The 2024 MLS Cup playoffs will pit together the top sides from across the USA and Canada in a winner-takes-all battle for the MLS Cup.
The structure of the postseason in the top league in North America means seven teams from each of the Eastern and Western Conferences will qualify for Round One of the knockout phase alongside one wildcard qualifier from each region.
Columbus Crew emerged victorious in the 2023 final after edging out Los Angeles FC, and the race to reach the 2024 showpiece event will begin in February, when the next regular season starts.
Lionel Messi will of course hope to guide Inter Miami to the playoffs in his first full season in the United States, having fallen short in 2023.
The Sporting News has the latest on how the playoffs will work in 2024, plus fixture dates and updates as they happen throughout the season.
MORE: Full Inter Miami preseason fixture list, including Messi vs. Ronaldo friendly
When are MLS Cup playoffs 2024?
Fans are still awaiting official confirmation of the MLS season start date, which is expected to be late February 2024. Provisional playoff dates will likely be confirmed within that announcement.
The 2023 playoffs kicked off on October 25 and lasted until the final on December 9, with 2024 expected to follow a similar pattern.
MLS Cup playoffs rules, format
The 2024 MLS season and playoff schedule will follow the 2023 template with seven teams per conference automatically securing their place amongst the 16 qualifiers for the MLS playoffs.
The champion of the Eastern and Western Conferences within the regular season will also qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup, with the teams placed second to sixth making the MLS Cup playoffs.
Those sides finishing eighth and ninth in each conference will face each other in a one-off game to claim the remaining two playoff spots.
When is the MLS Cup final 2024?
The official MLS fixture schedule for the 2024 season has yet to be announced.
The Sporting News expects the full match schedule for 2024 to be unveiled sometime around Wednesday, December 20. When the league announces dates and times for all 2024 matches, this section will be updated to reflect the released information.
Last season, the Columbus Crew won the 2023 MLS Cup final on December 9, 2023, which means we can probably expect the 2024 final to be scheduled sometime around that same date. However, a few things could cause that to change, including the new format of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the surprising success of the Leagues Cup, and the possibility of MLS to pause its schedule for FIFA international breaks for the first time in league history.
