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2021 MLS Cup Playoffs

Tournament details
Country	United States Canada
Dates	November 20 – December 11
Teams	14
Defending champions	Columbus Crew (did not qualify)
Final positions
Champions	New York City FC (1st title)
Runner-up	Portland Timbers
Semifinalists	Philadelphia Union Real Salt Lake
Tournament statistics
Matches played	13
Goals scored	32 (2.46 per match)
Attendance	299,891 (23,069 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)	Valentín Castellanos Hany Mukhtar (3 goals each)
← 20202022 →

The 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs (branded as the 2021 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons) was the 26th edition of the MLS Cup Playoffs, the post-season championship of Major League Soccer (MLS), the top soccer league in the United States and Canada. The tournament culminated the 2021 MLS regular season. The tournament began on November 20 and concluded with MLS Cup 2021 on December 11.

The Columbus Crew were the defending MLS Cup champions, but failed to qualify for the playoffs after finishing ninth in the Eastern Conference.

The 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs marked the first time since 2004 that no club from Texas qualified, and the first time ever that no club from California qualified.

Qualified teams

Conference standings

The top seven teams in the Eastern and Western Conference qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs, with the conference champions receiving second round byes. Background colors denote playoff teams, with green also qualifying for the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League.

Bracket

Note: The higher seeded teams hosted matches, with the MLS Cup host determined by overall points.

First round

The second through fourth-seeded teams in each conference hosted the first-round matches. The team with the best record in each conference got a bye to the Conference Semifinals.

Eastern Conference

Philadelphia Union	1–0 (a.e.t.)	New York Red Bulls
Glesnes 120+3'	Report

Nashville SC	3–1	Orlando City SC
Mukhtar 21', 74' Cádiz 90+4'	Report	Dike 14'

Western Conference

Sporting Kansas City	3–1	Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Shelton 17' Isimat-Mirin 45+3' Zusi 58'	Report	Dájome 39' (pen.)

Conference semifinals

The higher-seeded teams in each match-up as determined by regular season ranking hosted the matches.

Eastern Conference

Philadelphia Union	1–1 (a.e.t.)	Nashville SC
Gazdag 45+2'	Report	Mukhtar 38'
Penalties
Elliott Santos McGlynn	2–0	Mukhtar Godoy Muyl Zimmerman

Western Conference

Colorado Rapids	0–1	Portland Timbers
	Report	Mabiala 90'

Sporting Kansas City	1–2	Real Salt Lake
Russell 24' (pen.)	Report	Julio 72' Wood 90+1'

Conference finals

The higher-seeded teams in each conference as determined by regular season ranking hosted the matches.

Eastern Conference

Philadelphia Union	1–2	New York City FC
Callens 63' (o.g.)	Report	Moralez 65' Talles Magno 88'

Western Conference

MLS Cup 2021

The highest-ranked team remaining in the overall table (Portland Timbers) hosted the match.

Portland Timbers	1–1 (a.e.t.)	New York City FC
Mora 90+4'	Report	Castellanos 41'
Penalties
Mora Valeri Moreno Paredes	2–4	Castellanos Morales Moralez Talles Magno Callens

Top goalscorers

Rank	Player	Club	Goals
1	Valentín Castellanos	New York City FC	3
	Hany Mukhtar	Nashville SC
3	Sebastián Blanco	Portland Timbers	2
	Larrys Mabiala	Portland Timbers
	Felipe Mora	Portland Timbers
6	Tajon Buchanan	New England Revolution	1
	Adam Buksa	New England Revolution
	Jhonder Cádiz	Nashville SC
	Alexander Callens	New York City FC
	Cristian Dájome	Vancouver Whitecaps FC
	Daryl Dike	Orlando City SC
	Franco Fragapane	Minnesota United FC
	Dániel Gazdag	Philadelphia Union
	Jakob Glesnes	Philadelphia Union
	Nicolas Isimat-Mirin	Sporting Kansas City
	Anderson Julio	Real Salt Lake
	Talles Magno	New York City FC
	Maximiliano Moralez	New York City FC
	Santiago Moreno	Portland Timbers
	Santiago Rodríguez	New York City FC
	Johnny Russell	Sporting Kansas City
	Khiry Shelton	Sporting Kansas City
	Bobby Wood	Real Salt Lake
	Graham Zusi	Sporting Kansas City

References

1. "MLS announces Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs schedule". MLSSoccer.com. Major League Soccer. September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
2. Creditor, Avi (November 7, 2021). "MLS Decision Day: No Playoffs for Defending Champ Columbus, California or Texas Teams". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
3. Serrano, Rodrigo (September 22, 2021). "New England Revolution first team in MLS to clinch playoff spot". Diario AS. PRISA. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
4. "Stats". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. Retrieved December 11, 2021.

• 2021 Major League Soccer season
• MLS Cup playoffs
• November 2021 sports events in the United States
• December 2021 sports events in the United States