With Decision Day in the rearview mirror and the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs field set, it’s officially time for the postseason.
The stakes are high. The margin for error is thin. Eighteen teams will be whittled down to just one champion on Dec. 6.
Let's get primed on every playoff team, gleaning a top-line look at the squads left standing.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Season so far: Philadelphia are your Supporters’ Shield champions. Though losing Quinn Sullivan to an ACL tear hurts the attack, the Union are back to their heavy metal roots and don’t rely too heavily on any one piece of the on-field puzzle.
Key player: If there's a key piece in Philly, it’s Kai Wagner. Especially with Sullivan’s absence as a secondary playmaker, Wagner’s distribution from left back is increasingly important.
Season so far: With 16 one-goal wins out of their 20 total during the regular season, Cincinnati have a knack for winning without much wiggle room. Continuing that feat against the best of the best sure won’t be easy.
Key player: Only two players put up more non-penalty goals than Evander’s 18 this year. Only two players put up more primary assists than Evander’s 14 this year. The Brazilian No. 10 is much-watch.
Season so far: With the league’s busiest schedule across all competitions, 2025 has been a grind for Miami. Still, their best-in-show attack drove them to home-field advantage in Round One, and now they’ll have every chance to lift MLS Cup.
Key player: If you watch Miami closely, you’ll see that Tadeo Alle— I can’t do it. It’s Lionel Messi. He’s been wildly good this year, posting 29 goals and 19 assists to win the Golden Boot presented by Audi. He'll likely be the first back-to-back Landon Donovan MLS MVP in league history.
Season so far: Fueled by a record-tying nine-game winning streak, Charlotte have shown glimpses of trophy-winning form. But with midfielder Pep Biel struggling with an injury, the attack has been inconsistent.
Key player: Goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina powered their aforementioned winning streak, and it’ll be the very same shot-stopper with his fingerprints all over any potential playoff run. Only two goalkeepers saved more goals above expected than Kahlina’s 8.2 this year, as per FBref.
Season so far: With a new coach at the helm in Pascal Jansen, NYCFC continued to play the City Football Group way, keeping 54% possession this year. That possession, though, functioned more as a defensive mechanism than an attacking one. They finished with the league’s sixth-best defensive record based on non-penalty xG.
Key player: Alonso Martínez leads NYCFC in goals (17) and has been crying out for a running mate all year. A consistent partner is yet to emerge, putting extra pressure on the Costa Rican international to produce.
Season so far: Amid their best-ever season, Nashville have already lifted this year’s US Open Cup trophy. B.J. Callaghan’s tactical approach, mixed with a quietly effective roster refresh, has turned this team into a contender, despite their relatively low seeding in the East.
Key player: Drawing a line in the middle of the Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar duo feels cruel, but Mukhtar’s varied attacking threat makes him Nashville’s scariest player. He’s near equal parts elite scorer and elite creator.
Season so far: Compared to Wilfried Nancy’s first two years in Columbus, this year has been tough for the Crew. Largely due to injuries to several key starters, we still haven’t seen the best version of this team in 2025.
Key player: Sean Zawadzki isn’t the flashiest piece in Columbus, but he may well be the most important one. The Crew have allowed more non-penalty xG than in either of the last two seasons under Nancy. Zawadzki, now back healthy and playing the middle of the defense, can help right the ship.
Season so far: During his first season at the helm, Gregg Berhalter has guided Chicago to their first playoff appearance since 2017. With a slew of fresh players and a new attack-first identity, the Fire have raised their ceiling considerably.
Key player: Philip Zinckernagel has been a verifiable star for the Fire, posting more goal contributions than all but five players in MLS (15g/15a).
Season so far: Strong form throughout most of the season gave way to a one-win-in-seven stretch to finish the year. Even with some untimely injuries at the base of their spine, Orlando have enough attacking firepower to make a run.
Key player: Martín Ojeda’s transformation from being in and out of Oscar Pareja’s lineup last year to being one of the best No. 10s in MLS is remarkable. He leads Orlando in goal contributions (16g/15a) and can change games in an instant.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Season so far: San Diego are in uncharted waters, finishing with the best record based on points (63) and points per game (1.85) of any expansion outfit in league history. With loads of on-field clarity in their possession-heavy style and plenty of top-end talent, they look poised for a playoff run.
