, the Loons having gained six of their closing eight video games.
Alternatively, RSL has been constant all yr, ending sixth total. Choosing a winner isn’t straightforward; the groups drew each occasions they met in 2024. The ultimate Spherical 1 opener kicks off on Oct. 29 (9:00 p.m. ET, FS1/FOX Deportes/Apple TV).
LA Galaxy vs. Colorado Rapids
The Galaxy should be kicking themselves after final weekend’s loss; the Rapids, beneath first yr coach Chris Armas, are one of many league’s most improved squads this time period. However Colorado was dealt a merciless damage blow on Choice Day, as star playmaker Djordje Mihailović was stretchered off the sphere with a sprained ankle. Whether or not Mihailović is ready to return later within the collection is unclear.
Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports activities. A former employees author with ESPN and Yahoo Sports activities, he has lined U.S. males’s and girls’s nationwide groups at FIFA World Cups on 5 continents. Comply with him @ByDougMcIntyre.
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