The 2025 MLS regular season reaches its dramatic conclusion on Decision Day, this Saturday, as all 30 teams take the field simultaneously—half kicking off at 6 p.m. ET and the rest at 9 p.m. ET. While the Eastern Conference playoff picture is already set, the Western Conference still has two postseason spots up for grabs, and four teams are locked in a tight race to claim them.
The Battle for the Final Two Western Spots
Four clubs—FC Dallas, Real Salt Lake, Colorado Rapids, and San Jose Earthquakes—enter Decision Day separated by razor-thin margins in the standings. Each will be under intense pressure to win and hope results elsewhere fall in their favor.
- Dallas (at Vancouver Whitecaps): Dallas faces a tough road test in Canada. A win could seal their spot, but anything less might leave them vulnerable depending on other outcomes.
- Real Salt Lake (at St. Louis City): RSL heads to Missouri to face one of the West’s most disciplined defensive teams. They’ll need to find attacking creativity away from home to secure a result.
- Colorado Rapids (vs. LAFC): The Rapids benefit from home-field advantage but draw a difficult opponent in defending champions LAFC, who won’t go easy despite already clinching their postseason berth.
- San Jose Earthquakes (vs. Austin FC): The Earthquakes’ playoff fate is in their own hands, with a winnable home fixture against Austin. Expect a raucous crowd at PayPal Park pushing them forward.
Eastern Conference Locked, Western Drama Unfolds
The Eastern Conference bracket is finalized, meaning the spotlight squarely shifts westward. Every goal and point will count, as tiebreakers could determine who advances and who watches the playoffs from home.
When and How to Watch
All matches will be broadcast live during the Decision Day double window—6 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET—across Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass, ensuring fans can follow every decisive moment in real time. Expect live look-ins, simultaneous updates, and plenty of drama as the league’s regular season ends with fireworks.
What’s at Stake
For clubs like Dallas, RSL, Colorado, and San Jose, Saturday’s results will determine not just postseason qualification but also potential momentum heading into the MLS Cup Playoffs. For fans, it’s one of the most thrilling days of the soccer year—a culmination of months of hard-fought matches now coming down to 90 minutes.