Yesterday, FC Dallas media folks shared out a long list of how FC Dallas could reach the playoffs this season based on all the scenarios on Decsion Day.
Today, Major League Soccer simplified those a bit for us:
FC Dallas can clinch Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs berth with:
- FC Dallas WIN at LA Galaxy OR
- FC Dallas DRAW at LA Galaxy AND Portland Timbers LOSS vs. Houston Dynamo FC OR
- FC Dallas DRAW at LA Galaxy AND San Jose Earthquakes LOSS/DRAW vs. Austin FC OR
- San Jose Earthquakes LOSS vs. Austin FC AND FC Dallas advantage in tiebreakers over San Jose Earthquakes OR
- Sporting Kansas City DRAW vs. Minnesota United FC
I want to give the FCD folks the benefit of the doubt that they covered all of this yesterday. I think they did.
Still, it’s fairly simple in my mind how FC Dallas can reach the playoffs. Win, and they’re in.
Current Standings
FC Dallas can only go as high as 7 but as low as 10.
Our rooting for Saturday
- A win will put FC Dallas at either the 7th or 8th spot in the Western Conference
- A win and a Portland loss will give Dallas the 7th seed and likely a trip to battle either LAFC, Houston or Seattle (though Salt Lake and Vancouver are slightly in the mix too).
- Any result for FCD and a tie between Minnesota and Sporting KC. A draw in that match would automatically put FCD in the playoffs.
Let’s not forget all the tiebreakers, too:
This will also be an important area to keep in mind on Saturday, too. In the event that two or more teams finish the regular season with an equal number of points (or points per game), the following tiebreakers will be used. If the standard of points per game is used, the tiebreakers will be calculated on a per-game basis.
- Total number of wins
- Goal Differential (GD)
- Goals For (GF)
- Fewest Disciplinary Points* per match
- Away Goals Differential
- Away Goals
- Home Goals Differential
- Home Goals For
- Coin Toss (tie of two clubs) or Drawing of Lots (tie of three or more clubs)
After a winner of the MLS Regular Season tiebreaker is determined, any clubs that remain tied from the first round of the tiebreaker shall go through a second round of the MLS Regular Season tiebreaker procedures in order to determine team standings.
