List of MLS Cup finals explained

The MLS Cup is the annual championship match of Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-level men's soccer league for the United States and Canada. The match marks the conclusion of the MLS Cup Playoffs, a five-round knockout competition contested by the top nine teams from each of the league's two conferences.[1] [2] The playoffs tournament is organized by the league at the end of the regular season in a format which is similar to other professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada, but unlike most soccer leagues.[3] The league also awards the Supporters' Shield to teams that have the most points during the regular season. Both the MLS Cup champion and Supporters' Shield winner qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League, contested by the champions of CONCACAF leagues in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.[4] The MLS Cup champion also qualifies for the Campeones Cup, a friendly held since 2018 against the winners of the Mexican Campeón de Campeones from Liga MX.[5]

First contested in 1996, the MLS Cup was originally hosted by a predetermined neutral site selected by the league before the regular season.[6] Since the 2012 edition, the match has been hosted by the remaining team with the highest regular season standing.[6] The final, originally contested in October, was moved to November and later December as the length of the regular season and playoffs were extended by the league.[7] The playoffs originally allowed for lower-ranked seeds, known as wild cards, to be placed into different sides of the bracket regardless of their actual conference. As a result, several MLS Cups have featured two teams from the same conference.[8]

The Columbus Crew are the reigning cup-holders, having defeated Los Angeles FC in the 2023 final for their third title.[9] The LA Galaxy hold the record for most MLS Cup titles, having won five times in nine appearances.[10] The championship has been won by the same team in two or more consecutive years on three occasions, and the match has featured consecutive sets of finalists on three occasions.[11] Four finals have featured two teams participating as finalists for the first time.[12] Nine teams have also won "the double", claiming the MLS Cup and either the Supporters' Shield, the U.S. Open Cup, or the Canadian Championship during the same season; only Toronto FC has won a treble, having achieved it in 2017.[13] [14] Landon Donovan has played in seven MLS Cup finals and totaled 726 minutes—both competition records.[15]

The highest recorded attendance for the MLS Cup was set in the 2018 final, with 73,019 spectators at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.[16] From 1996 to 2008, the English broadcast of the MLS Cup was carried in the United States on terrestrial network ABC; it was moved to sister channel ESPN for the following seven editions.[17] From 2015 to 2022, ESPN and Fox held rights to alternating editions of the cup;[18] the 2019 cup, originally slated to be broadcast on ESPN, was moved to ABC.[17] The Spanish language rights for the MLS Cup in the U.S. were awarded to Univision in 2007 and the match was aired on their various networks until 2023.[19] [20] The U.S. linear television rights beginning in 2023 are held by Fox in English and Fox Deportes in Spanish; the MLS Cup final will air on those channels as well as Apple TV+'s MLS Season Pass streaming service worldwide.[21] In Canada, the MLS Cup has been broadcast in English by TSN since 2011 and in French by TVA Sports since 2017.[22] The largest television audience for an MLS Cup broadcast was the 2016 final, which drew 3.5 million viewers in the United States and Canada.[23] [24]

