Summary
Major League Soccer (USA1) is currently comprised of 29 clubs, 26 from the United States and 3 from Canada (Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver). USA1 expanded to 29 teams for the 2023 season with the addition of St Louis City SC and is currently split into the Eastern (15 teams) and Western (14 teams) Conferences. Major League Soccer plans to grow to 30 teams with the addition of Sacramento Republic FC (in a season to be determined). At the end of the 2023 regular season, the USA1 teams listed below qualify for the following non-league play:
- 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup (CNCFCL) Round of 16:
- 2023 USA1 MLS Cup champion
- 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup (CNCFCL) Round 1:
- 2023 USA1 MLS Eastern/Western Conference champion with the most points
- 2023 USA1 Supporter's Shield (Aggregate Table) champion (or USA1 non-MLS Cup champion with the most points)
- best and 2nd best 2023 USA1 Supporter's Shield (Aggregate Table) non-champions with the most points)
If one of the USA1 teams listed above wins the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup (USACUP1), the next best USA1 team without a 2023 CNCFCL berth will receive a Round 1 2023 CNCFCL berth.
Leagues Pyramid - United States
Abbrev | League | # of Teams |
---|---|---|
USA1 | Major League Soccer | 29 |
USA2 | USL Championship | 24 |
USA3A | MLS Next Pro | 27 |
USA3B | USL League One | 12 |
USA3C | National Independent Soccer Assocation (NISA) | 9 |
Competition Structure
Season | # of Teams | ||
Regular 25 Feb 2023 - 21 Oct 2023 | Playoffs 25 October 2023 - 9 Dec 2023 | 29: United States (26), Canada (3) |
Season Format
Each team currently plays an "unbalanced" schedule of 34 regular season matches, with 26 Conference matches and 8 Nonconference matches. With the United States and Canada being very large countries, the current USA1 schedule cuts down on travel time and puts a premium on building regional rivalries. Conference standings and play-offs also nullifies any advantages/disadvantages that teams in one conference might have over another. Table ranking ties are broken by (1) total wins, (2) goal difference, (3) total goals scored, (4) disciplinary points, (5) away goals difference, (6) away goals scored, (7) home goals scored, (8) home goals difference, then (9) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or a draw (3 or more clubs tied).
Playoffs
The 2023 USA1 Playoffs start immediately after the 2023 USA1 Regular season. The Top 9 teams in each conference qualify for the Playoffs. In the Wild Card Round, the 8th and 9th place teams in each conference have a 1 match knockout match at the 8th place team's home venue. In Round One, from each conference the the 1st place team plays the Wild Card Round winner, the 2nd place team plays the 7th place team, the 3rd place team plays the 6th place team, and the 4th place team plays the 5th place team in "best of 3" matches. In the Conference Semifinals, the highest remaining seed hosts the lowest remaining seed, and the 2nd highest remaining seed host the 3rd highest remaining seed in Knockout matches. In each match, if it is still tied after regular time, two 15 minute overtime periods are played. If still tied after the overtime periods, penalty kicks are taken. The 2023 USA1 Cup Final is a single Championship match played at the Home field of the championship finalist with the most points acquired during the 2023 USA1 Regular season.
Relegation
There is no Promotion/Relegation between the USA1 and the USA2.
More Info...
