Playoff Scenarios

Who can clinch playoffs or be eliminated in MLS Week 33

There are only three more matchdays left in the 2021 season and teams are starting to secure Audi MLS Cup Playoff spots.

Below is a list of teams that can clinch a seed or spot in the playoffs and a list of teams that can be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention during MLS Week 33.

RELATED:

TEAMS THAT CAN CLINCH A SEED

Colorado will clinch a top-four seed in the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs IF:

  • Colorado win or tie vs. New England Revolution

or POR lose/tie:

  • Portland lose or tie vs. San Jose

or LA lose/tie:

  • LA lose or tie vs. Kansas City

UPDATE: LA lost to Kansas City on Oct. 27 - Colorado clinches a top-four seed.

Kansas City will clinch a top-four seed in the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs IF:

  • Kansas City win or tie vs. LA

or POR lose/tie:

  • Portland lose or tie vs. San Jose

UPDATE: Kansas City defeated LA on Oct. 27 - Kansas City clinches a top-four seed.

TEAMS THAT CAN CLINCH

Nashville will clinch a berth in the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs IF:

  1. Nashville win vs. Cincinnati AND
  2. New York City lose or tie vs. Chicago

or:

  1. Nashville win vs. Cincinnati AND
  2. Atlanta lose or tie vs. Miami

or:

  1. Nashville win vs. Cincinnati AND
  2. New York lose or tie vs. D.C.

or:

  1. Nashville win vs. Cincinnati AND
  2. Orlando lose or tie vs. Columbus

or NSH tie and other teams tie/lose:

  1. Nashville tie vs. Cincinnati AND
  2. D.C.-New York tie AND
  3. Atlanta lose vs. Miami

UPDATE: Nashville SC defeated Cincinnati on Oct. 27 and Orlando lost to Columbus on Oct. 27 - Nashville SC clinches a spot in the playoffs.

Orlando will clinch a berth in the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs IF:

  1. Orlando win vs. Columbus AND
  2. D.C.-New York tie AND
  3. Atlanta lose vs. Miami

UPDATE: Orlando lost to Columbus on Oct. 27 - Orlando cannot clinch a playoff spot in MLS Week 33.

Philadelphia will clinch a berth in the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs IF:

  • Philadelphia win vs. Toronto

or PHI tie and other teams lose/tie:

  1. Philadelphia tie vs. Toronto AND
  2. D.C.-New York tie AND
  3. Atlanta lose vs. Miami

or PHI tie and other teams lose/tie:

  1. Philadelphia tie vs. Toronto AND
  2. D.C.-New York tie AND
  3. Orlando lose or tie vs. Columbus AND
  4. Nashville lose or tie vs. Cincinnati

or PHI tie and other teams lose/tie:

  1. Philadelphia tie vs. Toronto AND
  2. D.C. lose vs. New York AND
  3. Orlando lose or tie vs. Columbus AND
  4. Nashville lose or tie vs. Cincinnati AND
  5. Atlanta lose vs. Miami

UPDATE: Philadelphia tied Toronto on Oct. 27 and D.C. United defeated New York on Oct. 27 - Philadelphia cannot clinch a playoff sport in MLS Week 33.

Philadelphia will clinch a berth in the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs IF:

  1. Portland win vs. San Jose AND
  2. Minnesota lose vs. Vancouver AND
  3. LA lose vs. Kansas City AND
  4. ✗ - LAFC lose or tie vs. Seattle

UPDATE: LAFC defeated Seattle on Oct 26 - Portland cannot clinch a playoff spot during MLS Week 33.

TEAMS THAT CAN BE ELIMINATED

Columbus will be eliminated from playoff contention IF:

  1. Columbus lose vs. Orlando AND
  2. D.C. win vs. New York AND
  3. New York City win or tie vs. Chicago

or:

  1. Columbus lose vs. Orlando AND
  2. D.C. win vs. New York AND
  3. Miami win vs. Atlanta

or:

  1. Columbus lose vs. Orlando AND
  2. New York City win or tie vs. Chicago AND
  3. Atlanta win vs. Miami

or CLB tie and other teams win:

  1. Columbus tie vs. Orlando AND
  2. New York City win vs. Chicago AND
  3. New York win vs. D.C. AND
  4. Atlanta win vs. Miami

UPDATE: Columbus defeated Orlando on Oct. 27 - Columbus cannot be eliminated in MLS Week 33.

Miami will be eliminated from playoff contention IF:

  1. Miami lose vs. Atlanta AND
  2. New York City win or tie vs. Chicago AND
  3. New York win or tie vs. D.C.

UPDATE: D.C. United defeated New York on Oct. 27 - Miami cannot be eliminated in MLS Week 33.

San Jose will be eliminated from playoff contention IF:

  • San Jose lose or tie vs. Portland

UPDATE: San Jose lost to Portland on Oct. 27 - San Jose were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.