Finals

Key
Match went to extra time
Match decided by a penalty shootout after extra time
§Team also won the Supporters' Shield
Team also won a national cup competition (the U.S. Open Cup or the Canadian Championship)
ItalicsTeam won both a Supporters' Shield and a national cup competition
Season!scope="col"
DateWinnersScore[25] Runners–upVenueAttendance[26] U.S. TV broadcastersU.S. TV viewership
D.C. United * †3–2
Los Angeles GalaxyFoxboro Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts34,643ABC
D.C. United §2–1Colorado RapidsRFK Memorial Stadium, Washington, D.C.57,431ABC
Chicago Fire *2–0D.C. UnitedRose Bowl, Pasadena, California51,350ABC
D.C. United §2–0Los Angeles GalaxyFoxboro Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts44,910ABC
Kansas City Wizards §1–0Chicago Fire *RFK Memorial Stadium, Washington, D.C.39,159ABC
San Jose Earthquakes †2–1
Los Angeles GalaxyCrew Stadium, Columbus, Ohio21,626ABC
Los Angeles Galaxy § †1–0
New England RevolutionGillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts61,316ABC
San Jose Earthquakes4–2Chicago Fire § *Home Depot Center, Carson, California27,000ABC
D.C. United3–2Kansas City Wizards *Home Depot Center, Carson, California25,797ABC
Los Angeles Galaxy * †1–0 New England RevolutionPizza Hut Park, Frisco, Texas21,193ABC
Houston Dynamo †1–1
New England RevolutionPizza Hut Park, Frisco, Texas22,427ABC
Houston Dynamo2–1New England Revolution *RFK Memorial Stadium, Washington, D.C.39,859ABC, TeleFutura
Columbus Crew §3–1New York Red BullsHome Depot Center, Carson, California27,000ABC, TeleFutura
Real Salt Lake †1–1
LA GalaxyQwest Field, Seattle, Washington46,011ESPN, Galavisión
Colorado Rapids †2–1 FC DallasBMO Field, Toronto, Ontario21,700ESPN, Galavisión
LA Galaxy §1–0Houston DynamoHome Depot Center, Carson, California30,281ESPN, Galavisión
LA Galaxy3–1Houston DynamoHome Depot Center, Carson, California30,510ESPN, TeleFutura
Sporting Kansas City †1–1
Real Salt LakeSporting Park, Kansas City, Kansas21,650ESPN, UniMás
LA Galaxy †2–1 New England RevolutionStubHub Center, Carson, California27,000ESPN, UniMás
Portland Timbers2–1Columbus Crew SCMapfre Stadium, Columbus, Ohio21,747ESPN, UniMás
Seattle Sounders FC †0–0
Toronto FC *BMO Field, Toronto, Ontario36,045Fox, UniMás
Toronto FC § *2–0Seattle Sounders FCBMO Field, Toronto, Ontario30,584ESPN, UniMás
Atlanta United FC2–0Portland TimbersMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia73,019Fox, UniMás
Seattle Sounders FC3–1Toronto FCCenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington69,274ABC, Univision
Columbus Crew SC3–0Seattle Sounders FCMapfre Stadium, Columbus, Ohio1,500Fox, UniMás
New York City FC †1–1
Portland TimbersProvidence Park, Portland, Oregon25,218ABC, UniMás
Los Angeles FC § †3–3
Philadelphia UnionBanc of California Stadium, Los Angeles, California22,384Fox, Univision
Columbus Crew2–1Los Angeles FCLower.com Field, Columbus, Ohio20,802MLS Season Pass (Apple),
Fox, Fox Deportes
[27]

Results by team

, 19 of the 31 teams that have played in the league have appeared at an MLS Cup final, and 15 have won a championship.[28] [29] The LA Galaxy has appeared at and won the MLS Cup the most times, with five championships in nine appearances. The New England Revolution has appeared five times as a finalist, but has not won an MLS Cup.[28] [30] The Chicago Fire won the MLS Cup in their inaugural season in 1998; the only previous professional American soccer team to win a league championship in their inaugural season was the Philadelphia Atoms in the 1973 NASL season.[29]

Team!scope="col"
Total
appearances
WinsMost recent winRunners-upMost recent loss<--Default sorting is in the following order: Total appearances, Wins, earliest year of appearance-->
LA Galaxy95201442009
D.C. United54200411998
New England Revolution5052014
Columbus Crew43202312015
Houston Dynamo FC42200722012
Seattle Sounders FC42201922020
Sporting Kansas City32201312004
Chicago Fire FC31199822003
Portland Timbers31201522021
Toronto FC31201722019
San Jose Earthquakes2220030
Real Salt Lake21200912013
Colorado Rapids21201011997
Los Angeles FC21202212023
Atlanta United FC1120180
New York City FC1120210
New York Red Bulls1012008
FC Dallas1012010
Philadelphia Union1012022

Stadiums

From 1996 to 2011, the MLS Cup was hosted by a neutral site selected before the start of the season in a manner similar to the National Football League's Super Bowl championship. Three teams advanced to the final after being named as hosts: D.C. United in 1997, the New England Revolution in 2002, and the LA Galaxy in 2011.[31] [32] Since the 2012 edition, the match has been hosted by the finalist with the highest regular season standing.[6] Several teams with smaller or inadequate stadiums have also considered using larger American football stadiums to host the MLS Cup, but all post-2012 editions have been played at regular MLS venues.[33] The move towards a non-neutral venue was deemed a risk due to the cold November and December weather in some northern cities, as well as the lack of adequate stadiums for some teams.[34]