Audi 2023 MLS Cup Final
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
Columbus Crew | 21 | Los Angeles FC | Lower.com Field |
Conference Finals
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
FC Cincinnati | 23 | Columbus Crew | TQL Stadium | |||
AET |
Los Angeles FC | 20 | Houston Dynamo | BMO Stadium (LA) |
Conference Semis
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
Orlando City SC | 02 | Columbus Crew | Exploria Stadium |
FC Cincinnati | 10 | Philadelphia Union | TQL Stadium |
Houston Dynamo | 10 | Sporting KC | Shell Energy Stadium |
Seattle Sounders | 01 | Los Angeles FC | Lumen Field |
Round 1 - Best of 3
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
28.10.23 | Philadelphia Union | 31 | New England | Subaru Park | ||
Match 1 of 3 - Philadelphia Union leads series (1-0) |
08.11.23 | New England | 01 | Philadelphia Union | Gillette Stadium | ||
Match 2 of 3 - Philadelphia Union win series (2-0) |
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
28.10.23 | Los Angeles FC | 52 | Vancouver Whitecaps | BMO Stadium (LA) | ||
Match 1 of 3 - Los Angeles FC leads series (1-0) |
05.11.23 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 01 | Los Angeles FC | BC Place Stadium | ||
Match 2 of 3 - Los Angeles FC win series (2-0) |
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
29.10.23 | FC Cincinnati | 30 | New York Red Bull | TQL Stadium | ||
Match 1 of 3 - FC Cincinnati leads series (1-0) |
04.11.23 | New York Red Bull | 11 | FC Cincinnati | Red Bull Arena (Harrison) | ||
Match 2 of 3: FC Cincinnati wins on PKs (8-7), win series (2-0) |
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
29.10.23 | Houston Dynamo | 21 | Real Salt Lake | Shell Energy Stadium | ||
Match 1 of 3 - Houston Dynamo leads series (1-0) |
06.11.23 | Real Salt Lake | 54 | Houston Dynamo | America First Field | ||
Match 2 of 3 - Real Salt Lake win on PKs (5-4), series tied (1-1) |
11.11.23 | Houston Dynamo | 11 | Real Salt Lake | Shell Energy Stadium | ||
Match 3 of 3 - Houston Dynamo win on PKs (4-3), win series (2-1) |
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
29.10.23 | St Louis City SC | 14 | Sporting KC | Citypark | ||
Match 1 of 3 - Sporting KC leads series (1-0) |
05.11.23 | Sporting KC | 21 | St Louis City SC | Children's Mercy Park | ||
Match 2 of 3 - Sporting KC win series (2-0) |
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
30.10.23 | Seattle Sounders | 20 | FC Dallas | Lumen Field | ||
Match 1 of 3 - Seattle Sounders leads series (1-0) |
04.11.23 | FC Dallas | 31 | Seattle Sounders | Toyota Stadium (Frisco) | ||
Match 2 of 3 - Series tied (1-1) |
10.11.23 | Seattle Sounders | 10 | FC Dallas | Lumen Field | ||
Match 3 of 3 - Seattle Sounders win series (2-1) |
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
30.10.23 | Orlando City SC | 10 | Nashville SC | Exploria Stadium | ||
Match 1 of 3 - Orlando City SC leads series (1-0) |
07.11.23 | Nashville SC | 01 | Orlando City SC | GEODIS Park | ||
