Eight of the 14 playoff places for the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs have already been clinched meaning six spots are up for grabs on Sunday’s Decision Day.
11 clubs between both conferences remain alive in the race for the final three spots in the postseason, making this weekend’s regular season finale one for the ages. In addition to playoff spots, seeds in both conferences remain up for grabs as only the New England Revolution have clinched their seed as the No. 1 in the East.
The Seattle Sounders, Sporting Kansas City, and the Colorado Rapids are all fighting for the top spot in the West, with Seattle holding a one point advantage heading into Sunday’s final matches.
With plenty of intriguing final matches left on the schedule, here’s a closer look at the scenarios for both conferences remaining playoff spots and seeds:
Eastern Conference
- Atlanta United will clinch a playoff berth with a win or tie vs. FC Cincinnati, OR New York Red Bulls lose vs. Nashville SC, OR CF Montréal loses or ties vs. Orlando, OR Atlanta wins goal differential vs. Orlando City.
- Columbus Crew will clinch a playoff berth with a win vs. Chicago Fire, and New York Red Bulls lose to Nashville SC, and CF Montreal loses or ties vs. Orlando City, and D.C. United loses or ties vs. Toronto FC, and Columbus wins goal differential vs. Red Bulls.
- D.C. United will clinch a playoff berth with a win vs. Toronto FC, and New York Red Bulls loses vs. Nashville SC, and CF Montreal loses or ties vs. Orlando City.
- CF Montreal will clinch a playoff berth with a win vs. Orlando City.
- New York City will clinch a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference with a win or tie vs. Philadelphia Union, OR Atlanta United loses or ties vs. FC Cincinnati, and Orlando City loses or ties vs. CF Montreal, and New York Red Bulls loses or tie vs. Nashville SC, OR Atlanta United loses or ties vs. FC Cincinnati, and Orlando City loses or tie vs. CF Montreal, and New York City wins goal differential vs. New York Red Bulls.
- New York Red Bulls will clinch with a win or tie vs. Nashville SC, OR CF Montreal loses or ties vs. Orlando City, and D.C. United loses or ties vs. Toronto FC, and Columbus Crew loses or ties vs. Chicago Fire, OR CF Montreal loses or tie vs. Orlando City, and D.C. United loses or ties vs. Toronto FC, and New York Red Bulls win goal differential vs. Columbus Crew.
- New York Red Bulls can clinch a top-four seed if Red Bulls New York win vs. Nashville SC, and New York City loses vs. Philadelphia Union, and Atlanta United loses or ties vs. FC Cincinnati and Orlando City loses or ties vs. CF Montreal, and New York Red Bulls win goal differential vs. NYCFC.
- Orlando City will clinch a playoff berth with a win or tie vs. CF Montreal, OR New York Red Bulls loses vs. Nashville SC, OR Atlanta United vs. FC Cincinnati and Orlando City wins goal differential vs. Atlanta United.
- Orlando City can clinch a top-four seed with a win vs. CF Montreal, and New York City loses vs. Philadelphia Union, and Atlanta United loses or ties vs. FC Cincinnati, OR Orlando City wins vs. CF Montreal, and New York City loses vs. Philadelphia Union, and Orlando City wins goal differential vs. Atlanta United.
Western Conference
- Seattle Sounders will clinch the No. 1 seed in West with a win vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, OR Seattle ties vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, and Sporting Kansas City ties vs. Real Salt Lake, and Colorado Rapids loses or ties vs. LAFC, OR Sporting Kansas City loses vs. Real Salt Lake, and Colorado Rapids loses or ties vs. LAFC, OR Seattle loses by one goal vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, and Sporting Kansas City ties vs. Real Salt Lake, and Colorado Rapids loses or ties vs. LAFC, and Seattle wins total goals scored vs. Sporting Kansas City.
- Sporting Kansas City will clinch the No. 1 seed in West with a win vs. Real Salt Lake, and Seattle Sounders loses or ties vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, OR Sporting Kansas City ties vs. Real Salt Lake, and Seattle loses by more than one goal vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, and Colorado Rapids loses or ties vs. LAFC, OR Sporting Kansas City ties vs. Real Salt Lake, and Seattle loses by one goal vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, and Colorado Rapids loses or ties vs. LAFC, and Sporting Kansas City wins total goals scored vs. Seattle Sounders.
- Colorado Rapids will clinch the No. 1 seed in West with a win vs. LAFC, and Seattle Sounders loses or ties vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, and Sporting Kansas City loses or ties vs. Real Salt Lake.
- L.A. Galaxy will clinch a playoff berth with a win vs. Minnesota United, L.A. Galaxy ties vs. Minnesota United and Vancouver Whitecaps loses vs. Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake loses or ties vs. Sporting Kansas City, OR L.A. Galaxy ties vs. Minnesota United and Vancouver Whitecaps loses vs. Seattle Sounders and LAFC loses or ties vs. Colorado Rapids, OR Real Salt Lake loses or ties vs. Sporting Kansas City and LAFC loses or ties vs. Colorado Rapids.
- LAFC will clinch a playoff berth with a win vs. Colorado Rapids and Vancouver Whitecaps loses vs. Seattle Sounders, OR LAFC wins vs. Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake loses or ties vs. Sporting Kansas City.
- Minnesota United will clinch a playoff berth with a win vs. L.A. Galaxy, OR Vancouver Whitecaps loses vs. Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake loses or ties vs. Sporting Kansas City, OR Vancouver Whitecaps loses vs. Seattle and LAFC loses or ties vs. Colorado Rapids, OR Real Salt Lake loses or ties vs. Sporting Kansas City and LAFC loses or ties vs. Colorado Rapids.
- Real Salt Lake will clinch a playoff berth with a win vs. Sporting Kansas City.
- Vancouver Whitecaps will clinch a playoff berth with a win vs. Seattle Sounders, OR L.A. Galaxy loses vs. Minnesota United and Real Salt Lake loses or ties vs. Sporting Kansas City, OR L.A. Galaxy loses vs. Minnesota United and LAFC loses or ties vs. Colorado Rapids, OR Real Salt Lake loses or ties vs. Sporting Kansas City and LAFC loses or ties vs. Colorado Rapids.