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MLS Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Whitecaps FC Clinch Spot in 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs

October 5, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Vancouver Whitecaps FC News Release


VANCOUVER, BC - With Wednesday's 3-0 win over St. Louis CITY SC at BC Place, Vancouver Whitecaps FC have clinched a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs for the second time in three seasons.

"We are pleased to have clinched our spot in the playoffs, but this is just the next step and not our end goal," said Axel Schuster, Whitecaps FC sporting director. "MLS is a very competitive league, and we have especially seen that this year in the Western Conference. We know that we have a very strong team, a group that have already enjoyed success in cup competitions, and we are confident that we can meet any challenge. We look forward to bringing an exciting playoff run to our amazing supporters."

2023 Whitecaps FC season ticket members receive priority access to opt-in to home playoff tickets, up to and including the Western Conference Final, and will only be invoiced for the matches on a "pay-as-we-play" basis. The deadline to opt-in is Tuesday, October 10, at 5 p.m. PT.

Season ticket members may also purchase additional tickets on top of their current seats at the discounted member rate. Fans interested in the benefits provided by season ticket membership are encouraged to visit whitecapsfc.com/seasons.

Information on single match tickets will be available closer to the start of the playoffs. Fans can register for pre-sale access to playoff tickets at whitecapsfc.com/playoffs.

The 'Caps return to the MLS Cup Playoffs for the sixth time, and second time under head coach Vanni Sartini who took them to the postseason as interim head coach in 2021. The Blue & White will be seeking to add a third trophy to their 2023 campaign after already capturing a second straight Voyageurs Cup in the Canadian Championship, as well as winning the supporters-driven Cascadia Cup over rivals Seattle Sounders FC and Portland Timbers.

The 'Caps have two remaining games to battle for playoff seeding, starting this coming Saturday, October 7 on the road at Seattle Sounders FC, and ending on Decision Day on Saturday, October 21 against defending MLS Cup champions Los Angeles FC at BC Place. For ticket information, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.

MLS introduced a new playoff format in 2023 with nine clubs from each conference advancing to the postseason. After the single-elimination Wild Card matches between the No. 8-9 seeds on October 25-26, the top-four finishers from each conference are guaranteed homefield advantage in the Round One best-of-three series.

MLS Cup Playoffs Schedule

Wild Card matches: October 25-26

Round One Best-of-3 series matches: October 28-November 12 Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals: November 25-December 3

MLS Cup: December 9

What's New

Wild Card

Two single-game elimination matches hosted by the higher seed (Eastern Conference No. 8 vs. No. 9; Western Conference No. 8 vs. No. 9)

If the score of a Wild Card game is tied at the end of regulation, no extra time will be played. There will immediately be a penalty kick shootout to determine the winner.

The winner of each Wild Card match will advance to the Round One Best-of-3 series to face the conference No. 1 seed.

Round One Best-of-3 Series

Every Round One game will have a winner; no ties, no aggregate score.

The matches will be hosted in a home-away-home format: Match 1: higher seed hosts Match 2: lower seed hosts Match 3: higher seed hosts, if necessary

If a match is tied at the end of regulation, no extra time will be played. Teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner. The first team to win two matches will advance.

Four teams from each conference will advance to the Conference Semifinals.

Western Conference Round One Best-of-3 Series

No. 1 vs. No. 8 or 9

No. 2 vs. No. 7

No. 3 vs. No. 6

No. 4 vs. No. 5

A Return to the Single Elimination Format in Round 2 & Beyond

Once the Wild Card and First Rounds conclude, the Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals and MLS Cup Final will all be decided by a single elimination match hosted by the higher seed.

The MLS Cup will be hosted by the team that finished higher in the Supporters' Shield standings.

Conference Semifinals

Single-elimination matches, hosted by the higher seed. If the score of a Conference Semifinal game is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety.

If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra time periods, teams will determine the winner via a penalty kick shootout.

Conference Semifinal winners will advance to the Conference Final

Western Conference Semifinals

Winner of No. 1 vs. No. 8/9 series vs. winner of No. 4 vs. No. 5 series

Winner of No. 3 vs. No. 6 series vs. winner of No. 2 vs. No. 7 series

Conference Finals

Single-elimination match hosted by the higher seed.

If the score of a Conference Final game is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety. If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra time periods, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.

The winner of each Conference Final match will advance to MLS Cup.

Eastern Conference Final: highest advancing seed vs. lowest advancing seed

Western Conference Final: highest advancing seed vs. lowest advancing seed

MLS Cup

A single match hosted by the higher seed.

If the score of the game is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety. If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra time periods, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.

MLS Cup: Eastern Conference Champion vs. Western Conference Champion

- whitecapsfc.com -

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