Major League Soccer today announced the match schedule and broadcast details for the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs and 2022 MLS Cup.
All 12 single-elimination Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoff games will be aired nationally in the United States on ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, FOX, FS1, FOX Deportes, and the Univision family of networks. In Canada, TSN and TVA Sports will broadcast all Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs matches and MLS Cup.
Following three consecutive weeks of playoff action, MLS Cup will be played on Saturday, Nov. 5 live on FOX, UniMás, TSN, and TVA Sports, more than two weeks prior to the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Nov. 20 and more than a week prior to the player release date on Nov. 14.
In addition to broadcast coverage, MLS has outlined mechanisms for postseason qualification, including a required minimum number of matches played, as well as the competition format for the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs. To view the competition guidelines, please click here.
Decision Day 2022
Fourteen teams will qualify for the 2022 postseason, including seven teams from each conference. Culminating an action-packed 2022 season, MLS Decision Day 2022, the last day of MLS regular season action on Sunday Oct. 9, will determine the final field of playoff teams and seeding for the postseason.
The day will feature exclusively intraconference matches with Eastern Conference matches kicking off at 2:30 p.m. ET and all Western Conference teams playing at 5 p.m. ET, as clubs look to secure their position in the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs.
At 2:30 p.m. ET, the Eastern Conference race will be showcased on FS1 and FOX Deportes, which will broadcast one feature match and integrate match highlights from the day’s games. The Western Conference race will be showcased on the ESPN family of networks, with the networks airing one match and providing highlights of all additional Decision Day action. TSN and TVA Sports will also provide extensive coverage of Decision Day 2022 in Canada. Last year, Decision Day was the most dramatic in MLS history, with 11 teams still in contention for six playoff positions – three in each conference – on the final day of the 2021 regular season.
Round One – Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs
Round One will consist of six games – with broadcast partners featuring a pair of matches on each match day. The action begins on Saturday, Oct. 15 with a Univision doubleheader with accompanying English-language broadcasts in local markets, on MLSSoccer.com, and on the MLS App. The opening two matches will be followed by a pair of matches on ABC and ESPN, with both games also shown on ESPN Deportes on Sunday, Oct. 16. Round One concludes with FS1 and FOX Deportes broadcasting the pair of matches on Monday, Oct. 17. TSN and TVA will air all six Round One matches.
Conference Semifinals – Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs
The Conference Semifinals begin on Thursday, Oct. 20 with an FS1, FOX Deportes, TSN, and TVA Sports double header in primetime. Conference Semifinal play concludes on Sunday, Oct. 23 with two matches featured on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, TSN, and TVA Sports
Conference Finals – Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs
The two Conference champions will be crowned on Sunday, Oct. 30 as ABC, ESPN Deportes, TSN, and TVA Sports showcase the Eastern Conference Final starting at 3:00 p.m. ET and FS1, FOX Deportes, TSN, and TVA Sports showcase the Western Conference Final at 8 p.m. ET. The two conference champions will move on to 2022 MLS Cup.
2022 MLS Cup
Hosted by the MLS Cup finalist with the best regular season record, 2022 MLS Cup will be played on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 4 p.m. ET and broadcast on FOX, UniMás, TSN, and TVA Sport, and to nearly 190 countries around the world.
Schedule Highlights
- All clubs competing in the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs will have at least three days between matches to provide the same consistency as the MLS regular season. Additional information on scheduling for the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs will be announced at a later date.
- FOX Sports, inclusive of FOX, FS1, and FOX Deportes, will serve as the lead home for six Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs matchups, beginning with prime-time doubleheaders in both Round One on Monday, Oct. 17 and in the Conference Semifinals on Thursday, Oct. 20. FS1 will air one of the Conference Final matches on Sunday, Oct. 30 (8 p.m. ET), before FOX presents the MLS Cup on Saturday, Nov. 5. Live MLS Cup coverage on FOX will start at 4 p.m. ET.
- ABC and ESPN, as well as ESPN Deportes, will showcase five Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs matches. Round One will feature a pair of matchups on Sunday, Oct. 16, shown on ABC (3 p.m. ET) and ESPN (8 p.m. ET), while a week later, ESPN and ESPN Deportes will serve as the home of a duo of Conference Semifinals on Sunday, Oct. 23 (3 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. ET). ABC will air the first of the two Conference Final matches at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 30.
- Univision kicks off the MLS postseason with a Round One doubleheader on Saturday, Oct. 15 (12 p.m. ET, 3 p.m. ET) and MLS Cup on UniMás on Saturday, Nov. 5 (4 p.m. ET).
- In Canada, TSN and TVA Sports will provide comprehensive live coverage of all Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs matches and MLS Cup. The networks will also provide extensive analysis of Major League Soccer’s three Canadian clubs on Decision Day and into the postseason.
Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs Schedule
Round One (Six Games)
(No. 2 seed vs. No. 7 seed, No. 3 seed vs No. 6 seed, and No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed. The No.1 Eastern Conference seed and the No. 1 Western Conference seed will have a Round One bye.)
Saturday, Oct. 15
12 p.m. ET (Univision / TSN / TVA Sports / local English-language broadcast / MLSSoccer.com / MLS App)
3 p.m. ET (Univision / TSN / TVA Sports / local English-language broadcast / MLSSoccer.com / MLS App)
Sunday, Oct. 16
3 p.m. ET (ABC / ESPN Deportes / TSN / TVA Sports)
8 p.m. ET (ESPN / ESPN Deportes / TSN / TVA Sports)
Monday, Oct. 17
TBD (FS1 / FOX Deportes / TSN / TVA Sports)
TBD (FS1 / FOX Deportes / TSN / TVA Sports)
Conference Semifinals (Four Games)
(In each conference, the No. 1 seed will face winner of No. 4/No.5 Round One matchup.)
Thursday, Oct. 20
TBD (FS1 / FOX Deportes / TSN / TVA Sports)
TBD (FS1 / FOX Deportes / TSN / TVA Sports)
Sunday, Oct. 23
3 p.m. ET (ESPN / ESPN Deportes / TSN / TVA Sports)
8 p.m. ET (ESPN / ESPN Deportes / TSN / TVA Sports)
Conference Finals (Two Games)
Sunday Oct. 30
3 p.m. ET (ABC / ESPN Deportes / TSN / TVA Sports)
8 p.m. ET (FS1 / FOX Deportes / TSN / TVA Sports)
MLS Cup (One Game)
Saturday, November 5
4 p.m. ET (FOX / UniMás / TSN / TVA Sports)