The MLS Cup has been hosted in 14 stadiums across 10 metropolitan areas in the United States and Canada.[35] Dignity Health Sports Park, previously named the Home Depot Center and StubHub Center, in Carson, California, has hosted the MLS Cup the most times of any venue, with six editions between 2003 and 2014.[36] The Los Angeles metropolitan area has hosted the MLS Cup eight times at three venues: the Rose Bowl, Dignity Health Sports Park, and Banc of California Stadium.[37] The largest attendance for an MLS Cup final was the 2018 edition at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, with 73,019 spectators;[16] the smallest was in 2020 at Mapfre Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, with only 1,500 spectators allowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[38] [39] Three editions have been hosted outside the United States, all at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada.[26] Since the move to non-neutral venues, 10 of 13 MLS Cups have been won by the host team.[40]

MLS Cup final venues
StadiumHostsYears
StubHub Center, Carson, California align=center 6 2003, 2004, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Washington, D.C. align=center 3 1997, 2000, 2007
BMO Field, Toronto, Ontario align=center 3 2010, 2016, 2017
Mapfre Stadium, Columbus, Ohio align=center 3 2001, 2015, 2020
Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts align=center 2 1996, 1999
Pizza Hut Park, Frisco, Texas align=center 2 2005, 2006
CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington align=center 2 2009, 2019
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California align=center 1 1998
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts align=center 1 2002
Sporting Park, Kansas City, Kansas align=center 1 2013
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia align=center 1 2018
Providence Park, Portland, Oregon align=center 1 2021
Banc of California Stadium, Los Angeles, California align=center 1 2022
Lower.com Field, Columbus, Ohio align=center 1 2023

