Wild Card explained: Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs

The Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs begin Wednesday evening (Oct. 25) with two Wild Card games.

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To begin the 18-team playoff field, there are two single-game elimination matches hosted by the higher seed – New York Red Bulls (Eastern Conference) and Sporting Kansas City (Western Conference).

Eastern Conference

(8) New York Red Bulls vs. (9) Charlotte FC: Everything you need to know

• When: Wednesday, Oct. 25 | 7:30 pm ET
• Watch: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass
• Where: Red Bull Arena

Western Conference

(8) Sporting Kansas City vs. (9) San Jose Earthquakes: Everything you need to know

• When: Wednesday, Oct. 25 | 9:30 pm ET
• Watch: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass
• Where: Children's Mercy Park

PK shootout: If a Wild Card game is tied at the end of regulation time (90 minutes), no extra time will be played. There will immediately be a penalty kick shootout to determine the winner.

Single elimination: The winner of each Wild Card match will advance to the Round One Best-of-3 series to face the conference No. 1 seed. The loser's playoff journey ends.

The winner advances to the Round One Best-of-3 series against their conference's top seed – FC Cincinnati (Eastern Conference) and St. Louis CITY SC (Western Conference).

At this stage, matches tied after regulation go straight to a penalty kick shootout (no ties). The matches will be hosted in a home-away-home format; the first team to two wins advances.

Eastern Conference

(1) FC Cincinnati vs. Wild Card winner

• Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 29 | 8 pm ET (TQL Stadium, MLS Season Pass/FS1/ FOX Deportes /TSN, RDS)
• Game 2: Saturday, Nov. 4 | 7 pm ET (TBD, MLS Season Pass)
• Game 3 (if necessary): Saturday, Nov. 11 | 2 pm ET (TQL Stadium, MLS Season Pass)

Western Conference

(1) St. Louis CITY SC vs. Wild Card winner

• Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 29 | 10 pm ET (CITYPARK, MLS Season Pass/FS1/ FOX Deportes /TSN/RDS)
• Game 2: Sunday, Nov. 5 | 5 pm ET (TBD, MLS Season Pass)
• Game 3 (if necessary): Saturday, Nov. 11 | 6 pm ET (CITYPARK, MLS Season Pass)

Date: MLS Cup presented by Audi is set for December 9 at 4 pm ET. 

Hosting: The finalist with the highest regular-season point total hosts MLS Cup. In the event that both finalists have the same amount of regular-season points, the team with more wins – or if they're tied in that category, better goal difference – will host MLS Cup.

MLS Cup 2023 hosting scenarios