The 2025 MLS regular season has come to a close, and the pathway through the MLS Cup playoffs has been confirmed for the 19 teams that have qualified across the league.
The final matchday brought exponential excitement, with San Diego FC overtaking Vancouver Whitecaps FC to finish first in the Western Conference while FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake snatched the final spots amid a four-team shootout.
Earlier in the day, the Eastern Conference bracket became clearer, with FC Cincinnati sealing second-place with a win over CF Montréal, and Inter Miami settling into third after a hat-trick from Lionel Messi secured the MLS Golden Boot.
Teams will now look towards their path to MLS Cup, focusing on the first round best-of-three series, after the eighth and ninth seeds in each conference compete in their respective Wild Card games.
Here’s how the path to MLS Cup on Dec. 6 and the Philip F. Anschutz trophy looks now that the 34-game regular season has concluded.