Key player: If Messi didn’t exist, Anders Dreyer would be this year’s MVP. With his visionary passing and off-ball movement, the Dane’s threat on the right wing is off the charts.
Season so far: After a run to the Concacaf Champions Cup final and a fourth straight Canadian Championship trophy, the Whitecaps clinched a top playoff seed. Jesper Sørensen’s more controlled and balanced tactical approach has breathed new life into Vancouver, even with several injuries in defense.
Key player: Thomas Müller, who arrived just two months ago, is their most pivotal attacker in every way. In addition to fantastic vibes and leadership, the German star and Bayern Munich legend has 8g/4a in eight appearances across all competitions.
Season so far: On track for a strong season, even before a major summer signing supercharged them, LAFC are an MLS Cup threat yet again. With elite defensive work and an attack reaching new heights, head coach Steve Cherundolo might go out with a bang.
Key player: Choosing between Denis Bouanga and Son-Heung Min is virtually impossible, but Son is worth watching especially closely. The South Korean superstar and former Tottenham forward has raised LAFC’s ceiling in a major way since arriving in August.
Season so far: After Eric Ramsay’s first preseason in charge of the team, Minnesota fully leaned into aggressive set-piece play and hyper-compact defending. It pushed the Loons to home-field advantage in Round One, though cashing in on Tani Oluwaseyi’s transfer to LaLiga hurts them in the short term.
Key player: It’s risky choosing a player who hasn’t started in more than a month for this category, but DP striker Kelvin Yeboah played 12 minutes off the bench on Decision Day and can provide a much-needed boost in attacking transition.
Season so far: With a jam-packed schedule across several competitions, including the Club World Cup, the Sounders relied on one of the deepest rosters in MLS history to secure their playoff spot. With elite underlying numbers in attack and defense, it’s been another successful year in Seattle – one that already includes the Leagues Cup title.
Key player: Back in the USMNT picture under Mauricio Pochettino, Cristian Roldan has thrived in a deep-lying midfield role. According to American Soccer Analysis’ net goals added metric, Roldan has added more value than any other starting No. 6.
Season so far: Between Brandon Vazquez’s season-ending injury and a loss to Nashville in the US Open Cup final, it’s been a challenging year for Austin. Still, they’ve positioned themselves to play spoiler in the postseason on the back of disciplined defensive play.
Key player: When Austin’s attack is firing, Myrto Uzuni tends to be at the center of the action. Allowed to play up top in Vazquez’s absence, the Designated Player has five goals in his last 11 league games.
Season so far: There’s no better way to look at Dallas’ year than with Lucho Acosta and without Lucho Acosta. In 24 games with the Argentine, FC Dallas averaged just 1.04 points per game. Once he moved to Brazil, Dallas averaged 1.9 points per game, more than all but three other teams in MLS over that same stretch. They won’t be an easy out.
Key player: With Eric Quill’s tactical setup tilting towards the defensive end and then some, Petar Musa’s diverse skillset is crucial in the attack. The DP striker is inside the league’s top 10 in goal contributions, per FBref.
Season so far: Between Jonathan Rodríguez’s season-ending injury and David Da Costa's adaptation process, the Timbers’ attack has struggled down the stretch. They strengthened the team in the summer window, though, and a postseason rally is never off the table.
Key player: Kristoffer Velde has looked like an upgrade since arriving in August, with the well-rounded forward leading the team in expected assists per game based on American Soccer Analysis’ data.
Season so far: Locking in a playoff spot on Decision Day, RSL left their fifth straight postseason bid late this year. The same principle applies to their roster, where crucial pieces didn’t arrive until the summer transfer window, and the attack is down from the Chicho Arango and Andrés Gómez-led squad that turned heads last season.
Key player: We’ve seen USMNT midfielder Diego Luna take over matches for RSL, and now we’re seeing summer signing Victor Olatunji do the same thing. With three goals in his last three starts and impressive underlying numbers, the No. 9 looks like a handful up top.
