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Evaluating the New MLS Playoff Structure

Published

7 years ago

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On Dec. 17 of last year, Major League Soccer announced that it would be switching to a new playoff format and new playoff scheduling starting in 2019. The competitive changes involved 14 teams making the playoffs instead of 12, with only one team receiving a first-round bye; a fixed bracket with no re-seeding; and the switch to a single-elimination format for the entire duration of the postseason. Scheduling-wise the playoffs would now be shorter than in years past, with the entirety of the postseason taking place between the October and November international breaks.

The changes were intended to do a number of different things. First, the move to a 14-team playoff field was made with an eye towards MLS expanding to 28 teams in the very near future. The decision to do away with two-legged ties was intended to both make the playoffs more exciting, and shorten the overall duration of the postseason. That also played into the league putting the playoffs in between two international breaks, so that teams wouldn’t potentially be missing players, and also provided continuity throughout the run of the playoffs for both teams and fans instead of having things broken up by the November international break. A final (even though not explicitly stated) reason for the changes was to try to attract a wider and more casual audience to the league, and provide a showcase for the growth of MLS in America. The question is: did it work?

The first thing to look at is the playoff field itself. Plenty of people suggested that letting in seven teams from each conference would result in bad teams making the postseason and lower the overall quality of play. I don’t think that was the case whatsoever. All but one of the first-round games in the playoffs this year was decided by one goal, with the outlier being a 5-1 thrashing that Toronto FC handed out to D.C. United in a game that only really got out of hand during extra time. That’s exactly the same number of lopsided games as 2018, with the one game that was decided by more than one goal being between New York City FC and the Philadelphia Union — a game that finished 3-1 in favor of New York. Throughout the rest of the 2019 playoffs the quality of play has remained pretty high. There were some eye-popping scores in the form of a 5-3 LA Galaxy defeat to LAFC and a subsequent 3-1 LAFC loss at the hands of the Seattle Sounders, but none of the teams looked truly outmatched against their opponents. For me, adding another team from each conference has worked out just fine.

The next item on the list concerns excitement, and overall entertainment value. Doing away with two-legged ties in the conference semifinals and conference finals was done with an eye towards jazzing up the playoffs and making them more exciting, which is something that probably needed to be done. Between the 2018 conference semifinals and conference finals there were three 1-0 wins, and one each of a 1-1 draw and 0-0 draw, accounting for five games out of the total 12 that could be classified as “boring” if you simply go by the scoreline.

Furthermore, all but one of those “boring” games took place in the first leg of the tie as a result of teams coming out cautious and being afraid to make too many mistakes and thereby finding themselves in a hole when it came to aggregate goals. Compare that to this year, where there’s been a solitary 1-0 win throughout the entire duration of the playoffs, nine games out of 12 where the teams have combined for at least three goals, and an absolute slew of late goals — with the first round in particular packed to the gills with drama.

Obviously there can’t be any draws in the single-elimination format, but the dearth of 1-0 wins is certainly a good sign. Goals per game are also up in the playoffs, with an average of 3.13 scored in 2018 and 3.5 in 2019. It remains to be seen if that trend continues in the MLS Cup final, but early returns are good. I’m not suggesting that the 1-0 wins and pair of draws were all dull games, but few soccer fans would disagree that goals make games more exciting, and going by that (admittedly somewhat simple) logic, 2019 passes the test again.

That brings us to scheduling. Last year, the first round of the playoffs began on Oct. 31, with the MLS Cup final taking place Dec. 8 — meaning that the playoffs took a total of four and a half weeks. That’s a long time, especially compared to this year, which saw the first round start on Oct. 19 with the final coming up on Nov. 10, clocking in at three weeks and one day. Obviously it’s shorter, but the fact that the playoffs are no longer bisected by the November international break is something that shouldn’t be overlooked.

In the past it was just a little awkward, with the last game of the conference semifinals taking place on Nov. 11 and the conference finals not starting until two full weeks later on Nov. 25 in order to accommodate the international window. While there’s a week and a half break this year between the conference finals and the MLS Cup final, it’s time off that makes sense. The teams have ample time to prepare for each other, get healthy, and try to ensure that they’ll be able to give their best performances in the most important game of the season. It’s a break by choice rather than necessity, and one that certainly makes sense. The shorter, more coherent playoffs are a win in my book.

