Major League Soccer has announced a format and schedule for the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs and the MLS Cup that includes more teams, more games and a Best-of-three series.

Following Decision Day on Oct. 21, the top seven teams from each conference will automatically qualify to the Round One Best-of-three series while the next two teams (eight and nine seeds) in each conference standings will qualify for a single-elimination Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card match. The winners of each Wild Card game will earn a spot in the Round One Best-of-three series.

The expanded format will deliver even more must-win matches, as every game in the Round One Best-of-three series will have a winner and a loser. With the addition of the Wild Card games and the Round One Best-of three series, the playoffs will see up-to 24 must-win matches ahead of the MLS Cup presented by Audi in 2023 (compared to 12 in 2022).

All 16 teams qualifying for the Round One Best-of-three series will earn at least one home playoff game with the higher seed hosting the first match, the lower seed hosting the second match, before returning, if necessary, to the higher seed’s venue for the final deciding game.

Following the expanded Round One, the Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals, and the MLS Cup will continue to be single elimination, win-or-go-home matches hosted by the team with the better regular season record.

While providing the highest advantage to each conference No. 1 seed, through the new playoff format, the higher a team’s regular season finish in the standings, the more advantage that team will see throughout the playoffs. Teams will need to fight from the first match through Decision Day for the best chance to capture an MLS Cup title.

In addition to the advantage earned in the MLS postseason, higher MLS regular season ranking is rewarded with greater homefield advantage and grouping with lower seeded LIGA MX opponents during Leagues Cup group play, while the MLS Cup champion earns a bye past the group stage all together.

Postseason Match Schedule
The postseason will kick off with the two Wild Card matches on Oct. 25-26 and Round One Best-of-three series matches from Oct. 28-Nov. 12. The Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals will be played between Nov. 25-Dec. 3.  Major League Soccer’s championship match, MLS Cup presented by Audi, will be played on Dec. 9.

Postseason Review Process
Major League Soccer, in concert with the MLS Product Strategy Committee, undertook a review of the playoff format beginning in 2021 to deliver an enhanced format that would provide fans with more games of consequence and better reward regular season results while maintaining the best elements from the single-elimination format. Incorporating fan research and feedback, MLS engaged a third-party expert in the global sports industry to support the process with data and analysis.

Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Format Breakdown

Qualification:
Seeds 1-7 in each conference will automatically qualify to the Round One Best-of three-series.
Seeds 8-9 in each conference will qualify for the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card matches.

Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card Matches (Two games):

• Two single-game elimination matches hosted by the higher seed.
• If the score of a Wild Card game is tied at the end of regulation, no extra time will be played, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.
• The winner of each Wild Card match will advance to the Round One Best-of-three series to face the conference No. 1 seed.

Round One Best-of-three Series (16-24 games):

• Every Round One game will have a winner; no ties, no aggregate score.
• The matches will be hosted in a home-away-home format:
  • Match 1: higher seed hosts
  • Match 2: lower seed hosts
  • Match 3: higher seed hosts
• If a match is tied at the end of regulation, no extra time will be played, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.
• The first team to win two matches will advance.
• Four teams from each conference will advance to the Conference Semifinals.

Conference Semifinals (Four games):

• Single-game elimination matches, hosted by the higher seed.
• If the score of a Conference Semifinal game is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety. If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra time periods, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.
• Conference Semifinal winners will advance to the Conference Final.

Conference Final (two games):

• Single-elimination match hosted by the higher seed.
• If the score of a Conference Final game is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety. If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra time periods, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.
• The winner of each Conference Final match will advance to the MLS Cup presented by Audi.

MLS Cup presented by Audi (One game):

• A single match hosted by the higher seed.
• If the score of the game is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety. If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra time periods, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.

Nashville Soccer Club has unveiled their brand-new Man in Black Kit, honoring one of the most influential songwriters  of all time, Johnny Cash.

