Playoff Scenarios

Who can clinch playoffs or be eliminated in MLS Week 34

Below is a list of teams that can clinch a seed or spot in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs and a list of teams that can be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention during MLS Week 34.

PENDING:

  • Portland can clinch a playoff spot if LAFC lose or tie in the match against Vancouver
  • Vancouver can clinch a playoff spot with a win against LAFC

SUMMARY:

  • Philadelphia clinched a playoff spot
  • New York City clinched a playoff spot
  • Miami were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention
  • Minnesota avoided elimination
  • Columbus avoided elimination
  • LAFC avoided elimination
  • Atlanta failed to clinch
  • Salt Lake failed to clinch
  • Orlando failed to clinch
  • LA can no longer clinch
  • Philadelphia cannot clinch a top-four seed

RELATED:

TEAMS THAT CAN CLINCH A SEED

UPDATE: Philadelphia defeated Cincinnati on Oct. 31 so Nashville cannot clinch a top-four seed.

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

  • ✗ - Nashville win vs. Orlando

or NSH tie:

  1. ✓- Nashville tie vs. Orlando AND
  2. ✗ - Philadelphia lose or tie vs. Cincinnati

or NSH tie:

  1. ✓- Nashville tie vs. Orlando AND
  2. ✗ - New York City lose or tie vs. Miami

or NSH tie:

  1. ✓- Nashville tie vs. Orlando AND
  2. ✗ - Atlanta lose vs. Toronto

UPDATE: New York City defeated Miami and New York defeated Montréal and Atlanta tied Toronto on Oct. 30 - Philadelphia cannot clinch a top-four seed during MLS Week 34.

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

  1. ✓- Philadelphia win vs. Cincinnati AND
  2. ✗ - Atlanta lose vs. Toronto AND
  3. ✓- Orlando lose or tie vs. Nashville

or:

  1. ✓- Philadelphia win vs. Cincinnati AND
  2. ✗ - Atlanta lose vs. Toronto AND
  3. ✗ - New York City lose or tie vs. Miami

or:

  1. ✓- Philadelphia win vs. Cincinnati AND
  2. ✗ - New York City lose or tie vs. Miami AND
  3. ✓- Orlando lose or tie vs. Nashville

or PHI tie and other teams lose/tie:

  1. ✗ - Philadelphia tie vs. Cincinnati AND
  2. ✗ - New York City lose vs. Miami AND
  3. ✓- MontrĂ©al lose vs. New York AND
  4. ✓- Orlando lose vs. Nashville AND
  5. ✗ - Atlanta lose or tie vs. Toronto

or PHI tie and other teams lose/tie:

  1. ✗ - Philadelphia tie vs. Cincinnati AND
  2. ✗ - New York City lose vs. Miami AND
  3. ✗ - New York-MontrĂ©al tie AND
  4. ✓- Orlando lose vs. Nashville
TEAMS THAT CAN CLINCH

UPDATE: Atlanta tied Toronto on Oct. 30 - Atlanta cannot clinch a playoff spot during MLS Week 34

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

  1. ✗ - Atlanta win vs. Toronto AND
  2. ✓- Orlando lose or tie vs. Nashville AND
  3. ✓- MontrĂ©al lose or tie vs. New York AND
  4. ✓- D.C. lose or tie vs. Columbus

UPDATE: Minnesota defeated Kansas City on Oct. 31 so LA cannot clinch a playoff spot in MLS Week 34.

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

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

UPDATE: Columbus defeated D.C. United on Oct. 30 - New York City clinches a spot in the playoffs.

New York City will clinch a berth in the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs IF:

  1. ✓ - New York City win vs. Miami AND
  2. ✓- D.C. lose or tie vs. Columbus

or:

  1. ✓ - New York City win vs. Miami AND
  2. ✗ - Orlando lose vs. Nashville

or:

  1. ✓ - New York City win vs. Miami AND
  2. ✗ - Atlanta lose vs. Toronto

or:

  1. ✓ - New York City win vs. Miami AND
  2. ✗ - New York lose vs. MontrĂ©al

or:

  1. ✓- New York City win vs. Miami AND
  2. ✗ - New York-MontrĂ©al tie AND
  3. ✓- Atlanta tie vs. Toronto

UPDATE: Orlando tied Nashville on Oct. 31 so the cannot clinch a playoff spot during MLS Week 34.

