It may be Anders Dreyer's first MLS season, but playoffs are nothing new to the San Diego FC talisman.

A veteran of the Danish Superliga and the Belgian Pro League, Dreyer is accustomed to knockout-style tournaments.

Still, the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs will be unique when SDFC make their postseason debut against Wild Card winners Portland Timbers at Snapdragon Stadium on Sunday night (9:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV).

Playoff pressure

Having earned the Western Conference No. 1 seed following the best expansion season in MLS history (63 points), expectations are sky-high for San Diego. And all eyes will be on the Newcomer of the Year favorite after he produced an astonishing 19g/19a this campaign.

Does Dreyer feel the pressure?

“Not yet, but I know playoffs. I haven't tried it here in the US before, but it's always different," the 27-year-old shared on This is MLS.

"But I think if you think too much about it, maybe you get more nervous and start to overthink and stuff like that. So it's about staying calm, but of course, it's games where you can win the highest prize, or you can lose everything, and then the season is over. But I think, myself, I know that it's gonna be nice, and I'm looking forward to games like this.”

International aspirations

The playoffs aren't the only pressure-filled matches Dreyer will play in the coming weeks. In the midst of leading San Diego's trophy chase, Dreyer is also a key part of Denmark's 2026 FIFA World Cup ambitions. His country sits atop UEFA qualification Group C with two games remaining.

"Right now, our team in Denmark is very, very strong, and we have the belief that we will go to the World Cup ... But I think football is where you are right now, and right now it's playoff time here," Dreyer explained.

"Hopefully, we go to the next round and then there will be an international break," he added. "Then hopefully I qualify for the World Cup and then head back to San Diego to play even more games.

"Of course, it's a big thing. Especially with the World Cup over here [in the United States], Mexico and Canada, it's a little bit different now that I'm over here and possibly could play a World Cup over here, so it's nice.”

Cultural crusaders

Regardless of previous experience in other leagues, Dreyer understands that the North American playoff culture carries a distinctive aura.

"I think it's important," Dreyer said. "I think we are a whole new team, and we are still learning. It's going to be our first playoff game at home at Snapragon, and I think that's going to be as special as the first game for us in the regular season.

"Hopefully, we can bring that fun and the way that we play into that game as well. We know that we just finished the regular season as number one, and it's a playoff game, and we want to go as far as possible. But it's important to adjust to a new league.”

Like Dreyer, fellow All-Stars Hirving "Chucky" Lozano and Jeppe Tverskov also lack prior Audi MLS Cup Playoffs experience. Luckily, San Diego's roster features a few MLS veterans.

“I think it's good we have people in the dressing room who have tried the playoffs, so they have the experience, because it's easy to talk about how it's going to be, but you need to try it before you know it," Dreyer noted.

"So I think, of course, the guys with a lot of experience in the league will have to say something to the dressing room, maybe before the game or during the week, about how it can be. That's so important, I think, and that's nice with this dressing room that everybody listens to each other, and we can use it.”