Finally, that brings us to the state of MLS and the league’s goal to continue to attract new and wider American audiences. While the growth of the league wasn’t explicitly stated as a reason for the format switch, it isn’t hard to connect some dots and see that it probably played a least a small part in the final decision. Average casual fans aren’t going to put their butts in seats only to witness a 0-0 draw, or even a 1-0 win that sees the team with the goal putting 11 men behind the ball to protect their aggregate score. Plus the two-legged nature of the conference semifinals and conference finals didn’t have the same level of stakes as the new single-elimination format. While the aggregate score format certainly provided us with some memorable moments, win or go home is simple and provides a greater sense of urgency to get to the stadium and see your team.

It’s also an easier format to digest. While grasping the concept of aggregate scores and away goals isn’t particularly difficult, those things aren’t done in any other mainstream American sport, and doing away with them only serves to Americanize soccer and make it more digestible for a domestic audience. There are some numbers to back up that it’s working too — according to a recent article by Forbes, average playoff attendance is at 31,100 this year, up from 26,343 in 2018. And while some of that increase can be attributed to teams with large and passionate fan bases like Atlanta, Seattle, and Toronto making deep runs, it’s also worth noting that the lowest attendance at a playoff game this year was only 17,452 at Real Salt Lake’s game against the Portland Timbers.

Add in the fact that there were 12 smaller crowds at playoff games from 2015-2018 and it seems that the switch has had the desired effect of attracting fans in greater numbers. It remains to be seen whether or not the trend continues, but early results are positive, so it passes the last test.

All in all, the switch seems to be working out very well for Major League Soccer — at least according to the four points I outlined. Quality of play remains high despite adding two more teams, goals per game have increased, and 1-0 wins are scarcely anywhere to be found. The postseason is shorter and no longer has to cater to an international break, and average attendance is up. While only time will tell whether or not the positive trends continue, for the first year of the new playoff format it’s so far, so very, very good.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. San Jose Earthquakes: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

Orlando City restarts its 2026 MLS campaign late tonight out west at San Jose.

Published

2 weeks ago

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July 22, 2026

By

Image of Braian Ojeda taking a shot in a friendly against FC Dallas.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Justin Glatt

Welcome to your match thread for a late night midweek matchup tonight between Orlando City (4-9-2, 14 points) and the San Jose Earthquakes (10-3-2, 32 points) at PayPal Park (10:30 p.m., Apple TV). This is the only scheduled meeting between the teams in 2026 and the first time the teams have met since 2024.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of tonight’s match.

History

Orlando City is 3-1-3 in the previous seven MLS meetings with the Quakes since the club joined Major League Soccer in 2015. The Lions got their only away win in the series in the last meeting and enter tonight 1-1-2 on the road against San Jose.

The teams last met on May 18, 2024, with Jack Lynn coming off the bench to score the game’s only goal. Lynn’s strike in the 89th minute broke the scoreless deadlock and lifted the Lions to a 1-0 victory.

The teams met in Orlando most recently way back on June 22, 2021, with the Lions beating the Quakes down, 5-0. Orlando got things started with an early penalty kick goal by Nani, followed by braces from Benji Michel and Daryl Dike to easily put the game away. The lasting memory from the game is Michel’s celebratory dance wearing a cowboy hat that came out of the stands.

Prior to that Orlando City romp, the last time the teams met was on Aug. 31, 2019 when the Lions got freight trained 3-0 at Avaya Stadium, giving the Quakes their first win in the series. San Jose’s offense came via a Chris Wondolowski brace and an early opening goal by Magnus Eriksson. Orlando looked flat and weary out of the gate.

The Lions were victorious in Exploria Stadium in the 2018 meeting on April 21, a 3-2 Orlando win. It was the first win in the series for either side after three straight draws. Chris Mueller, Sacha Kljestan, and Dom Dwyer gave the Lions a 3-0 lead before Florian Jungwirth pulled two back in the game’s late stages.

The Lions led all of the first three matches in the second half only to see San Jose pull level, with two of those tying goals coming late. In the 2017 meeting, Carlos Rivas finally broke the scoreless tie and gave Orlando City the lead in the 81st minute, but Wondolowski spoiled the Lions’ night with an equalizer two minutes later as the teams drew at Avaya Stadium, 1-1.

In 2016, the Lions were gut-punched in the 94th minute in an emotional match that ended in a 2-2 draw. It was the first home match following the Pulse nightclub tragedy and what appeared to be a storybook ending to a cathartic win turned sour on a last-gasp equalizer by Shea Salinas. Seb Hines — now the Orlando Pride’s head coach — opened the scoring for Orlando, only to see Chad Barrett tie it up. Julio Baptista restored the lead in stoppage time, but Salinas ruined everything.

