The Major League Soccer regular season is in the books, and now all eyes turn to the playoffs, where both the stakes and excitement will rise exponentially.
The 2024 Major League Soccer regular season has wrapped up, and it has been marked by the “new” vs. the “old.” One look at the standings will briefly summarize this storyline. The top finishers in each conference — Inter Miami in the East and LAFC in the West — are newer expansion teams, and both second-place finishers are MLS founding teams in the Columbus Crew and LA Galaxy.
On an individual level, the league saw top performances from players in their late 30s and early 20s alike, a trend that will surely continue into the playoffs. As we gear up for the Wild Card round and beyond, let’s break down the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs and get into some predictions for who will come out on top.
The Wild Card Round
In the East, CF Montreal and Atlanta United both had disappointing seasons, but Montreal appears to be the more stable option and should be the chosen team to advance and face the record-setting Inter Miami and Lionel Messi.
In the West, the Portland Timbers bounced back from a poor start, and with Jonathan Rodríguez in excellent form, they should overcome the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Round One
Things get interesting in the first round, which once again reverts to the old-school ’90s MLS best-of-three series.
Inter Miami should dispatch CF Montreal over the course of three games. Orlando City and Charlotte FC will engage in a tight series, but expect Orlando to push ahead. The best series in the East during Round One will be NYCFC and FC Cincinnati.
NYCFC is on a hot streak of four unbeaten games, including a big win over their crosstown rivals, the New York Red Bulls. Dating back to last season, FC Cincinnati has been one of the league’s top teams, but MLS is known for its unpredictability, and NYCFC might edge Pat Noonan’s side.
The East wraps up Round One with the Columbus Crew, the reigning champions, against the Red Bulls. Expect the Crew to take this one, though it might require three games to do so.
In the West, LAFC should be able to overcome the Portland Timbers in three games. The Seattle Sounders are likely to edge out the Houston Dynamo, while Real Salt Lake and Minnesota United promise a scrappy series, where RSL will likely outlast the Loons.
The LA Galaxy should find it relatively easy to defeat the Colorado Rapids, leveraging their talent and speed against the Rapids and their former United States men’s national team players.
Semi-Finals
As the playoffs move to a single-elimination format, expect Inter Miami and Columbus to advance over Orlando City and NYCFC, respectively, to set up a tasty Conference Finals.
In the West, LAFC is too talented and consistent to lose to a Seattle Sounders team on the decline. This will be LAFC’s series to lose.
The Galaxy will need grit and determination to survive against RSL, who have been scrappy all year long. It won’t be easy, but the Galaxy should prevail, though not without a strong fight from Pablo Mastroeni’s team.
Conference Finals
The matchup of Inter Miami versus the Columbus Crew has the makings of a classic. Tata Martino’s superstars, though aging, still have a lot to offer, while Wilfried Nancy’s team will be a tough opponent. The showdown between Cucho Hernandez and Diego Rossi versus Luis Suarez and Messi could be unforgettable, but expect the GOAT to rise to the occasion and lead Inter Miami to the MLS Cup Final.
In the West, LAFC and LA Galaxy will also be a major attraction and could turn into a classic as well. If it’s anything close to the 2022 matchup in which both clubs met in the semis, we’ll be in for a treat here.
Despite bottling a top-seeded finish in their final regular season game, look for the Galaxy to bounce back and prevail in what will surely be a hostile BMO Stadium. The old guard will return to the MLS Cup for the first time since 2014.
MLS Cup
The old versus the new: the match that kicked off 2024 will close it out with Inter Miami facing the LA Galaxy.
While Galaxy is an MLS original and Miami is the newcomer, their rosters are the opposite. Inter Miami’s weak backline and aging legs will be tested against the speed and youth of Riqui Puig, Gabriel Péc, and Joseph Paintsil. The question remains: Can Miami manage its defensive responsibilities while maintaining its offensive prowess?
While Messi may provide moments of brilliance, it won’t be enough to overcome the dynamic attacking front of the Galaxy, who will win their fifth MLS Cup and leave Messi hungrier than ever for a title in 2025.
Awards Predictions
- Most Valuable Player: Lionel Messi
- Defender of the Year: Jordi Alba
- Goalkeeper of the Year: Hugo Lloris
- Coach of the Year: Wilfried Nancy
- Young Player of the Year: Diego Luna
- Newcomer of the Year: Luis Suarez
- Comeback Player of the Year: Lewis Morgan
