National Football League

Major League Soccer reveals upcoming postseason schedule

Published Oct. 2, 2015 5:45 p.m. ET

Kyle McCarthy

MLS Cup will take place on Dec. 6 at the home of the highest remaining seed, the league announced on Friday.

The decision to play the showpiece fixture on the first weekend of December retains the same basic structure as last season, but the alignment of the conference semifinals and finals is considerably different.

MLS plans to hold quadruple-headers during the conference semifinal round (Nov. 1 and 8) and stage double-headers during the conference finals (Nov. 22 and 29) on Sunday.

The expanded playoff field -- MLS increased the number of postseason berths to 12 this year -- requires an additional two knockout round matches. Those four games will be staged as doubleheaders on Oct. 28 and Oct. 29.

FS1 is scheduled to broadcast six matches during the postseason, including four matches during the conference semifinals and two during the conference finals.

There is one potential scheduling conflict with MLS Cup: If the New England Revolution reach MLS Cup as the highest remaining seed, then they would not be able to host due to a NFL game between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium on Dec. 6.

MLS and the Revs are working to identify possible alternative dates in case that scenario comes to pass, according to a league spokesperson.

MLS Playoff Schedule

*Subject to change

Knockout Round

(Conference Third seed vs. Sixth and Fourth seed vs. Fifth seed in a single knockout match; Clubs have the option of broadcasting their own Knockout Round match in market on English-language TV.)

Wed., Oct. 28

TBD (UniMás; English-language SAP)

Thurs., Oct. 29

TBD (UniMás; English-language SAP)

Eastern and Western Conference Semifinals

(Two-game series, aggregate-goal format between Conference First seed vs. lowest advancing seed from Knockout Round and Second seed vs. highest seed from Knockout Round)

First Leg – Sunday, Nov. 1

3 p.m. ET (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)

5 p.m. ET (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)

7 p.m. ET (FS1, FOX Deportes)

9:30 p.m. ET (FS1, FOX Deportes)

Second Leg – Sunday, Nov. 8

3 p.m. ET (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)

5 p.m. ET (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)

7:30 p.m. ET (FS1, FOX Deportes)

10:00 p.m. ET (FS1, FOX Deportes)

Conference Championships

(Two-game series, aggregate-goal format)