The two teams also drew in the first meeting, a 1-1 affair at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, with the Lions down to 10 men after Brek Shea was sent off in the first half. Kaká and Wondolowski each scored from the penalty spot four minutes apart in that initial meeting.

Overview

The teams meet tonight to get their post-World Cup portion of the season started. Orlando City has been terrible on the road all season long, keeping only one MLS opponent under two goals all year away from home and allowing five goals twice (at New York City FC and Nashville) and six goals twice (at LAFC and in the team’s most recent match away at FC Cincinnati just before the break).

Orlando City is a putrid 1-6-1 on the road this season, and now the Lions must face the Western Conference co-leaders tonight before coming home to face Supporters’ Shield-leading Nashville SC at home on Saturday. They’ll have to play at least tonight’s game without Martin Ojeda, who is out with a thigh injury sustained some time between his first-half goal a week ago in a friendly against FC Dallas and the time the availability report dropped on Tuesday.

But it isn’t all bad news for the Lions, who should have both Antoine Griezmann and Dike in the lineup. Griezmann was the club’s highly prized and widely publicized summer Designated Player signing, while Dike’s return to Orlando came together more recently, following his departure from West Bromwich Albion. They’ll help the club’s offense, but the attack hasn’t been the issue in 2026 — it’s been the historically porous defense, which is on pace to shatter the MLS record for goals conceded.

Meanwhile, San Jose is one of the first half of the season’s biggest surprises, as the Quakes have been outstanding in 2026. Scoring 34 goals while conceding just 15, San Jose is among the league leaders in goals scored (tied for third), goals conceded (third), and goal differential (+19, third).

The Earthquakes are 4-2-1 at home and are coming off a 3-1 road win at Portland in their last game prior to the World Cup break. San Jose boasts Golden Boot challenger Preston Judd, who leads the Quakes with 11 goals, adding two assists in his 15 appearances. Ousseni Bouda has chipped in five goals and three assists. Niko Tsakiris leads the team with seven assists to go along with his two goals, but he’s still recovering from a lower body injury and is not available tonight. However, the arrival of Timo Werner (four goals and five assists in just seven games) has truly elevated Bruce Arena’s Quakes, and he’ll need to be one of the main focal points for the Orlando defense.

To have any shot at taking something from this game, the Lions will need to play better road defense than they have all season. Orlando can score goals, but with Ojeda out, Griezmann will need to adapt quickly, and someone other than the team’s leading scorer will need to find the net.

The Lions will play without Ojeda (thigh), Joran Gerbet (knee), Nolan Miller (knee), Colin Guske (international duty), and Clovis Archage (international duty). In addition, Marco Pasalic may or may not have returned to the team after the World Cup. He was not in training Monday, although interim head coach Martin Perelman said he expected the Croatian back soon. The Earthquakes will be without Nonso Adimabua (lower body), former Lion Earl Edwards Jr. (lower body), DeJuan Jones (lower body), and Tsakiris (you guessed it, lower body…come on, San Jose).

Match Content

Official Lineups:

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Adrian Marin, David Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Griffin Dorsey.

Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Braian Ojeda, Eduard Atuesta, Tiago.

Forwards: Justin Ellis, Antoine Griezmann.

Bench: Javier Otero, Bernardo Rhein, Tahir Reid-Brown, Zakaria Taifi, Iago, Wilder Cartagena, Luis Otavio, Harvey Sarajian, Tyrese Spicer

San Jose Earthquakes (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Angus Gunn.

Defenders: Jamar Ricketts, Reid Roberts, Daniel Munie, Benjamin Kikanovic.

Defensive Midfielders: Beau Lerouox, Ronaldo Vieira.

Attacking Midfielders: Timo Werner, Nick Fernandez, Ousseni Bouda.

Forwards: Preston Judd.

Bench: Jonathan Gonzalez, Dave Romney, Paul Marie, Jack Skahan, Jack Jasinski, Ian Harkes, Francesco Montali, Max Floriani, Darius Johnson.

Referees

REF: Elijio Arreguin.
AR1: Adam Wienckowski.
AR2: Mike Nickerson.
4TH: Timothy Ford.
VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero.
AVAR: TJ Zablocki.

How to Watch

Match Time: 10:30 p.m.

Venue: PayPal Park — San Jose, CA.

TV/Live Stream: Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.

Enjoy the match. Go City!

