MLS is down to its final four.
After the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs paused for the November FIFA international break, they returned with a bang, and we’re left with a pair of intriguing conference finals. In the Eastern Conference, it’ll be Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami against upstart and shorthanded New York City FC, while in the Western Conference, San Diego FC will take on the Vancouver Whitecaps in a meeting of the top two seeds. For all the remaining contenders but 2021 champion NYCFC, it’s their first time reaching this stage of the MLS playoffs.
The conference semifinals started with an instant classic. Son Heung-min’s heroics – including a stunning equalizer off a free kick in second-half stoppage time – kept LAFC’s season alive and forced extra time. But the Whitecaps prevailed in penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw, sending Son & Co. tumbling out of the playoffs and the Canadian side into the conference finals.
Messi took the baton from there, scoring a goal and assisting on three others in a 4-0 win vs. FC Cincinnati to continue his outrageous streak of having a hand in every single one of Inter Miami’s playoff goals so far (12). The first big surprise came in Sunday’s nightcap, where the Supporters’ Shield-winning Philadelphia Union went out at the hands of NYCFC, whose star striker, Alonso Martínez, tore his ACL on international duty with Costa Rica. Nevertheless, veteran Maxi Moralez supplied the goal and U.S. No. 1 Matt Freese came up with the big saves needed in a 1-0 triumph, and NYCFC will now head south to Miami.
The last conference semifinal unfolded Monday night at Snapdragon Stadium, where the West’s No. 1 seed, expansion San Diego FC, prevailed over Minnesota United 1-0 thanks to MLS Newcomer of the Year Anders Dreyer’s latest heroic moment.
At this point in the MLS playoffs, it’s a single-elimination battle to the end, and the finalist with the best regular-season record earns the right to host MLS Cup on Dec. 6 – a day after the 2026 World Cup draw. Should Inter Miami make it to the final, Messi & Co. would host it, given they had more points than any remaining Western Conference side.
Here’s what the road to MLS Cup looks like (Updated as of Nov. 24):
Full MLS Cup playoff schedule and results
First round (best of three): Oct. 24-Nov. 9
Game One
Oct. 24: Inter Miami 3, Nashville SC 1
Oct. 26: Philadelphia Union 2, Chicago Fire 2 (Philadelphia wins 4-2 on PKs)
Oct. 26: Vancouver Whitecaps 3, FC Dallas 0
Oct. 26: San Diego FC 2, Portland Timbers 1
Oct. 27: FC Cincinnati 1, Columbus Crew 0
Oct. 27: Minnesota United 0, Seattle Sounders 0 (Minnesota wins 3-2 on PKs)
Oct. 28: Charlotte FC 0, New York City FC 1
Oct. 29: LAFC 2, Austin FC 1
Game Two
Nov. 1: New York City FC 0, Charlotte FC 0 (Charlotte wins 7-6 on PKs)
Nov. 1: Chicago Fire 0, Philadelphia Union 3
Nov. 1: Nashville SC 2, Inter Miami 1
Nov. 1: FC Dallas 1, Vancouver Whitecaps 1 (Vancouver wins 4-2 on PKs)
Nov. 1: Portland Timbers 2, San Diego FC 2 (Portland wins 3-2 on PKs)
Nov. 2: Columbus Crew 4, FC Cincinnati 0
Nov. 2: Austin FC 1, LAFC 4
Nov. 3: Seattle Sounders 4, Minnesota United 2
Game Three
Nov. 7: Charlotte FC 1, New York City FC 3
Nov. 8: Minnesota United 3, Seattle Sounders 3 (Minnesota wins 7-6 on PKs)
Nov. 8: FC Cincinnati 2, Columbus Crew 1
Nov. 8: Inter Miami 4, Nashville SC 0
Nov. 9: San Diego 4, Portland Timbers 0
Conference semifinals (one match): Nov. 22-24
Nov. 22: Vancouver Whitecaps 2, LAFC 2 AET (Vancouver wins 4-3 in PKs)
Nov. 23: FC Cincinnati 0, Inter Miami 4
Nov. 23: Philadelphia Union 0, NYCFC 1
Nov. 24: San Diego FC 1, Minnesota United 0
Conference finals (one match)
Nov. 29, 6 p.m. ET: Inter Miami vs. NYCFC
Nov. 29, 9 p.m. ET: San Diego FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
2025 MLS Cup
Dec. 6, 2:30 p.m. ET: Inter Miami/NYCFC vs. San Diego FC/Vancouver Whitecaps