Match 2 of 3 - Orlando City SC win series (2-0) |
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
01.11.23 | Columbus Crew | 20 | Atlanta United | Lower.com Field | ||
Match 1 of 3 - Columbus Crew leads series (1-0) |
07.11.23 | Atlanta United | 42 | Columbus Crew | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | ||
Match 2 of 3 - Series tied (1-1) |
12.11.23 | Columbus Crew | 42 | Atlanta United | Lower.com Field | ||
Match 3 of 3 - Columbus Crew win series (2-1) |
Wild Card
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
New York Red Bull | 52 | Charlotte FC | Red Bull Arena (Harrison) |
Sporting KC | 42 | San Jose Earthquakes | Children's Mercy Park | |||
Sporting KC advances on PKs (4-2) |
League | Home | Road | ||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
EASTERN | ||||||||||||||||||||
1 | FC Cincinnati | 34 | 20 -9-5 | 69 | - | 57 | 39 | 18 | 17 | 13 -2-2 | 41 | 33 | 13 | 20 | 17 | 7 -7-3 | 28 | 24 | 26 | -2 |
2 | Orlando City SC | 34 | 18 -9-7 | 63 | - | 55 | 39 | 16 | 17 | 9 -5-3 | 32 | 31 | 19 | 12 | 17 | 9 -4-4 | 31 | 24 | 20 | 4 |
3 | Columbus Crew | 34 | 16 -9-9 | 57 | - | 67 | 46 | 21 | 17 | 12 -4-1 | 40 | 41 | 14 | 27 | 17 | 4 -5-8 | 17 | 26 | 32 | -6 |
4 | Philadelphia Union | 34 | 15 -10-9 | 55 | - | 57 | 41 | 16 | 17 | 10 -6-1 | 36 | 33 | 13 | 20 | 17 | 5 -4-8 | 19 | 24 | 28 | -4 |
5 | New England | 34 | 15 -10-9 | 55 | - | 58 | 46 | 12 | 17 | 12 -4-1 | 40 | 37 | 16 | 21 | 17 | 3 -6-8 | 15 | 21 | 30 | -9 |
6 | Atlanta United | 34 | 13 -12-9 | 51 | - | 65 | 53 | 12 | 17 | 10 -4-3 | 34 | 41 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 3 -8-6 | 17 | 24 | 32 | -8 |
7 | Nashville SC | 34 | 13 -10-11 | 49 | - | 39 | 32 | 7 | 17 | 9 -4-4 | 31 | 25 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 4 -6-7 | 18 | 14 | 19 | -5 |
8 | New York Red Bull | 34 | 11 -10-13 | 43 | - | 35 | 39 | -4 | 17 | 7 -5-5 | 26 | 21 | 17 | 4 | 17 | 4 -5-8 | 17 | 14 | 22 | -8 |
9 | Charlotte FC | 34 | 10 -13-11 | 43 | - | 45 | 52 | -7 | 17 | 6 -8-3 | 26 | 24 | 21 | 3 | 17 | 4 -5-8 | 17 | 21 | 31 | -10 |
10 | New York City FC | 34 | 9 -14-11 | 41 | - | 35 | 39 | -4 | 17 | 8 -6-3 | 30 | 23 | 16 | 7 | 17 | 1 -8-8 | 11 | 12 | 23 | -11 |
11 | Montreal Impact | 34 | 12 -5-17 | 41 | - | 36 | 51 | -15 | 17 | 10 -3-4 | 33 | 26 | 12 | 14 | 17 | 2 -2-13 | 8 | 10 | 39 | -29 |
12 | DC United | 34 | 10 -10-14 | 40 | - | 45 | 48 | -3 | 17 | 6 -6-5 | 24 | 31 | 22 | 9 | 17 | 4 -4-9 | 16 | 14 | 26 | -12 |
13 | Chicago Fire | 34 | 10 -10-14 | 40 | - | 39 | 51 | -12 | 17 | 6 -7-4 | 25 | 26 | 22 | 4 | 17 | 4 -3-10 | 15 | 13 | 29 | -16 |
14 | Inter Miami CF | 34 | 9 -7-18 | 34 | - | 41 | 54 | -13 | 17 | 6 -5-6 | 23 | 25 | 21 | 4 | 17 | 3 -2-12 | 11 | 16 | 33 | -17 |
15 | Toronto FC | 34 | 4 -10-20 | 22 | - | 26 | 59 | -33 | 17 | 4 -6-7 | 18 | 19 | 22 | -3 | 17 | 0 -4-13 | 4 | 7 | 37 | -30 |
WESTERN | ||||||||||||||||||||
1 | St Louis City SC | 34 | 17 -5-12 | 56 | - | 62 | 45 | 17 | 17 | 11 -2-4 | 35 | 41 | 17 | 24 | 17 | 6 -3-8 | 21 | 21 | 28 | -7 |
