MLS’s 2025 playoffs paused for the November FIFA international break, but they returned with a bang.
Son Heung-min’s heroics – including a stunning equalizer off a free kick in second-half stoppage time – kept LAFC’s season alive and forced extra time, but the Vancouver Whitecaps prevailed in penalty kicks, sending Son & Co. tumbling out of the playoffs and the Canadian side into the conference finals for the first time.
Lionel Messi took the baton from there, scoring a goal and assisting three others in a 4-0 win vs. FC Cincinnati to continue his outrageous streak of having a hand in every single one of Inter Miami’s playoff goals so far (12). The first big surprise came in Sunday’s nightcap, where the Supporters’ Shield-winning Philadelphia Union went out at the hands of a shorthanded NYCFC, whose star striker Alonso Martínez tore his ACL on international duty with Costa Rica. Nevertheless, veteran Maxi Moralez supplied the goal and U.S. No. 1 Matt Freese came up with the big saves needed in a 1-0 triumph, and NYCFC will now head south to Miami for the Eastern Conference final.
The other place in the Western Conference final, meanwhile, will go to either San Diego FC or Minnesota United. That place will be decided on Monday.
At this point in the MLS playoffs, its a single-elimination battle to the end, and the finalist with the best regular-season record earns the right to host MLS Cup on Dec. 6 – a day after the 2026 World Cup draw. Should Inter Miami make it to the final, Messi & Co. would host it, given they had more points than any remaining Western Conference side.
Here’s what the road to MLS Cup looks like (Updated as of Nov. 23):
Full MLS Cup playoff schedule and results
First round (best of three): Oct. 24-Nov. 9
Game One
Oct. 24: Inter Miami 3, Nashville SC 1
Oct. 26: Philadelphia Union 2, Chicago Fire 2 (Philadelphia wins 4-2 on PKs)
Oct. 26: Vancouver Whitecaps 3, FC Dallas 0
Oct. 26: San Diego FC 2, Portland Timbers 1
Oct. 27: FC Cincinnati 1, Columbus Crew 0
Oct. 27: Minnesota United 0, Seattle Sounders 0 (Minnesota wins 3-2 on PKs)
Oct. 28: Charlotte FC 0, New York City FC 1
Oct. 29: LAFC 2, Austin FC 1
Game Two
Nov. 1: New York City FC 0, Charlotte FC 0 (Charlotte wins 7-6 on PKs)
Nov. 1: Chicago Fire 0, Philadelphia Union 3
Nov. 1: Nashville SC 2, Inter Miami 1
Nov. 1: FC Dallas 1, Vancouver Whitecaps 1 (Vancouver wins 4-2 on PKs)
Nov. 1: Portland Timbers 2, San Diego FC 2 (Portland wins 3-2 on PKs)
Nov. 2: Columbus Crew 4, FC Cincinnati 0
Nov. 2: Austin FC 1, LAFC 4
Nov. 3: Seattle Sounders 4, Minnesota United 2
Game Three
Nov. 7: Charlotte FC 1, New York City FC 3
Nov. 8: Minnesota United 3, Seattle Sounders 3 (Minnesota wins 7-6 on PKs)
Nov. 8: FC Cincinnati 2, Columbus Crew 1
Nov. 8: Inter Miami 4, Nashville SC 0
Nov. 9: San Diego 4, Portland Timbers 0
Conference semifinals (one match): Nov. 22-24
Nov. 22: Vancouver Whitecaps 2, LAFC 2 AET (Vancouver wins 4-3 in PKs)
Nov. 23: FC Cincinnati 0, Inter Miami 4
Nov. 23: Philadelphia Union 0, NYCFC 1
Nov. 24, 10 p.m. ET: San Diego FC vs. Minnesota United
Conference finals (one match): Nov. 29
Nov. 29, 6 p.m. ET: Inter Miami vs. NYCFC
Nov. 29, 9 p.m. ET: Vancouver Whitecaps vs. San Diego FC/Minnesota United
MLS Cup: Dec. 6, 2:30 p.m. ET