MLS playoff schedule set; Montreal Impact face New England Revolution Nov. 20

The Audi MLS Cup playoffs are set.

Major League Soccer confirmed its playoff schedule on Monday, starting with two play-in matches to set up Round 1 that opens Nov. 21.

The No. 9 seed Montreal Impact play the No. 8 New England Revolution, and seventh-seeded Nashville SC is pitted against 10th-seeded Inter Miami FC to determine the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, with both matches on Nov. 20.

Orlando City SC (No. 4 seed) will face New York City FC (No. 5 seed), and Columbus Crew SC (No. 3 seed) plays the New York Red Bulls (No. 6 seed) on Nov. 21 to open the first round of Eastern Conference playoffs.

Toronto FC (No. 2 seed) will play the higher-seeded play-in winner, and the Philadelphia Union (No. 1 overall seed) will face the lower-seeded winner from the play-ins, on Nov. 24.

The first of three Western Conference matches go Nov. 22 — Sporting Kansas City (No. 1 seed) against the San Jose Earthquakes (No. 8 seed), Minnesota United FC (No. 4 seed) versus the Colorado Rapids (No. 5 seed) and the Portland Timbers (No. 3 seed) against FC Dallas (No. 6 seed).

The reigning MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders FC (No. 2 seed) face Los Angeles FC (No. 7 seed) on Nov. 24 to wrap up the opening round in the west.

The 25th edition of the MLS Cup final goes Dec. 12.

Because of pandemic-related game cancellations ruing the regular season, playoff seedings are being determined by points per game rather than total points.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2020.

The Canadian Press