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Tannenwald . Jonathan . February 21, 2023 . MLS changes its playoff format again, now guaranteeing home games for more teams . . October 19, 2023 . October 16, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231016102827/https://www.inquirer.com/soccer/mls-playoffs-2023-format-schedule-change-20230221.html . live .
  2. Web site: 2023 MLS Competition Guidelines . . October 19, 2023 . May 1, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210501233548/https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/competition-guidelines . live .
  3. News: Ruthven . Graham . November 5, 2015 . Could MLS-style play-offs work in Europe's top leagues? . . June 24, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180624204543/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/nov/05/mls-playoff-european-football . June 24, 2018 . live.
  4. News: Goff . Steven . December 5, 2015 . MLS playoff format is an outlier in world soccer — and that's a good thing . . June 24, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181210111005/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2015/12/05/mls-playoff-format-is-an-outlier-in-world-soccer-and-thats-a-good-thing/?noredirect=on . December 10, 2018 . live.
  5. News: Myers . Jacob . September 27, 2021 . A chance for a trophy and a consequential MLS game, Columbus Crew enter biggest week of season . . January 1, 2023 . December 10, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221210093454/https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/2021/09/27/campeones-cup-and-important-road-game-crew-enter-biggest-week-year/5882383001/ . live .
  6. News: Dreier . Frederick . November 29, 2012 . Wild-card L.A. Galaxy favored in home-field MLS Cup . USA Today . December 9, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181210154624/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2012/11/29/galaxy-favored-in-home-field-mls-cup/1735965/ . December 10, 2018 . live.
  7. News: January 5, 2012 . MLS reveals 2012 schedule, including MLS Cup in December . MLSsoccer.com . December 12, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181215221935/https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2012/01/05/mls-reveals-2012-schedule-including-mls-cup-december . December 15, 2018 . live.
  8. News: Rodriguez . Alicia . October 21, 2015 . Audi MLS Cup Playoffs: Tracing the evolution of the postseason format since 1996 . MLSsoccer.com . December 9, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181113165913/https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2015/10/21/audi-mls-cup-playoffs-tracing-evolution-postseason-format . November 13, 2018 . live.
  9. News: Mac Kay . Brianna . December 9, 2023 . Columbus Crew top LAFC to win franchise's third MLS Cup . . December 9, 2023 . December 9, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231209231535/https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/mls/columbus-crew/2023/12/09/columbus-crew-top-lafc-to-win-franchises-third-mls-cup/71850633007/ . live .
  10. News: Powers . John . December 8, 2014 . Galaxy defeat Revolution for record fifth MLS title . The Boston Globe . December 9, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181107185307/https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/12/07/galaxy-defeat-revolution-for-record-fifth-mls-title/QXMrUO8NT5sTEKPW5Un1UL/story.html . November 7, 2018 . live.
  11. News: Milles . Todd . November 30, 2017 . Sounders stamp MLS Cup rematch ticket with Toronto . . December 9, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181210154627/https://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/soccer/mls/sounders-fc/article187475518.html . December 10, 2018 . live.
  12. News: Baxter . Kevin . November 5, 2022 . LAFC defeats Philadelphia on penalty kicks to win MLS Cup title in thriller . . November 5, 2022 . February 19, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230219094040/https://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/story/2022-11-05/lafc-defeats-philadelphia-penalty-kicks-mls-title . live .
  13. News: Rodriguez . Alicia . December 9, 2017 . Toronto FC win first domestic treble in MLS history . MLSsoccer.com . December 9, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181210111230/https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/12/09/toronto-fc-win-first-domestic-treble-mls-history . December 10, 2018 . live.
  14. News: Rodriguez . Alicia . November 5, 2022 . LAFC win MLS Cup, Supporters' Shield double . Angels on Parade . . November 5, 2022 . November 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221105232619/https://www.angelsonparade.com/2022/11/5/23442524/lafc-win-mls-cup-supporters-shield-double . live .
  15. News: December 7, 2014 . LA Galaxy legend Landon Donovan wins MLS record sixth MLS Cup title . MLSsoccer.com . November 6, 2022 . November 7, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221107045429/https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/la-galaxy-legend-landon-donovan-wins-mls-record-sixth-mls-cup-title . live .
  16. News: Reineking . Jim . December 8, 2018 . Atlanta United wins MLS Cup in just its second season . USA Today . December 8, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181209062149/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2018/12/08/atlanta-united-wins-mls-cup-portland-timbers/2236263002/ . December 9, 2018 . live.
  17. News: Reedy . Joe . August 28, 2019 . MLS Cup returning to ABC for first time since 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190830041704/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/mls-cup-returning-to-abc-for-first-time-since-2008/2019/08/28/c128cafc-c9ad-11e9-9615-8f1a32962e04_story.html . dead . August 30, 2019 . The Washington Post . Associated Press . August 29, 2019.
  18. News: Tannenwald . Jonathan . May 11, 2014 . MLS, U.S. Soccer officially announce new TV deal with ESPN, Fox, Univision . . August 29, 2019 . August 30, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190830031827/https://www.inquirer.com/philly/blogs/thegoalkeeper/Live-MLS-US-Soccer-officially-announce-new-TV-deal-with-ESPN-Fox-Univision.html . live .
  19. News: Stewart . Larry . February 7, 2007 . National TV to focus on Beckham and Galaxy . D3 . Los Angeles Times . . November 14, 2022 . November 14, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221114233157/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/113075970/national-tv-to-focus-on-beckham-and/ . live .
  20. News: Kennedy . Paul . December 10, 2013 . MLS Cup viewers on UniMas surpass those on ESPN . . limited . November 14, 2022 . November 14, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221114233202/https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/55322/mls-cup-viewers-on-unimas-surpass-those-on-espn.html . live .
