MLS Cup Set for Primetime on FOX, UniMás, TSN and RDS
September 6, 2016 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
NEW YORK - Major League Soccer today announced that 2016 MLS Cup will be televised on FOX broadcast network, UniMás, TSN and RDS on Dec. 10 at 8 p.m. ET, the first time in the league's 21-season history the championship match will be played on a Saturday evening in primetime on network television. In addition, the Audi 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs dates have been set, with postseason action kicking off on October 26-27 following the close of regular season play on Sunday, Oct. 23. Postseason matches will air live in more than 175 countries worldwide.
For the first time since 2008, MLS Cup will air live on English-language network television, as FOX televises the championship match for the first time. Joining FOX for MLS Cup are Spanish-language broadcast partner UniMás and UDN as well as Canadian broadcast partners TSN (English) and RDS (French). Once again, all games in the Audi 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs will be broadcast nationally across the league's domestic partners FS1, ESPN and UniMás with select matches on the TSN and RDS family of networks. Canadian broadcast information for the playoffs will be announced at a later date.
Following the same playoff competition format implemented last season, the top six teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences will qualify for the Audi 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs.
The playoffs kick off with two Knockout Round games on Oct. 26-27, during which the third and sixth seeds, and fourth and fifth seeds from each conference, will face in a single-game elimination match. Just as in 2015, the Knockout Round matches will be aired on UniMás, however, this season, ESPN and FS1 will each broadcast one Knockout Round game as well.
Knockout Round winners advance to the Conference Semifinals -- a two-game, aggregate-goal format, home-and-home series held across the next two consecutive weekends. Each conference's top seed will face their respective conference's lowest-seeded Knockout Round winner. Each conference's No. 2 seed will face their respective conference's highest-seeded Knockout Round winner. The higher-seeded team will host the second leg of the two-game series. Four teams, two from each conference, will advance to the Conference Championships.
After a break in play to observe the international FIFA window from Nov. 7-15, playoff action will resume with the two-game, aggregate-goal format, Conference Championship series to be played between Sunday, Nov. 20 and Wednesday, Nov. 30.
The two conference champions advance to 2016 MLS Cup, which will be played at the home venue of the finalist with the best regular-season record, as it has been since the 2012 season.
For more information about the postseason format, please see the MLS Competition Rules and Regulations.
To download the Audi 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs logo, please CLICK HERE.
To download the 2016 MLS Cup logo, please CLICK HERE.
Audi 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs Schedule *Subject to change
Knockout Round (conference third seed vs. sixth, and fourth seed vs. fifth seed in a single-game elimination match)
October 26-27 Eastern and Western Conference Knockout Round games
- Two games Wednesday Night (times TBD)
o ESPN2 & UniMás
o UniMás
Two games Thursday Night (times TBD)
o FS1 & UniMás
o UniMás
Conference Semifinals (Two-game series, aggregate-goal format between conference top seed vs. lowest advancing seed from Knockout Round and conference second seed vs. highest seed from Knockout Round)
Sunday, Oct. 30 Eastern and Western Conference Leg 1:
* 3 p.m. ET (ESPN)
* 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)
* 7 p.m. ET (FS1)
* 9:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
Sunday, Nov. 6 Eastern and Western Conference Leg 2:
* 3 p.m. ET (ESPN)
* 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)
* 7:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
* 10 p.m. ET (FS1)
Conference Championships (Two-game series, aggregate-goal format)
Sunday, Nov. 20 Western Conference Championship Leg 1 (FS1, 8 p.m. ET) Tuesday, Nov. 22 Eastern Conference Championship Leg 1 (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET
Sunday, Nov. 27 Western Conference Championship Leg 2 (ESPN, 4 p.m. ET) Wednesday, Nov. 30 Eastern Conference Championship Leg 2 (FS1, 7 p.m. ET)
2016 MLS Cup (hosted at the home venue of the finalist with the best regular season record)
Saturday, Dec. 10 2016 MLS Cup (FOX, UniMás, TSN, RDS, 8 p.m. ET)
Major League Soccer Stories from September 6, 2016
- USA Takes Down Trinidad & Tobago to Advance in World Cup Qualifying - Chicago Fire FC
- Paunovic Remains Firm in Approach Ahead of Visit From Toronto FC - Chicago Fire FC
- Hurtado Faces the Music, Vows to 'Move Forward' After Tough Weekend - Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Quakes Given Opportunity With Wild Weekend - San Jose Earthquakes
- Forward Darwin Jones and Defender Tony Alfaro Named to USL Team Of Week - Seattle Sounders FC
- By the Numbers: Earthquakes vs. Sounders FC - San Jose Earthquakes
- Previewing Tonight's World Cup Qualifiers - San Jose Earthquakes
- Philadelphia Union Announce Time Change for October 16 Match - Philadelphia Union
- Impact Faces Orlando for Crucial Game in Playoff Race Wednesday at Stade Saputo - Club de Foot Montreal
- Real Salt Lake Signs Homegrown FW Ricardo Velazco - Real Salt Lake
- Dynamo Sign Defender Kevin Garcia from Rio Grande Valley FC - Houston Dynamo FC
- Star-Studded LA Galaxy Visit Rio Tinto Stadium Wednesday Night - Real Salt Lake
- #SilenceTheSounders Match Poster to be Given Away - San Jose Earthquakes
- Major League Soccer Releases TV Schedule for 2016 MLS - Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Weekly Update - San Jose Earthquakes
- MLS Cup Set for Primetime on FOX, - New York Red Bulls
- MLS Cup Set for Primetime on FOX, UniMás, TSN and RDS - MLS
- New York City FC Midfielder Frank Lampard Voted MLS Player of the Week - MLS
- MLS Newsstand - MLS
- Back to School: Davies Not Losing Sight of Studies As Pro Career Takes Off - Vancouver Whitecaps FC
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
