2022 MLS Playoff Schedule & Betting Odds

14 Teams Dream of Hoisting MLS Cup November 5th

The 2022 MLS Playoff field is officially set! After a wild decision day that saw multiple teams in the East earn results away from home, the Philadelphia Union hung on to the top seed there, which will give them a bye past the first round and into the conference semifinals. LAFC, which already clinched the Supporters’ Shield and the No. 1 overall seed in the playoffs, fell 1-0 to Nashville SC in the West, which saw a lot of movement in seeds No. 3-7 as the day went on.

Decision Day Overview

Out West, Real Salt Lake dominated Portland Timbers in a 3-1 win that saw Salt Lake sneak into the last 2022 MLS playoff spot by a single point over the Timbers. Minnesota United’s solid 2-0 win over Vancouver eliminated the longshot Whitecaps, while the Galaxy’s own 3-1 win over Houston secured a home playoff game against Nashville SC.

Decision Day in the East came in the Columbus Crew vs Orlando City SC game, where Orlando came back from a goal down for a 2-1 win over Columbus thanks to a penalty kick called because of a Milos Degenek handball in the box late.

The bulk of excitement on Decision Day in the East came in the Columbus Crew vs Orlando City SC game, where Orlando came back from a goal down for a 2-1 win over Columbus thanks to a penalty kick called because of a Milos Degenek handball in the box late in the second half. Facundo Torres buried the resulting spot kick to put Orlando into the playoffs over Columbus. But, unfortunately, the loss continued the Crew’s season-long trend of losing points from winning positions one last time — in all, Columbus lost 24 points in 2022 from those positions.

Qualified Teams

The 2022 MLS Playoffs will work the same as the previous season, with the current single-elimination format providing the league with many compelling matchups. A total of seven teams will make the playoffs from each conference, allowing 14 teams to dream of hoisting MLS Cup on Nov. 5.

Only the No. 1 seed in each conference will earn a first-round bye and qualify directly to the second round, while every other team takes the field in the first round. The team with the best regular season record hosts every MLS matchup, including the MLS Cup final.

Here are the 14 qualified teams and their MLS betting odds of winning the MLS Cup:

Eastern Conference

  • Philadelphia Union      (+250)
  • CF Montreal                 (+700)
  • New York City FC         (+820)
  • New York Red Bulls     (+1400)
  • FC Cinncinatti              (+3000)
  • Orlando City SC           (+3320)
  • Inter Miami                  (+4000)

Western Conference

  • LAFC                            (+120)
  • Austin FC                     (+900)
  • FC Dallas                     (+1200)
  • LA Galaxy                    (+1550)
  • Nashville SC                (+3000)
  • Minnesota United       (+4100)
  • Real Salt Lake              (+5000)

Playoff Matchup and MLS Betting Odds

Eastern Conference

CF Montréal (-120) vs Orlando City SC (+305)

When: Sunday, Oct. 16 at 8 pm ET
Watch: ESPN, ESPN Deportes
Location: Stade Saputo

CF MontrĂ©al is among the most in-form teams in MLS standings, going 11W-1L-3D since mid-July. They’ll host an Orlando City SC team that needed a Decision Day victory to get in, keeping the 2022 US Open Cup champions alive. Orlando has found some form, so they are not a team to slack off now.

New York City FC (-175) vs Inter Miami CF (+455)

When: Monday, Oct. 17 at 7 pm ET
Watch: FS1, FOX Deportes
Location: Red Bull Arena

NYCFC enter the fixture as defending MLS Cup champions, rattling off three straight wins to cap their season and maintain a home playoff game following a Campeones Cup victory. However, legendary Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain has spearheaded Inter Miami’s late-season surge, will retire after the 2022 campaign. Miami has had an up-and-down season at best, so it’s unsure which version of them we’ll see.

New York Red Bulls (-110) vs FC Cincinnati (+280)

When: Saturday, Oct. 15 at noon ET
Watch: UniMas, TUDN & MLSsoccer.com/MLS App
Location: Red Bull Arena

The Red Bulls have matched Seattle’s league-record 13-year playoff streak, and now they’ll host after finishing 6W-6L-5D at home this campaign. Meanwhile, FC Cincinnati is chasing a first-ever playoff win after this breakthrough postseason berth follows three straight bottom-of-the-table finishes during their first three MLS seasons.

This is not the Red Bull team of old. The inconsistencies they’ve shown would not make them a safe bet at -110. However, FC CCincinnati’sattacks have been on fire all season. Combined, they have scored 44 goals and 38 assists. At +280, they are the team bettors should look to bet on.

Western Conference

Austin FC (-110) vs Real Salt Lake (+295)

When: Sunday, Oct. 16 at 3 pm ET
Watch: ABC, ESPN Deportes
Location: Q2 Stadium

Austin is amid a dramatic year-two turnaround, going from 31 points as an expansion team in 2021 to 56 points in 2022, spearheaded by midfielder Sebastian Driussi. However, RSL may feel some déjà vu after needing a Decision Day win to book a 2022 MLS playoff ticket last year.

Austin would be the safe bet in this matchup based on form alone. RSL tends to pull up in late games. Austin and RSL have beaten each other previously, so it’s a relatively even matchup. RSL at +295 could potentially be a game-changing bet.

FC Dallas (+105) vs Minnesota United FC (+240)

When: Monday, Oct. 17 at 9:30 pm ET
Watch: FS1, FOX Deportes
Location: Toyota Stadium

Dallas is back in the playoffs under first-year head coach Nico Estevez, earning a home match in the process. Striker Jesus Ferreira has been on fire all season as he chases a World Cup starring role. Minnesota nearly missed out, snapping a six-game winless streak on Decision Day to book a fourth straight playoff trip.

On paper, this is one of the most even matchups on the books. MLS bettors could not go wrong with betting on either of these teams. FC Dallas has been red-hot for quite some time but lacks playoff experience. However, despite their poor form and luck, Minnesota hasn’t missed the playoffs in four years. They understand the process.

LA Galaxy (-110) vs Nashville SC (+295)

When: Saturday, Oct. 15 at 3 pm ET
Watch: UniMas, TUDN & MLSsoccer.com/MLS App
Location: Dignity Health Sports Park

The Galaxy secured a home 2022 MLS playoff match with Decision Day goals from Riqui Puig, “Chicarito,” and Dejan Joveljic. They look to keep their form for a potential playoff push. However, Nashville will be hoping for a road upset, with Hany Mukhtar leading the line, who just won the Golden Boot with 23 goals and 11 assists.

LA Galaxy being the favorites against Nashville is kind of hard to believe. With the addition of Puig, the Galaxy looks like a team transformed, but they have been vulnerable at the back throughout the season. Nashville, however, has the Golden Boot winner and one of the most balanced squads in MLS. It’s a fairly even matchup, but Nashville at +295 is hard to beat.

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