Created in collaboration with the estate of Johnny Cash, Sandbox Succession and Wasserman Music, the Man in Black Kit was inspired by The Backline Supporters Collective, the club’s fans. On Feb. 29, 2020, Nashville SC inaugurated its journey in Major League Soccer in front of 59,069 fans, a state record for a soccer match. Prior to kickoff, The Backline unveiled their first ever MLS TIFO, featuring the Man in Black alongside the Nashville SC logo. Inspired by that moment, Nashville SC and Cash’s estate began collaborating to tell the story of the life and legacy of Cash.

“From the first day we started Nashville Soccer Club, we talked a lot about being ‘uniquely Nashville,'” says Nashville SC CEO Ian Ayre. “This city is steeped in music history and icons of that industry. None more so than the Man in Black himself, Johnny Cash.”

From our opening match on Feb. 29th, 2020 when our supporters, The Backline, unveiled a Tifo with that famous Johnny Cash image, there has clearly been a strong connection between both The Cash Family and the NSC family. I don’t think there can be a greater tribute to Johnny’s place in music history or Nashville than to have a team full of Men in Black take the field on behalf of Nashville SC.”

The all-black ensemble is embellished by dark graphite and iron metallic accents including a jocktag of Cash’s iconic photo at Folsom Prison, Cash’s autograph on the back of the neck, the Nashville SC crest, and an iron metallic Renasant Bank logo as well as an Adidas logo. The left sleeve celebrates the Apple and MLS partnership by featuring the Apple TV and MLS logos, and the right sleeve features the Hyundai logo.

Nashville SC will don the Man in Black Kit for the very first time on Saturday, Feb. 25 as it hosts New York City FC as the first match of the MLS Is Back weekend. Scheduled to kick off at 3:30 p.m. CT, the match will honor the collaboration with a special ‘Man in Black’ match.

“Nashville meant so much to my father, both as a historical music community and a welcoming home,” says John Carter Cash son of Cash and country legend June Carter. “Connecting the Cash legacy to Nashville Soccer Club and Major League Soccer, and the joy it’s bringing to Nashville residents, would have made him proud. I’m delighted to see the Man in Black celebrated alongside the Boys in Gold.”

Tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 18, Nashville fans have the opportunity to see and purchase the Man in Black Kit during a public event at the Walk of Fame Park (across from the Country Music Hall of Fame). The festival-like celebration will kick off at 11:30 a.m. CT with a live performance from Mexican singer-songwriter and guitarist Carín León as well as two other guests, a DJ, player appearances, photo ops and much more. Other activations include a hospitality area and Heineken Silver Beer Garden where fans can purchase four dollar Heineken products, Nashville SC player autograph tent, a stage photo opportunity, Fanatics servicing and order pickup, and Tempo the Coyote’s Band Kids Club registration, among others.

To celebrate the launch of the Nashville SC Man in Black Kit, now featured on the official Nashville SC Apple Music playlist, fans can enjoy an exclusive pair of Johnny Cash singles: “God’s Gonna Cut You Down,” a rendition performed by breakout country artist Bailey Zimmerman and a take on the classic “Man in Black” by León.

Following its debut, the Man in Black Kit will be featured throughout the 2023 and 2024 MLS seasons, and will be available for purchase on the club’s website. In addition to the kit, the partnership will include special collaborations, which will be offered exclusively through Fanatics, the clubs official retail partner, throughout both seasons.

Nashville SC’s Play-By-Play Broadcaster Tony Husband is joining the Apple and MLS Season Pass team of announcers.

Apple and MLS announced Husband along with 30 other new broadcasters, who bring their experience, energy and passion for the game, which will help to deliver the most comprehensive and entertaining MLS viewing experience for fans in more than 100 countries and regions.

Husband has served as the Play-By-Play Commentator for Nashville SC’s broadcasts since the club joined MLS in 2020. Prior to his work in Music City, Husband spent two decades with the BBC during which he commentated on the iconic BBC Sport production Match of the Day.

The Royal Television Society award winner has also served as an announcer for the World Athletics Championships and a broadcaster for the Olympics, Wimbledon, NFL and MLB.

Apple and MLS will continue announcing members of the MLS Season Pass broadcast team in waves, and will announce the full production plan as well as talent pairings and assignments prior to the start of the MLS 2023 season, which begins Feb. 25.