The 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs (branded as the 2021 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons) was the 26th edition of the MLS Cup Playoffs, the post-season championship of Major League Soccer (MLS), the top soccer league in the United States and Canada. The tournament culminated the 2021 MLS regular season. The tournament began on November 20 and concluded with MLS Cup 2021 on December 11.[1]
The Columbus Crew were the defending MLS Cup champions, but failed to qualify for the playoffs after finishing ninth in the Eastern Conference.
The 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs marked the first time since 2004 that no club from Texas qualified, and the first time ever that no club from California qualified.[2]
The top seven teams in the Eastern and Western Conference qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs, with the conference champions receiving second round byes. Background colors denote playoff teams, with green also qualifying for the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League.
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Eastern Conference
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Western Conference
Source: MLS
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| First round November 20–21, 23 | Conference semifinals November 25, 28, 30 | Conference finals December 4–5 | MLS Cup December 11 | ||||||||||||||||
| E1 | New England Revolution | 2 (3) | |||||||||||||||||
| E4 | New York City FC (p) | 2 (5) | |||||||||||||||||
| E4 | New York City FC | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| E5 | Atlanta United FC | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| E4 | New York City FC | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Philadelphia Union | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| E3 | Nashville SC | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| E6 | Orlando City SC | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| E3 | Nashville SC | 1 (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Philadelphia Union (p) | 1 (2) | |||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Philadelphia Union (a.e.t.) | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| E7 | New York Red Bulls | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| E4 | New York City FC (p) | 1 (4) | |||||||||||||||||
| W4 | Portland Timbers | 1 (2) | |||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Colorado Rapids | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| W4 | Portland Timbers | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| W4 | Portland Timbers | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| W5 | Minnesota United FC | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| W4 | Portland Timbers | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Western Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
| W7 | Real Salt Lake | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Sporting Kansas City | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| W6 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Sporting Kansas City | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| W7 | Real Salt Lake | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| W2 | Seattle Sounders FC | 0 (5) | |||||||||||||||||
| W7 | Real Salt Lake (p) | 0 (6) | |||||||||||||||||
Note: The higher seeded teams hosted matches, with the MLS Cup host determined by overall points.
The second through fourth-seeded teams in each conference hosted the first-round matches. The team with the best record in each conference got a bye to the Conference Semifinals.
| Philadelphia Union | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | New York Red Bulls |
|---|---|---|
Glesnes  120+3' |
Report |
| Sporting Kansas City | 3–1 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
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Report | Dájome 39' (pen.) |
The higher-seeded teams in each match-up as determined by regular season ranking hosted the matches.
| Philadelphia Union | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | Nashville SC |
|---|---|---|
| Gazdag 45+2' |
Report | Mukhtar 38' |
| Penalties | ||
| 2–0 | ||
| New England Revolution | 2–2 (a.e.t.) | New York City FC |
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| Report |
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| Penalties | ||
| 3–5 | ||
The higher-seeded teams in each conference as determined by regular season ranking hosted the matches.
| Philadelphia Union | 1–2 | New York City FC |
|---|---|---|
| Callens 63' (o.g.) |
Report |
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The highest-ranked team remaining in the overall table (Portland Timbers) hosted the match.
| Portland Timbers | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | New York City FC |
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| Mora 90+4' |
Report | Castellanos 41' |
| Penalties | ||
| 2–4 | ||
