Major League Soccer is supposed to be looking at ways to change the structure of the playoffs for next season. The Athletic reports that the league wants to add more teams, and thus significantly more games, in the guise of the playoffs.
The current format of the MLS playoffs consists of 14 teams. Since the league has 28 total clubs at the moment, half of the teams advance to the playoffs. These 14 teams play a single elimination tournament until a champion is crowned. This means there are 13 playoff games in total for the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs.
As of 2023, the addition of St. Louis City SC brings the total number of clubs in the league to 29. The aforementioned report suggests that the league is focused on creating more playoff matchups. Sources told the outlet that MLS wants to try to make it to at least 30 postseason games next season.
While nothing is set in stone just yet, there have been suggestions as to how the league can reach this number of games. Sixteen teams in total qualify for the postseason under the proposed format. Therefore, more than half of the MLS clubs make it to the playoffs. The consequence of this is a regular season that becomes increasingly pointless.
MLS interested in a new playoff format
These 16 clubs would be separated in half by conference. However, the simple delete style would go away. Instead, MLS places teams into four groups of four teams each. As in the World Cup, each team plays the other three clubs in its group once. The top two teams from each group then advance to a single-elimination knockout stage. This part of the playoff structure mirrors the current one.
If completed, MLS will join other major American sports leagues in expanding playoff structures. Although not always popular with fans, the National Football League, Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association have added more teams/games to their postseason schedules in recent years. The increase in games leads to higher revenue for the league and its owners.
Any potential change in the MLS playoffs needs the approval of the owners. Discussions about the change are likely to take place at an MLS board of governors meeting next month.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Icon Sportswire
