Major League Soccer
FIFA Region
CONCACAF
Season
2023
Location
United States
Abbreviation
USA1

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:

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

DateHome Status RoadVenue
Sat - 9 Dec 2023
 Columbus Crew 21 Los Angeles FCLower.com Field

Conference Finals

DateHome Status RoadVenue
Sat - 2 Dec 2023
 FC Cincinnati 23 Columbus CrewTQL Stadium
 AET 
 Los Angeles FC 20 Houston DynamoBMO Stadium (LA)

Conference Semis

DateHome Status RoadVenue
Sat - 25 Nov 2023
 Orlando City SC 02 Columbus CrewExploria Stadium
Sun - 26 Nov 2023
 Houston Dynamo 10 Sporting KCShell Energy Stadium

Round 1 - Best of 3

DateHome Status RoadVenue
28.10.23Philadelphia Union 31 New EnglandSubaru Park
 Match 1 of 3 - Philadelphia Union leads series (1-0) 
08.11.23New England 01 Philadelphia UnionGillette Stadium
 Match 2 of 3 - Philadelphia Union win series (2-0) 
DateHome Status RoadVenue
28.10.23Los Angeles FC 52 Vancouver WhitecapsBMO Stadium (LA)
 Match 1 of 3 - Los Angeles FC leads series (1-0) 
05.11.23Vancouver Whitecaps 01 Los Angeles FCBC Place Stadium
 Match 2 of 3 - Los Angeles FC win series (2-0) 
DateHome Status RoadVenue
29.10.23FC Cincinnati 30 New York Red BullTQL Stadium
 Match 1 of 3 - FC Cincinnati leads series (1-0) 
04.11.23New York Red Bull 11 FC CincinnatiRed Bull Arena (Harrison)
 Match 2 of 3: FC Cincinnati wins on PKs (8-7), win series (2-0) 
DateHome Status RoadVenue
29.10.23Houston Dynamo 21 Real Salt LakeShell Energy Stadium
 Match 1 of 3 - Houston Dynamo leads series (1-0) 
06.11.23Real Salt Lake 54 Houston DynamoAmerica First Field
 Match 2 of 3 - Real Salt Lake win on PKs (5-4), series tied (1-1) 
11.11.23Houston Dynamo 11 Real Salt LakeShell Energy Stadium
 Match 3 of 3 - Houston Dynamo win on PKs (4-3), win series (2-1) 
DateHome Status RoadVenue
29.10.23St Louis City SC 14 Sporting KCCitypark
 Match 1 of 3 - Sporting KC leads series (1-0) 
05.11.23Sporting KC 21 St Louis City SCChildren's Mercy Park
 Match 2 of 3 - Sporting KC win series (2-0) 
DateHome Status RoadVenue
30.10.23Seattle Sounders 20 FC DallasLumen Field
 Match 1 of 3 - Seattle Sounders leads series (1-0) 
04.11.23FC Dallas 31 Seattle SoundersToyota Stadium (Frisco)
 Match 2 of 3 - Series tied (1-1) 
10.11.23Seattle Sounders 10 FC DallasLumen Field
 Match 3 of 3 - Seattle Sounders win series (2-1) 
DateHome Status RoadVenue
30.10.23Orlando City SC 10 Nashville SCExploria Stadium
 Match 1 of 3 - Orlando City SC leads series (1-0) 
07.11.23Nashville SC 01 Orlando City SCGEODIS Park
 Match 2 of 3 - Orlando City SC win series (2-0) 
DateHome Status RoadVenue
01.11.23Columbus Crew 20 Atlanta UnitedLower.com Field
 Match 1 of 3 - Columbus Crew leads series (1-0) 
07.11.23Atlanta United 42 Columbus CrewMercedes-Benz Stadium
 Match 2 of 3 - Series tied (1-1) 
12.11.23Columbus Crew 42 Atlanta UnitedLower.com Field
 Match 3 of 3 - Columbus Crew win series (2-1) 

Wild Card

DateHome Status RoadVenue
Wed - 25 Oct 2023
 New York Red Bull 52 Charlotte FCRed Bull Arena (Harrison)
 Sporting KC 42 San Jose EarthquakesChildren's Mercy Park
 Sporting KC advances on PKs (4-2) 

