2025 MLS Cup Playoffs — Scores, timeline as Lionel Messi leads Inter Miami to first MLS Cup

December 6, 2025 Admin

The 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs saw red-hot Lionel Messi and Inter Miami win their first MLS Cup, a 3-1 victory at home against a Vancouver Whitecaps side boasting a familiar luminary.

Already a strong team, Vancouver brought aboard Thomas Muller during this summer as MLS again saw stars flood its shores with Heung-min Son going to LAFC as well.

MORE — Messi scores hat trick to secure MLS Golden Boot

As for Miami, the Herons finished just shy of the Supporters’ Shield, missing out on the top points total by a single point, as Messi rang up a league-best 29 goals and second-best 16 assists despite playing in just 28 league games. He then stayed hot for the duration of the playoffs, playing a role in all three goals at the MLS Cup Final in Fort Lauderdale.

Here’s how the playoffs went for Messi’s Miami and the rest of Major League Soccer.

2025 MLS Cup Playoffs format explained

Nine teams from each conference made the MLS Cup Playoffs, and the top four seeds in each conference got the best situations.

There were single-elimination wild card matches between each conference’s eight and nine seeds, with each winner advancing to play the No. 1 seed in their respective conference.

That first round saw eight total “best-of-three” series: 1v8, 2v7, 3v6, 4v5 in each conference. The higher seeds were home for the first and — if necessary — third games of the series.

The winners advanced to the conference semifinals, with that round joining the conference final and MLS Cup Final as single-elimination matches at the home of the higher seed.

2025 MLS Cup Playoffs — Schedule, scores

MLS Cup Final

Inter Miami 3-1 Vancouver Whitecaps — Recap, video highlights

Conference finals

Eastern Conference
Inter Miami 5-1 NYCFC

Western Conference
San Diego 1-3 Vancouver Whitecaps

Conference semifinals

Eastern Conference
FC Cincinnati 0-4 Inter Miami
Philadelphia 0-1 NYCFC

Western Conference
Vancouver Whitecaps 2-2 (4-3 pens) LAFC
San Diego 1-0 Minnesota United

Round one series, schedule, scores (best of three)

*if necessary

Eastern Conference

Philadelphia Union (1) vs Chicago Fire (8)
Game 1: Oct. 26 at Philadelphia — Union 2-2 (4-2 pens) Chicago
Game 2: Nov. 1 at Chicago — Chicago 0-3 Philadelphia
Philadelphia Union wins series 2-0

FC Cincinnati (2) vs Columbus Crew (7)
Game 1: Oct. 27 at Cincinnati — Cincinnati 1-0 Columbus
Game 2: Nov. 2 at Columbus — Columbus 4-0 Cincinnati
Game 3: Nov. 8 at Cincinnati — Cincinnati 2-1 Columbus
FC Cincinnati wins series 2-1

Inter Miami (3) vs Nashville SC (6)
Game 1: Oct. 24 at Miami — Inter Miami 3-1 Nashville
Game 2: Nov. 1 at Nashville — Nashville 2-1 Inter Miami
Game 3: Nov. 8 at Miami — Inter Miami 4-0 Nashville
Inter Miami wins series 2-1

Charlotte FC (4) vs New York City FC (5)
Game 1: Oct. 28 at Charlotte — Charlotte 0-1 NYCFC
Game 2: Nov. 1 at New York City — NYCFC 0-0 (6-7 pens) Charlotte
Game 3: Nov. 7 at Charlotte — Charlotte 1-3 NYCFC
NYCFC wins series 2-1

Western Conference

San Diego FC (1) vs Portland Timbers (8)
Game 1: Oct. 26 at San Diego — San Diego 2-1 Portland
Game 2: Nov. 2 at Portland — Portland 2-2 (3-2 pens) San Diego
Game 3: Nov. 9 at San Diego — San Diego 4-0 Portland
San Diego wins series 2-0

Vancouver Whitecaps (2) vs FC Dallas (7)
Game 1: Oct. 26 at Vancouver — Vancouver 3-0 Dallas
Game 2: Nov. 1 at Dallas — Dallas 1-1 (2-4 pens) Vancouver
Vancouver wins series 2-0

LAFC (3) vs Austin FC (6)
Game 1: Oct. 29 at Los Angeles — LAFC 2-1 Austin
Game 2: Nov. 2 at Austin — Austin 1-4 LAFC
LAFC wins series 2-0

Minnesota United (4) vs Seattle Sounders (5)
Game 1: Oct. 27 at Minnesota — Minnesota 0-0 (3-2 pens) Seattle
Game 2: Nov. 3 at Seattle — Seattle 4-2 Minnesota
Game 3: Nov. 8 at Minnesota — Minnesota 3-3 (7-6 pens) Seattle
Minnesota United wins series 2-1