EXPLAINER

What’s the difference between the Supporters’ Shield and the MLS Cup? Which teams have qualified? Al Jazeera explains.

The 2024 Major League Soccer (MLS) season in North America is heading towards its conclusion, with the region’s top club football teams vying for a chance to lift the coveted MLS Cup.

The 2024 tournament is expected to attract a wider global audience with the inclusion of football icon Lionel Messi’s team, Inter Miami, who have qualified for the playoffs for the first time.

Here’s everything you need to know about the MLS Cup:

How does the MLS season work?

The 29 MLS teams are divided into two conferences – eastern and western – and play a series of home and away matches in a league format, known as the regular season.

The team at the top of the league at the end of the regular season is awarded the Supporters’ Shield – won by Messi’s Inter Miami in 2024 – and the league then moves towards the MLS Cup.

What’s the MLS Cup and what’s its format?

Known as the pinnacle of the North American football season, the MLS Cup crowns the MLS champion after a series of knockout games – known in North American sports as playoffs.

The top seven teams from each conference automatically make it to the playoffs. The eighth club in each conference is determined through a wildcard playoff between the next two sides in each conference, respectively.

How do the MLS Cup Playoffs work?

The playoffs are played by conference and the eastern and western winners then meet for the MLS Cup final at the end of the season.

In the quarterfinals of each conference, teams must win a best-of-three series of matches to advance. There are no aggregate scores and no ties at that stage. The team that finishes higher in the league hosts the first match. In the case of a draw, the game goes directly to penalty kicks – no extra time.

The conference semifinals, finals and MLS Cup final return to the single-game format with possible extra time before penalties. These games will be hosted by the higher-seeded club.

What’s the schedule of MLS Cup Playoffs?

• First round (best of three series): Saturday, October 26 to Sunday, November 10
• Conference semifinals: Saturday, November 23 and Sunday, November 24
• Conference finals: Saturday, November 30 and Sunday, December 1
• Final: Saturday, December 7

Which teams are in the MLS Cup Playoffs?

Eastern Conference:

• Inter Miami
• Atlanta United
• Orlando City
• Charlotte FC
• FC Cincinnati
• New York Red Bulls
• NYCFC
• Columbus Crew

Western Conference:

• LA Galaxy
• LAFC
• Seattle Sounders
• Houston Dynamos
• Colorado Rapids
• Real Salt Lake
• Minnesota United
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Who are the five top players to watch in the MLS Cup 2024?

• Lionel Messi (Inter Miami): 20 goals, 16 assists
• Luis Suarez (Inter Miami): 20 goals, 9 assists
• Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati): 14 goals, 19 assists
• Denis Bouanga (LA FC): 20 goals, 11 assists
• Cucho Hernandez (Columbus Crew): 19 goals, 14 assists

How have the teams been drawn in the MLS Cup Playoffs bracket?

The draw for the eight best-of-three quarterfinal games looks like this:

Eastern bracket:

• Inter Miami vs Atlanta United
• Orlando City vs Charlotte FC
• FC Cincinnati vs NYCFC
• Columbus Crew vs New York Red Bulls

Western bracket:

• LAFC vs Vancouver Whitecaps FC
• Seattle Sounders vs Houston Dynamos
• Real Salt Lake vs Minnesota United
• LA Galaxy vs Colorado Rapids

Need a goal or assist?

Messi led the way. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/EfIgIO94hM

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 22, 2024

‘Transformational’ moment: Lionel Messi set for Inter Miami debut

What’s the venue of the 2024 MLS Cup final?

By winning the Supporters’ Shield, Inter Miami have won the right to host the final as long as they remain in contention for the title-deciding match.

Should Miami get knocked out before the final, the team with the next best in-season [league] record that remains in the MLS Cup will host the final.

Will Lionel Messi play for Inter Miami in the MLS Cup Playoffs?

The Argentinian superstar has been in scintillating goal-scoring form for Inter Miami since his return from injury and is expected to lead them in the best-of-three knockout games against Atlanta United.

What’s ‘Messi Cam’ and how I can watch it?

While on the field playing during Miami’s MLS Cup games, the forward will wear a special camera on his shirt, which will relay his every move on a TikTok livestream on the MLS and Inter Miami channels.