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

  1. ✗ - Orlando win vs. Nashville AND
  2. ✓- D.C. lose or tie vs. Columbus AND
  3. ✓- New York-MontrĂ©al do not tie

or:

  1. ✗ - Orlando win vs. Nashville AND
  2. ✓- D.C. lose or tie vs. Columbus AND
  3. ✗ - New York-MontrĂ©al tie AND
  4. ✗ - Atlanta lose vs. Toronto

UPDATE: Columbus defeated D.C. United on Oct. 30 - Philadelphia clinches a spot in the playoffs.

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

  • ✓- Philadelphia win or tie vs. Cincinnati

or other teams lose/tie:

  1. ✓- D.C. lose or tie vs. Columbus AND
  2. ✓- MontrĂ©al lose vs. New York

or other teams lose/tie:

  1. ✓- D.C. lose or tie vs. Columbus AND
  2. ✗ - New York lose vs. MontrĂ©al

or other teams lose/tie:

  1. ✗ - New York lose vs. MontrĂ©al AND
  2. ✓- Orlando lose or tie vs. Nashville

or other teams lose/tie:

  1. ✗ - New York-MontrĂ©al tie AND
  2. ✓- D.C. lose or tie vs. Columbus AND
  3. ✓- Orlando lose or tie vs. Nashville

or other teams lose/tie:

  1. ✗ - New York-MontrĂ©al tie AND
  2. ✓- D.C. lose or tie vs. Columbus AND
  3. ✗ - Atlanta lose vs. Toronto

or other teams lose/tie:

  1. ✗ - New York-MontrĂ©al tie AND
  2. ✓- Orlando lose or tie vs. Nashville AND
  3. ✗ - Atlanta lose vs. Toronto

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

  • LAFC lose or tie vs. Vancouver

UPDATE: Minnesota defeated Kansas City on Oct. 31 so this scenario no longer applies:

  1. ✗ - LA lose vs. Seattle AND
  2. ✗ - Minnesota lose or tie vs. Kansas City

UPDATE: Real Salt Lake lost to San Jose on Oct. 30 - Salt Lake cannot clinch a playoff spot in MLS Week 34.

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

  1. ✗ - Salt Lake win vs. San Jose AND
  2. ✗ - Minnesota lose vs. Kansas City AND
  3. LAFC lose or tie vs. Vancouver

or:

  1. ✗ - Salt Lake win vs. San Jose AND
  2. LAFC lose or tie vs. Vancouver AND
  3. ✓- LA lose or tie vs. Seattle

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

  • Vancouver win vs. LAFC
TEAMS THAT CAN BE ELIMINATED

UPDATE: Columbus defeated D.C. United on Oct. 30 - they cannot be eliminated from playoff contention during MLS Week 34.

Columbus will be eliminated from playoff contention IF:

  • ✗ - Columbus lose or tie vs. D.C.

UPDATE: LA tied Seattle on Nov. 1 and Minnesota defeated Kansas City on Oct. 31 so LAFC cannot be eliminated from playoff contention during MLS Week 34.

LAFC will be eliminated from playoff contention IF:

  1. LAFC lose vs. Vancouver AND
  2. ✗ - LA win vs. Seattle AND
  3. ✓- Minnesota win vs. Kansas City

or:

  1. LAFC lose vs. Vancouver AND
  2. ✗ - LA win or tie vs. Seattle AND
  3. ✗ - Salt Lake win vs. San Jose

or:

  1. LAFC lose vs. Vancouver AND
  2. ✗ - Salt Lake win vs. San Jose AND
  3. ✓- Minnesota win vs. Kansas City

UPDATE: Miami lost to New York City on Oct 30 - Miami was mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.

Miami will be eliminated from playoff contention IF:

  • ✓ - Miami lose or tie vs. New York City

UPDATE: Real Salt Lake lost to San Jose on Oct. 30 - Minnesota cannot be eliminated from playoff contention during MLS Week 34.

Minnesota will be eliminated from playoff contention IF:

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