The 2025 MLS regular season ends with Decision Day on Oct. 18 as title hopefuls turn their attention to the MLS Cup Playoffs.
In 2024, the seventh-seed New York Red Bulls advanced out of the Eastern Conference, while the ninth-seed Atlanta United upset the record-breaking Inter Miami. What could 2025 have in store?
The postseason begins with the Wild Card matches on Oct. 22, and the remaining 16 teams take on the first round best-of-three series from Oct. 24 to Nov. 9, culminating in MLS Cup on Dec. 6.
Sports Illustrated takes a look at the top five MLS Cup contenders, heading into the final matchday of the regular season.
5. Charlotte FC
The MLS Cup Playoffs require a team to have exceptional form for nearly two months. For Charlotte FC, that’s something they’ve already done with their MLS-record nine-game win streak, which spanned from July 12 to Sept. 13.
Led by head coach Dean Smith, Charlotte has difference makers across the roster. After losing key striker Patrick Agyemang in the summer, they quickly turned to Israel’s Idan Toklomati, who has stepped up to the task with 11 goals and four assists this summer.
At the same time, they’ve found the right spot for Wilfried Zaha to shine and have also managed to keep the center back pairing of Tim Ream and Adilson Malanda, the latter they sold in the summer but brought back on loan through the end of the season.
Decision Day looms large for Charlotte, as they will have a chance to claim home field advantage in the first round should they defeat the Philadelphia Union and have other results go their way.
4. Philadelphia Union
The Philadelphia Union have been the best team in MLS all season and secured the Supporters’ Shield two weeks before Decision Day. Yet, they rank fourth of the favorites, partly due to their history and the potentially troubling opposition they could face in the Eastern Conference.
Through 15 years of Union soccer, they have never captured an MLS Cup, falling twice in the final. While they have a new outlook under head coach Bradley Carnell, the impending tension between them and championship hopes remains as strong as ever.
Still, his is a very good team. After losing 7–0 to Vancouver, they rattled off three straight clean sheets and enter the final week of the season in good form, having won five of their last six matches.
Meanwhile, the attacking foursome of leading scorer Tai Baribo, Bruno Damiani, Milan Iloski and Mikael Uhre has looked strong.
The last team to win MLS Cup and the Supporters’ Shield was LAFC in 2022, when they beat the Union in one of the most dramatic finals in MLS history. This year, Philadelphia hope to become just the ninth team ever to accomplish the same feat.
3. LAFC
LAFC are in near-perfect form heading into the MLS Cup Playoffs and have the best attacking duo in the league with record-breaking summer signing Son Heung-min and longtime star, Denis Bouanga.
Before both departed to represent their respective South Korea and Gabon in the October international break, they had linked up for LAFC’s last 18 goals. Since then, the Black and Gold have picked up a win against Toronto FC and lost to Austin FC.
Bouanga will be in contention for the Golden Boot heading into Decision Day, while Son already finds himself at eight goals and two assists. At the same time, LAFC can turn to recent MLS Cup-winning experience, with midfielder Mark Delgado playing a key role in the LA Galaxy’s triumph last season.
With the best duo in MLS, experienced winners, and head coach Steve Cherundolo set to leave the club on his own terms after the season, the Southern California side will be a force in the postseason.
2. Vancouver Whitecaps
The Vancouver Whitecaps have been the deepest team in MLS this season. Despite losing starting center backs Ranko Veselinović and Tristan Blackmon to significant injuries, and playing most of the season without DP midfielder Ryan Gauld, they have personified the next-man-up mentality.
The addition of German superstar Thomas Müller in late August has only elevated them. The 13-time Bundesliga winner has seven goals and four assists in his first seven games, including a clutch 97th-minute goal to win on the road in Orlando.
Head coach Jesper Sørensen recently reintroduced Gauld into the group, bagging a goal and an assist in his first three matches in all competitions since returning. Meanwhile, the team is hopeful to have Blackmon and star striker Brian White back for the playoffs.
In all, Vancouver leads MLS in expected goals with 74.82 heading into Decision Day, and have 65 goals compared to just 36 goals conceded. Yohei Takaoka has kept a league-leading 13 clean sheets, and defensive midfielder Andrés Cubas has also been among the league’s stars in the last two seasons.
Vancouver showed they can win tight knockout games in their run to the Concacaf Champions Cup final and fourth straight Canadian Championship, and will be hopeful to bring that edge to the MLS Cup Playoffs.
1. Inter Miami
Inter Miami find themselves in a peculiar position. With Lionel Messi, they are borderline unbeatable, but without him, they might not have even made the MLS Cup Playoffs, despite the other talent on the roster.
The key for the Herons in the postseason will be the Argentine’s game-breaking ability, and desire to win a final trophy alongside longtime teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, two players also surely driven to cap off their careers with an MLS Cup.
After last year’s early exit to Atlanta United, Miami will also have a chip on their shoulder this postseason. The team has struggled in big games in both the Leagues Cup final and Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal this season, but they have something no other team does: Messi.
The iconic Argentine has 26 goals and 18 assists heading into Decision Day, and is poised to be the first back-to-back MVP in MLS history. Should the 38-year-old suffer from fatigue, Miami’s hopes are minimal. If he is fit and firing, a run to the trophy might be a formality.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Five MLS Cup Favorites Heading Into Decision Day—Ranked.
