The road toMLS Cupis down to its final four.
After the events of the latest playoff games, here are the matchups for the conference finals:
Inter Miami vs. New York City FC — Saturday, Nov. 29 at 6 p.m. ET
San Diego FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps — Saturday, Nov. 29 at 9 p.m. ET
Of those four teams, only NYCFC has made a previous appearance in MLS Cup (winning it in 2021). The league's championship game is set for Saturday, Dec. 6.
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Here are the winners and losers from the conference semifinals of the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs:
Charlotte FC 0, New York City FC 0, Charlotte FC wins penalty shootout 7-6 (Round 1, Game 2): NYCFC's Tayvon Gray (left) and Charlotte FC's Wilfried Zaha fight for the ball during the second half at Yankee Stadium on Nov. 1. Charlotte FC's penalty shootout win evened up the best-of-three series at a game apiece." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Inter Miami 3, Nashville SC 1 (Round 1, Game 1): Lionel Messi scores against Nashville SC during the first half at Chase Stadium on Oct. 24. Messi had two goals in the win." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
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WINNERS
Expansion San Diego FC survives
San Diego FC's quest to complete the greatest expansion season in league history continues after grinding out a1-0win overMinnesota Unitedon Monday night. Anders Dreyer – who'd be your 2025 MLS MVP if Lionel Messi wasn't in the league – supplied the winning goal in the 72nd minute. Now, San Diego is two wins away from matching the 1998 Chicago Fire as expansion teams to win MLS Cup.
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Lionel Messi is a tour de force
Lionel Messihas pushedInter Miamito the brink of its first MLS Cup appearance with what is turning into a playoff run for the ages. InInter Miami's 4-0 win over FC Cincinnatiin an Eastern Conference semifinal, Messi had the game's opening goal and assisted on the other three. With that stat line, Messi now has six goals and six assists in Miami's four playoff games. This is a goal contribution tear that dates back to early October. In his past seven games, Messi has 11 goals and 11 assists. If the soccer G.O.A.T. keeps this pace up, Inter Miami will cruise to MLS Cup glory.
Vancouver Whitecaps win an epic
Hope you watched this showdown Saturday night rather than, say, that dreadfulWashington-UCLA football game. This dramatic soccer football playoff was a chamber-of-commerce-type advertisement for the league.
TheVancouver Whitecapsadvanced to the conference final for the first time in the club's 15-season Major League Soccer existence. All it took was a thrilling win over a powerhouse such asLos Angeles FCin front of a club-record (for MLS era) crowd of 53,957 at BC Place. In doing so, Vancouver exorcized a playoff demon and moved one win away from the club's first-ever MLS Cup appearance.
Vancouver jumped out to a 2-0 halftime lead, but LAFC's Son Heung-Min scored twice in the second half, including a stoppage-time free-kick golazo that pushed the playoff game into extra time. Vancouver survived being down to nine players and LAFC's persistent attacks on goal, as the visitors hit woodwork and couldn't muster a go-ahead goal in extra time. Instead, the Whitecaps would prevail in a penalty shootout. It was the second consecutive playoff game they'd closed out via a shootout. After having its season end in the playoff at the hands of LAFC the previous two seasons, Vancouver finally got the best of one of the league's flagship clubs.
NYCFC playing the spoiler role
Afterpulling off a mild upset in Round 1,New York City FCscored the biggest stunner of the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs so far when it knocked off thePhiladelphia Union,1-0, in the conference semifinals. On the road against the 2025 Supporters' Shield winners, NYCFC got a goal from Maxi Moralez in the 27th minute and then let their star 'keeper Matt Freese earn a clean sheet to propel the club to its third conference final in team history. Its first such run resulted inan MLS Cup win.
Freese is trending to be theUSMNT's starting goalkeeperat next summer's World Cup, and he'll be tested when No. 5-seeded NYCFC looks to keep its unexpected playoff run going when it faces Lionel Messi and Inter Miamion Saturday, Nov. 29.
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LOSERS
Philly sports teams on Sunday
Just hours after thePhiladelphia Eagles blew a 21-point lead in a lossto the rivalDallas Cowboys, the Philadelphia Union were upset by New York City FC in their Eastern Conference semifinal. It was another disappointing end to a season forthe Supporters' Shield winners, which suffered its first home loss since March 16. After scoring five goals over two games in a Round 1 playoff win over theChicago Fire, the Union could not muster a single goal against NYCFC and their U.S. national team goalkeeper Matt Freese.
Supporters' Shield winners in the MLS Cup Playoffs
The Philadelphia Union loss also means that just two of the past 10 Supporters' Shield winners have gone on to win MLS Cup (Toronto FC in 2017, LAFC in 2022). After four of the first seven Supporters' Shield winners in league history won MLS Cup, there have only been four in the 23 seasons since.
Bitter finale for Steve Cherundolo at LAFC
Los Angeles FC's success would be the envy of nearly every other club in Major League Soccer. During Steve Cherundolo's four years as coach, LAFC won a Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup in 2022, and the U.S. Open Cup in 2024. LAFC also prevailed ina highly lucrativeplayoffagainst Club América of Liga MXfor a spot in this summer's FIFA Club World Cup. However, as Cherundolo's tenure at LAFC came to a dramatic end in British Columbia, it must also be pointed out how much hardware LAFC left on the table. Cherundolo's LAFC also lost the Concacaf Champions Cup final, Campeones Cup and MLS Cup in 2023, as well as a Leagues Cup final in 2024.
Being in near-constant contention for trophies is the standard that has been set at LAFC, and also the lofty expectations facing the Cherundolo's yet-to-be-named successor for 2026.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:MLS playoff bracket winners and losers as San Diego FC, Messi move on