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Podcasts

PawedCast Episode 542: Tampa Bay Friendly, McGuire Traded, OCB Beats Cincinnati, and More

Lions maul the Rowdies in friendly action, OCB wins on the road, and it’s transfer season.

Published

3 weeks ago

on

July 14, 2026

By

Image of Antoine Griezmann and Ivan Angulo celebrating a goal in a friendly against the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City welcomed I-4 Derby rival Tampa Bay to Inter&Co Stadium for a friendly match on Wednesday and then proceeded to bludgeon the Rowdies with a couple of hammers named Antoine Griezmann and Justin Ellis. The two attackers combined for a goal and four assists in a 6-0 beatdown of the team from the Gulf Coast, with five different Lions scoring and Griffin Dorsey forcing an own goal. We discuss Griezmann’s first minutes with Orlando City, what the team showed in its formation, and how good Justin Ellis’ vision is.

Oh, and it’s also transfer season now. Duncan McGuire is on his way out and Marco Pasalic reportedly will follow soon, while a new left back may be headed from Spain to Orlando.

Following all of that, we discuss Maxime Crepeau being added to the MLS All-Star Team and the announcement that he’ll participate in the 2026 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge.

Our mailbagbox asked us about which World Cup semifinalist players we’d want to join Orlando this season (if we could only pick one), and more. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag.

After the mailbagbox, we dive into OCB’s 2-1 road win at FC Cincinnati 2. It wasn’t the prettiest game by the Young Lions, but they managed to do enough to earn three points on the road, where they’ll stay to face Chattanooga on Saturday. We briefly preview that game.

Finally, Orlando City will be in Dallas Wednesday for the second of two friendlies leading up to the restart of the MLS season. It’s unlikely we’ll get a lot of details about that one, but we’ll see what happens. Maybe the FC Dallas folks will help us out.

Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we’ll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show.

If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site.

Here’s how No. 542 went down:

0:15 – Orlando City crushed the Rowdies, the transfer season is in full swing, plus: hey now, Crepeau’s an all-star.

28:50 – The mailbagbox is always good for a hypothetical scenario.

36:54 – The Young Lions slipped past Cincy and head to Chattanooga, while the senior Lions head to Dallas.

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Podcasts

SkoPurp Soccer Episode 119: International Break, USWNT, Louisville Preview, and More

The Pride return from a long international break looking to get their first-ever road win against Racing Louisville.

Published

3 months ago

on

April 22, 2026

By

Image of Haley McCutcheon scoring the opening goal in Orlando's home playoff win over Seattle.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

It feels like months since the Orlando Pride last took the field, but the calendar says otherwise. If you believe calendars, it’s only been a little less than three weeks, but time moves strangely in the post-pandemic apocalyptic world.

Anyway, we don’t have a match to recap, so we touched on a couple of Pride players putting the ball in the net during the international break and chat a bit about the United States Women’s National Team’s three-game friendly series against Japan. Emma Hayes used a lot of players, and the team looked solid for two of the three matches, but the rotated middle game seemed a bit disjointed. Hayes has greatly expanded the player pool and will have plenty of options when the World Cup approaches.

Our mailbagbox had questions about a potential change in the NWSL schedule, as the league explores adopting the fall-to-spring slate, and opposition own goals. Remember, you can ask us anything by hitting us up on Twitter at either @TheManeLand or @SkoPurpSoccer and using the hashtag #AskSkoPurp. You can use that same hashtag and hit @TheManeLand.bsky.social up on Bluesky. Or you can visit our show page, scroll down, and fill out the handy form. We’d also appreciate any ratings or reviews you can leave wherever you get your podcasts, and if you do that on Apple Podcasts, we’ll find them easily and read them on the show.

After the mailbagbox, we turned our attention toward Friday’s late afternoon tussle with Racing Louisville in Kentucky. The Pride have never won on the road against Louisville, and it’s about high time they did. This match begins a congested push to the June World Cup break, and although Friday’s hosts aren’t high in the table, the Pride must be at their best to get a road result in this fixture. We look back at the series history, compare the two sides, provide our key matchups in the game, and make our final score predictions.

If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site.

Here’s how Episode 119 went down:

0:15 – We open the show with a little banter about the Pride in the international break and the USWNT’s series vs. Japan.

9:03 – The mailbagbox features questions via both eletronic mail and social media. We welcome all modes of delivery.

19:59 – The Pride travel to Louisville to face Racing. They’ve never won in Kentucky, but we inform them how to do so.

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