We have talked all year about how the Eastern Conference playoffs are a cup of randomness, while the Western Conference looks more predictable thanks to its top-heavy table compared to the East.
All nine teams have realistic chances to win in the first round and go on a historic run to the MLS Cup, similar to what we saw last year with the New York Red Bulls. It is hard to imagine that the top seeds will run away with it like you’d expect.
All nine teams were so close throughout the year that each matchup could end up being a coin flip on who would get the win on that day.
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Who will make a Run to the MLS Cup
The Underdogs
What is interesting about the underdogs in the Eastern Conference is that every team other than Chicago has been considered a favorite at some point during the season. Orlando City was viewed as a potential three seed when they upset Inter Miami earlier in the summer months.
Orlando now sits at the ninth seed, tied in points with the Chicago Fire, who have played beyond their expectations this year, as they were expected not to make the playoffs. Chicago has a better chance to make a run due to their team’s morale being at an all-time high.
Columbus is my underdog pick in the East. Their escaping the play-in game has set them up with a play date with Cincinnati in a Hell Is Real Derby playoffs addition. Columbus beat Cincinnati this year in a dramatic comeback, which was their last big win of the season before the injuries took over.
Nashville was slotted in the third seed before teams like Inter Miami, Charlotte, and NYCFC jumped right past them in August, as they have struggled to get back to what made them a tough team to beat earlier in the season.
NYCFC will be a tough out because of their rising goalkeeper Matt Freeze, who jumped on the scene during the Gold Cup, in which he stood out as a diamond in the rough in the MLS talent pool for Team USA.
They may not be my pick to make a run, but they will be, however, one of the tougher teams to get ahead of.
The Favorites
Charlotte appeared to be a team that would barely sneak into the playoffs around mid-summer, as they were dancing around the play-in game. A red-hot August boosted them as high as the third seed, and they now sit in the fourth seed.
I don’t think they will make a run as teams below them possess more talent. With that being said, it is still possible for them to make a run due to their top form.
Inter Miami has been a weird team to watch all year, from a solid start to a poor 10-game stretch followed by an inconsistent summer; it has been hard to predict where they would fall in the standings.
They have the most talented roster at the third seed; they also have the oldest team on the roster as they try to keep up with the youth across the league. They can win it all, but will they stay healthy enough to do it?
Cincinnati and Philadelphia have only been divided by one point all year; both teams are capable of winning the whole thing thanks to their talent and top form. Last year, the top seeds were ousted in the first round. These front-runners look to avoid that fate.
Main Photo
Credit IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire
Recording Date 17.10.2025
