Major League Soccer Playoff Preview

By: Asa Forrest

The Major League Soccer Playoffs kick off on Saturday, October 15, 2022, and there is a lot to unpack. Western Conference champions Los Angeles FC are favored to win, with a 35 percent chance of lifting the cup. Eastern Conference champions Philadelphia Union come in a close second with a 30 percent chance to win. Both of these teams will have to wait until the conference semifinals to play again, which is both an advantage and a disadvantage. On the one hand, they will be well rested and will have more time to plan before beginning their playoff journey. On the other hand, it will be longer since they last played, which could cause them to come out looking flat, and take them longer to grow into the game. 

On the Eastern side, CF Montréal has cemented themselves as a team to watch after only losing one of their last 14 matches in league play. Having not made it to the post-season playoffs since 2016, they have a lot of motivation going into this year. Luckily, one thing's for sure, Saputo Stadium in Montréal will be booming to watch the team play post-season soccer. Montréal will play Orlando City SC on Sunday, October 16th.

On the Western side of the bracket, Nashville SC have adapted greatly after switching from the Eastern to the Western Conference this past off-season. Led by forward and golden boot winner Hany Mukhtar, Nashville finished fifth in the Western Conference with 50 points. Nashville will face off against the LA Galaxy in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 15th.