Playoff clinching scenarios for MLS games Saturday; Concacaf Champions Cup spots secured

A number of MLS playoff spots are on the line this weekend, and additional Concacaf Champions Cup berths were secured this week.

Let's get to it. Here's a look at the teams that can clinch MLS postseason berths on Saturday:

➤ Charlotte FC

• Simplest route: There is no simple route … all scenarios include Charlotte FC having to win at league leader Inter Miami
• Most convoluted route: Win, and Atlanta United loss or draw, and CF Montréal loss or draw, and D.C. United loss or draw, and Nashville SC loss or draw

➤ Houston Dynamo FC

• Simplest route: Win
• Most convoluted route: FC Dallas loss or draw

➤ Los Angeles FC

• Simplest route: Win or draw
• Most convoluted route: FC Dallas loss or draw

➤ New York City FC

• Simplest route: Win, and Toronto FC loss or draw, and D.C. United loss or draw, and Nashville SC loss or draw
• Most convoluted route: Win, and Atlanta United loss or draw, and CF Montréal loss or draw, and D.C. United loss or draw, and Nashville SC loss or draw

➤ New York Red Bulls

• Simplest route: Win
• Most convoluted route: Nashville SC loss or draw, and Atlanta United loss or draw, and D.C. United loss or draw and CF Montréal loss

➤ Orlando City SC

• Simplest route: Win
• Most convoluted route: Draw and Nashville SC loss or draw, and Atlanta United loss or draw, and D.C. United loss or draw, and CF Montréal loss or draw

➤ Portland Timbers

• Simplest route: Win, and FC Dallas loss, and Austin FC loss or draw
• Most convoluted route: N/A (there's only one scenario)

➤ Seattle Sounders FC

• Simplest route: Win
• Most convoluted route: Loss, and FC Dallas loss, and Austin FC loss or draw

➤ Vancouver Whitecaps FC

• Simplest route: Win, and FC Dallas loss or draw
• Most convoluted route: Draw, and FC Dallas loss, and Austin FC loss or draw

In addition to those scenarios, the LA Galaxy can lock up home-field advantage in the Western Conference playoffs this weekend.

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MLS Matchday 35: What are Saturday's games?

(All games available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.)

• FC Cincinnati vs. Los Angeles FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
• D.C. United vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Inter Miami CF vs. Charlotte FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
• CF Montréal vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 7:30 p.m. ET
• New England Revolution vs. Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m. ET
• New York Red Bulls vs. New York City FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Philadelphia Union vs. Atlanta United, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Austin FC vs. Real Salt Lake, 8:30 p.m. ET
• Chicago Fire FC vs. Toronto FC, 8:30 p.m. ET
• FC Dallas vs. Orlando City SC, 8:30 p.m. ET
• Minnesota United FC vs. Colorado Rapids, 8:30 p.m. ET
• St. Louis City SC vs. Sporting Kansas City, 8:30 p.m. ET
• Seattle Sounders FC vs. Houston Dynamo FC, 10:30 p.m. ET
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Portland Timbers, 10:30 p.m. ET

What is the format for the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs?

A total of 18 teams qualify for the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs — the top nine finishers from each conference.

The eighth- and ninth-place finishers in each conference will play in wild-card matches. The top seven seeds qualify for the Round 1 best-of-three series.

When do the MLS playoffs start?

Here is the playoff schedule:

• Oct. 3: Wild-card matches (single-elimination matches)
• Oct. 26-Nov. 10: Round 1 (best-of-three series)
• Nov. 23-24: Conference semifinals (single-elimination matches)
• Nov. 30-Dec. 1: Conference finals (single-elimination matches)
• Dec. 7: MLS Cup (single winner-take-all match)

MLS CUP: Ranking every Major League Soccer championship game

MLS playoff picture: If the season ended today …

Heading into MLS Matchday 35, these would be the MLS playoff matchups through the first round …

EASTERN CONFERENCE

➤ Clinched playoff spot: Columbus Crew, FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami CF

Wild-card match:

• Toronto FC (No. 8 seed) vs. Philadelphia Union (9)

Round 1 (best-of-three series):

• Inter Miami CF (1) vs. Toronto FC-Philadelphia Union winner
• FC Cincinnati (2) vs. New York City FC (7)
• Columbus Crew (3) vs. Charlotte FC (6)
• New York Red Bulls (4) vs. Orlando City SC (5)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

➤ Clinched playoff spot: Colorado Rapids, LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake

Wild-card match:

• Portland Timbers (No. 8 seed) vs. Minnesota United FC (9)

Round 1 (best-of-three series):

• LA Galaxy (1) vs. Portland Timbers-Minnesota United FC winner
• Real Salt Lake (2) vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (7)
• Colorado Rapids (3) vs. Seattle Sounders FC (6)
• Los Angeles FC (4) vs. Houston Dynamo FC(5)

MORE: 2024 MLS standings

MLS betting odds: Who is favorite to win championship?

According to BetMGM, Inter Miami CF (+150) is the current favorite to win the 2024 league championship, followed by LA Galaxy (+600), Columbus Crew (+700), Los Angeles FC (+900) and FC Cincinnati (+1200).

Concacaf Champions Cup 2025: MLS teams that have qualified

So far, six MLS clubs have qualified for next year's Concacaf Champions Cup competition:

➤ Colorado Rapids: Via winning third-place match of Leagues Cup

➤ Columbus Crew: Via winning Leagues Cup

➤ Inter Miami CF: Via being among two next-best clubs in MLS Supporters' Shield standings

➤ Los Angeles FC: Via being Leagues Cup runners-up (also U.S. Open Cup winner)

➤ Sporting Kansas City: Via being a U.S. Open Cup finalist (if the U.S. Open Cup winner also holds another Concacaf Champions Cup qualification spot, the tournament's runner-up will earn a Concacaf Champions Cup spot)

➤ Vancouver Whitecaps FC: Via winning the Canadian Championship

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