 LeagueHomeRoad
POSMPW - D - LPTSCPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGD
EASTERN
1FC Cincinnati 3420 -9-569-5739181713 -2-241331320177 -7-3282426-2
2Orlando City SC 3418 -9-763-553916179 -5-332311912179 -4-43124204
3Columbus Crew 3416 -9-957-6746211712 -4-140411427174 -5-8172632-6
4Philadelphia Union 3415 -10-955-5741161710 -6-136331320175 -4-8192428-4
5New England 3415 -10-955-5846121712 -4-140371621173 -6-8152130-9
6Atlanta United 3413 -12-951-6553121710 -4-334412120173 -8-6172432-8
7Nashville SC 3413 -10-1149-39327179 -4-431251312174 -6-7181419-5
8New York Red Bull 3411 -10-1343-3539-4177 -5-52621174174 -5-8171422-8
9Charlotte FC 3410 -13-1143-4552-7176 -8-32624213174 -5-8172131-10
10New York City FC 349 -14-1141-3539-4178 -6-33023167171 -8-8111223-11
11Montreal Impact 3412 -5-1741-3651-151710 -3-433261214172 -2-1381039-29
12DC United 3410 -10-1440-4548-3176 -6-52431229174 -4-9161426-12
13Chicago Fire 3410 -10-1440-3951-12176 -7-42526224174 -3-10151329-16
14Inter Miami CF 349 -7-1834-4154-13176 -5-62325214173 -2-12111633-17
15Toronto FC 344 -10-2022-2659-33174 -6-7181922-3170 -4-134737-30
WESTERN
1St Louis City SC 3417 -5-1256-6245171711 -2-435411724176 -3-8212128-7
2Seattle Sounders 3414 -11-953-41329177 -6-42719118177 -5-52622211
3Los Angeles FC 3414 -10-1052-5439151710 -3-433361719174 -7-6191822-4
4Houston Dynamo 3414 -9-1151-5138131711 -4-237361125173 -5-9141527-12
5Real Salt Lake 3414 -8-1250-4850-2176 -4-7222527-2178 -4-52823230
6Vancouver Whitecaps 3412 -12-1048-55487178 -6-330351916174 -6-7182029-9
7FC Dallas 3411 -13-1046-41374177 -7-32823167174 -6-7181821-3
8Sporting KC 3412 -8-1444-4851-3179 -2-62930219173 -6-8151830-12
9San Jose Earthquakes 3410 -14-1044-3943-4178 -7-23125169172 -7-8131427-13
10Portland Timbers 3411 -10-1343-4658-12179 -3-53029227172 -7-8131736-19
11Minnesota United 3410 -11-1341-4651-5174 -9-42124204176 -2-9202231-9
12Austin FC 3410 -9-1539-4955-6177 -4-62528226173 -5-9142133-12
13LA Galaxy 348 -12-1436-5167-16176 -6-52431292172 -6-9122038-18
14Colorado Rapids 345 -12-1727-2654-28173 -8-6171316-3172 -4-11101338-25
CNCFCL & Playoffs - Round 1
CNCFCL & Playoffs - Round One
Round One
Wild Card Round

Results

Sun - 22 Oct 2023
 New York City FC 10 Chicago FireYankee Stadium
 New England 21 Philadelphia UnionGillette Stadium
 Columbus Crew 21 Montreal ImpactLower.com Field
 Charlotte FC 10 Inter Miami CFBank of America Stadium
Sat - 21 Oct 2023
 LA Galaxy 14 FC DallasDignity Health Sports Park
 Sporting KC 31 Minnesota UnitedChildren's Mercy Park
 Colorado Rapids 01 Real Salt LakeDick's Sporting Goods Park
Wed - 18 Oct 2023
 Inter Miami CF 22 Charlotte FCDRV PNK Stadium
Sat - 14 Oct 2023
 LA Galaxy 22 Real Salt LakeDignity Health Sports Park
 FC Dallas 11 Colorado RapidsToyota Stadium (Frisco)
 Nashville SC 32 New EnglandGEODIS Park
Sat - 7 Oct 2023
 Real Salt Lake 23 Sporting KCAmerica First Field