  21. News: December 13, 2022 . MLS on linear TV: FOX Sports, TelevisaUnivision, TSN & RDS reach multi-year deals . MLSsoccer.com . December 13, 2022 . December 13, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221213174846/https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-on-linear-tv-fox-sports-televisaunivision-tsn-rds-reach-multi-year-deals . live .
  22. News: January 10, 2017 . Major League Soccer announces five-year deals with TSN, TVA Sports . . . November 14, 2022 . November 14, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221114234530/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/major-league-soccer-announces-five-year-deals-with-tsn-tva-sports/article33564118/ . live .
  23. News: Stejskal . Sam . December 13, 2016 . MLS Cup 2016 sets record for most-watched title game in league history . MLSsoccer.com . November 8, 2022 . November 8, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221108155133/https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-cup-2016-sets-record-most-watched-title-game-league-history . live .
  24. News: Tannenwald . Jonathan . November 8, 2022 . Philadelphia helped MLS Cup draw its biggest U.S. TV audience in 25 years . The Philadelphia Inquirer . November 8, 2022 . November 8, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221108171226/https://www.inquirer.com/soccer/mls-cup-tv-ratings-philadelphia-los-angeles-20221108.html . live .
  25. Web site: MLS Communications Department, Elias Sports Bureau . January 2021 . Major League Soccer 2021 Fact & Record Book . 141–147 . Major League Soccer . June 10, 2021 . June 25, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210625043422/https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/fact-and-record-book . live .
  26. Web site: December 2017 . MLS Cup 2017 Game Guide: Toronto FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC . 132 . Major League Soccer . December 9, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181115153434/https://seattle-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/elfinderimages/2016/Media/Game%20Guides/MLSCUP2017.pdf . November 15, 2018 . live.
  27. News: Lewis . Jon . December 12, 2023 . Weekly sports ratings: NFL, NBA, Army-Navy, MLS Cup and more . . December 23, 2023 . December 23, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231223091910/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/12/weekly-sports-ratings-nfl-nba-in-season-army-navy-mls-cup-viewership/ . live .
  28. News: Tolmich . Ryan . December 22, 2022 . MLS Cup winners: Full list of champions, from D.C. United to LAFC . . March 5, 2023 . March 5, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230305225351/https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/mls-cup-all-winners-list/blt15fd45904a53e495 . live .
  29. News: Reineking . Jim . November 30, 2018 . 2018 MLS Cup: Atlanta United vs. Portland Timbers by the numbers . USA Today . December 10, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181209172345/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2018/11/30/mls-cup-2018-atlanta-united-vs-portland-timbers-story-lines/2159561002/ . December 9, 2018 . live.
  30. News: Parker . Graham . Whittall . Richard . December 8, 2014 . MLS Cup: how LA Galaxy crushed dreams of the Revolution . The Guardian . June 24, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180625021639/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2014/dec/08/mls-cup-how-la-galaxy-crushed-dreams-of-the-revolution . June 25, 2018 . live.
  31. News: McCarthy . Kyle . December 3, 2015 . MLS 101: Why is MLS Cup in Columbus? . . February 11, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180212142203/https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/inside-mls/story/mls-cup-columbus-crew-sc-portland-timbers-hosting-rights-feature-120315 . February 12, 2018 . live.
  32. News: Goff . Steven . March 8, 2012 . Major League Soccer 2012 preview . The Washington Post . December 9, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181210111000/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/major-league-soccer-2012-preview/2012/03/08/gIQAXOIrzR_story.html . December 10, 2018 . live.
  33. News: Almond . Elliott . October 4, 2012 . San Jose Earthquakes mull stadium options for MLS Cup . . June 24, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180624232806/https://www.mercurynews.com/2012/10/04/san-jose-earthquakes-mull-stadium-options-for-mls-cup/ . June 24, 2018 . live.
  34. News: Goff . Steven . November 26, 2012 . MLS Cup at home comes with risk . The Washington Post . June 24, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180725124317/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2012/11/26/mls-cup-at-home-comes-with-risk/ . July 25, 2018 . live.
  35. Web site: December 2023 . 2023 MLS Cup Game Guide . 8–9, 45–46 . Major League Soccer . December 6, 2023 . December 7, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231207180501/https://mlssoccer.app.box.com/s/b50cp7q3nxhu5kaagear9ff8wopeuvue . live .
  36. News: Celani . Andrew . December 3, 2014 . 9 Things To Know Ahead Of Revolution–Galaxy MLS Cup . . November 16, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181117104949/https://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/12/03/9-things-to-know-ahead-of-revolution-galaxy-mls-cup/ . November 17, 2018 . live.
  37. October 30, 2022 . Los Angeles Football Club Advance to Host 2022 MLS Cup . Major League Soccer . November 6, 2022 . November 7, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221107040151/https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/los-angeles-football-club-advance-to-host-2022-mls-cup . live .
  38. News: Das . Andrew . December 12, 2020 . Columbus Wins M.L.S. Cup, the Final Stop on a Journey to Stay Put . . December 22, 2020 . October 23, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211023141100/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/12/sports/soccer/columbus-crew-mls-cup.html . live .
  39. News: Butler . Dylan . November 2, 2019 . After CenturyLink Field sellout, a look at the top MLS Cup attendances . MLSsoccer.com . November 2, 2019 . November 3, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191103044549/https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/11/02/what-are-top-mls-cup-attendances . live .
  40. News: Reuter . Jeff . February 6, 2024 . What MLS should take from the NFL: Lessons on scheduling, playoff format and offseason buzz . . subscription . February 6, 2024 . February 6, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240206193952/https://theathletic.com/5255171/2024/02/06/mls-nfl-playoff-format-schedule-offseason/ . live .