2 | Seattle Sounders | 34 | 14 -11-9 | 53 | - | 41 | 32 | 9 | 17 | 7 -6-4 | 27 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 17 | 7 -5-5 | 26 | 22 | 21 | 1 |
3 | Los Angeles FC | 34 | 14 -10-10 | 52 | - | 54 | 39 | 15 | 17 | 10 -3-4 | 33 | 36 | 17 | 19 | 17 | 4 -7-6 | 19 | 18 | 22 | -4 |
4 | Houston Dynamo | 34 | 14 -9-11 | 51 | - | 51 | 38 | 13 | 17 | 11 -4-2 | 37 | 36 | 11 | 25 | 17 | 3 -5-9 | 14 | 15 | 27 | -12 |
5 | Real Salt Lake | 34 | 14 -8-12 | 50 | - | 48 | 50 | -2 | 17 | 6 -4-7 | 22 | 25 | 27 | -2 | 17 | 8 -4-5 | 28 | 23 | 23 | 0 |
6 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 34 | 12 -12-10 | 48 | - | 55 | 48 | 7 | 17 | 8 -6-3 | 30 | 35 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 4 -6-7 | 18 | 20 | 29 | -9 |
7 | FC Dallas | 34 | 11 -13-10 | 46 | - | 41 | 37 | 4 | 17 | 7 -7-3 | 28 | 23 | 16 | 7 | 17 | 4 -6-7 | 18 | 18 | 21 | -3 |
8 | Sporting KC | 34 | 12 -8-14 | 44 | - | 48 | 51 | -3 | 17 | 9 -2-6 | 29 | 30 | 21 | 9 | 17 | 3 -6-8 | 15 | 18 | 30 | -12 |
9 | San Jose Earthquakes | 34 | 10 -14-10 | 44 | - | 39 | 43 | -4 | 17 | 8 -7-2 | 31 | 25 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 2 -7-8 | 13 | 14 | 27 | -13 |
10 | Portland Timbers | 34 | 11 -10-13 | 43 | - | 46 | 58 | -12 | 17 | 9 -3-5 | 30 | 29 | 22 | 7 | 17 | 2 -7-8 | 13 | 17 | 36 | -19 |
11 | Minnesota United | 34 | 10 -11-13 | 41 | - | 46 | 51 | -5 | 17 | 4 -9-4 | 21 | 24 | 20 | 4 | 17 | 6 -2-9 | 20 | 22 | 31 | -9 |
12 | Austin FC | 34 | 10 -9-15 | 39 | - | 49 | 55 | -6 | 17 | 7 -4-6 | 25 | 28 | 22 | 6 | 17 | 3 -5-9 | 14 | 21 | 33 | -12 |
13 | LA Galaxy | 34 | 8 -12-14 | 36 | - | 51 | 67 | -16 | 17 | 6 -6-5 | 24 | 31 | 29 | 2 | 17 | 2 -6-9 | 12 | 20 | 38 | -18 |
14 | Colorado Rapids | 34 | 5 -12-17 | 27 | - | 26 | 54 | -28 | 17 | 3 -8-6 | 17 | 13 | 16 | -3 | 17 | 2 -4-11 | 10 | 13 | 38 | -25 |
CNCFCL & Playoffs - Round 1 CNCFCL & Playoffs - Round One Round One Wild Card Round |
Results
New York City FC | 10 | Chicago Fire | Yankee Stadium |
New England | 21 | Philadelphia Union | Gillette Stadium |
Nashville SC | 01 | New York Red Bull | GEODIS Park |
Columbus Crew | 21 | Montreal Impact | Lower.com Field |
FC Cincinnati | 22 | Atlanta United | TQL Stadium |
Charlotte FC | 10 | Inter Miami CF | Bank of America Stadium |
St Louis City SC | 02 | Seattle Sounders | Citypark |
Vancouver Whitecaps | 11 | Los Angeles FC | BC Place Stadium |
San Jose Earthquakes | 11 | Austin FC | PayPal Park |
Portland Timbers | 13 | Houston Dynamo | Providence Park |
Sporting KC | 31 | Minnesota United | Children's Mercy Park |
Colorado Rapids | 01 | Real Salt Lake | Dick's Sporting Goods Park |
Toronto FC | 02 | Orlando City SC | BMO Field |
Inter Miami CF | 22 | Charlotte FC | DRV PNK Stadium |
LA Galaxy | 22 | Real Salt Lake | Dignity Health Sports Park |
FC Dallas | 11 | Colorado Rapids | Toyota Stadium (Frisco) |
Nashville SC | 32 | New England | GEODIS Park |
Seattle Sounders | 00 | Vancouver Whitecaps | Lumen Field |
Real Salt Lake | 23 | Sporting KC | America First Field |