MLS Regular Season Finale: When Will the Final Whistle Blow?

Major League Soccer supporters have marked Decision Day on their schedules, the concluding regular season matchday on Oct. 18 when postseason positions are secured, pairings are determined and the genuine excitement commences.

Although the playoff landscape isn't entirely settled, all postseason berths in the Eastern Conference have been secured as the season enters its final weeks. In contrast, the battle for remaining Western Conference positions continues to intensify.

Everything culminates on Oct. 18, the ultimate MLS regular season matchday, when each club will compete in their 34th and concluding regular season contest.

Decision Day, the season's final day, will feature nearly all teams in their respective conferences playing at the same time, guaranteeing that clubs cannot depend on other results for their ultimate standings and preserving competitive fairness. Eastern Conference contests will kick off at 6 p.m. ET, while Western Conference fixtures will commence at 9 p.m. ET.

Every match will occur within conferences, with the exception of New York City FC welcoming the Seattle Sounders in the sole inter-conference clash, scheduled alongside the Eastern Conference games.

When Are the MLS Cup Playoffs?

After the 2025 MLS regular season concludes, the leading nine clubs from each conference will qualify for the playoffs, beginning Oct. 22 with Wild Card encounters between the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds from both conferences.

Subsequently, the complete bracket starts with the opening round, featuring best-of-three series from Oct. 24 through Nov. 9, followed by two single-elimination rounds hosted by the top remaining seeds, culminating in MLS Cup on Dec. 6, also hosted by the highest seed according to Supporters' Shield rankings.

Supporters can watch the remaining regular season games and the complete MLS Cup Playoffs through MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.