The Vancouver Whitecaps are off to the Western Conference final for the first time in their MLS history, after defeating LAFC on Saturday night in front of a record crowd of over 53,000 fans at BC Place Stadium.
Yet, they will have to wait a few days to find out who they will face next and whether that match will be at home.
Their potential opponents, No. 1-seed San Diego FC and No. 4-seed Minnesota United, play their Western Conference semifinal on Monday night, also in front of an expected sold-out crowd at San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium.
Son Heung-min Goes From Hero to Villain in Crazy MLS Playoff Game. dark. Next. Vancouver vs LAFC
Should San Diego prevail over Minnesota, Vancouver would head to California for the Conference final. If Minnesota wins, the Whitecaps would head back to BC Place for another home match against the Loons.
Next stop… ? https://t.co/oAEMGaKg37
— Thomas Müller (@esmuellert_) November 23, 2025
Regardless, the match will take place on either Nov. 29 or 30, with the Eastern Conference final on the unused day, featuring the winners of the Eastern Conference semifinals between Philadelphia Union vs. New York City FC and FC Cincinnati vs. Inter Miami.
The winners of each conference will then meet in MLS Cup on Dec. 6 in a single-match showdown for the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy, hosted by the team that finished higher in the regular season standings.
For the Whitecaps, the only team they could host in MLS Cup is New York City. Any other Eastern Conference champion would see the Whitecaps hit the road.
Sebastian Berhalter was critical to the Vancouver Whitecaps win on Saturday. / Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images
It has taken a dramatic road for Thomas Müller’s Vancouver Whitecaps to get to the club’s first Conference Final, after previously falling short in the second round in 2015 and 2017.
After finishing second in the Western Conference with a record 62 points, the Whitecaps swept FC Dallas in their first-round best-of-three series. In the Conference semifinal, they needed penalty kicks to eliminate Son Heung-min’s LAFC and advance to a record-setting MLS Cup playoff run.
While the ’Caps have won five Canadian Championship titles in their MLS era, they have only played in one other final, which came earlier in 2025 as they lost to Liga MX side Cruz Azul in a showdown for the Concacaf Champions Cup.
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