Since the
2023 edition, the MLS Cup playoffs had been contested by a field of 18 teams—the top nine teams from each conference. The top seven teams in each conference automatically qualified for round one, while the eighth and ninth-placed teams in each conference played a single
wild card match to determine who drew the best-ranked team in their conference, with only a
penalty shoot-out occurring if the game was tied. The first round comprised a
best-of-three format, with higher seeds playing against lower seeds. The round did not use an
aggregate score, and tied matches proceeded directly to a penalty shoot-out to determine the winner. The remaining three rounds—the conference semifinals, conference finals, and MLS Cup—were
single-elimination matches played with
extra time and a penalty shoot-out if still tied. == Qualified teams ==