How to Watch the MLS Cup Playoffs on October 17 – Dallas v. Minnesota, NYCFC v. Miami | Channel, Stream, Preview

The First Round of the 2022 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs come to an end on Monday night, with the potential of a couple of upsets on tap in both the Eastern and Western Conferences.

(3) New York City FC vs. (6) Inter Miami CF

• Time: 7 p.m. ET
• Where: Red Bull Arena (Harrison, N.J.)
• Channel: FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes
• Stream: FuboTV, Sling, DirecTV Stream

Though New York will, once again, not be playing in their traditional home of Yankee Stadium, the reigning champs will definitely have a home field advantage when Miami travels up the coast Monday night. After their crazy run that saw them take down the top two clubs in the conference on their way to the title last year, NYCFC is one of the favorites to make it to the conference finals this year, though they finished 12 points back of the top team in the East in Philadelphia. They were on a solid run to the end of the regular season, winning three-straight contests, and look to build off one of the best home records in the MLS this season, as New York finished 10-3-4 whenever they were the home side.

It is definitely not a favorable matchup for Miami, as their record away from home is the complete opposite, going 4-10-3 away from DRV PNK Stadium in 2022. Despite winning four-straight matches to clinch the franchise’s first playoff spot, a loss on Decision Day to CF Montreal, coupled with a win by Cincinnati, pushed Miami to the sixth-seed.

To show how rough it was on the road this season for Miami, they split their season series with NYCFC, getting clean-sheeted in New York back in July.

(3) FC Dallas vs. (6) Minnesota United FC

• Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
• Where: Toyota Stadium (Frisco, Texas)
• Channel: FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes
• Stream: FuboTV, Sling, DirecTV Stream

For the first time in a few years, there are expectations for Dallas coming into the playoffs. After missing out on the postseason last year, they come into Monday with the hopes of building off their third-place finish in the West, granted they did finish 14 points back of the Supporter’s Shield-winning Los Angeles FC. However, Dallas has a chance to ride off the coattails of an impressive record at home. Like NYCFC and Miami, Dallas dominated at Toyota Stadium, going 10-3-4 during the regular season.

Like Real Salt Lake, Minnesota had to win their way into the playoffs on Decision Day, taking down the Vancouver Whitecaps to punch their ticket to the postseason for a fourth-straight year. Minnesota had the potential to finish in the top-four in the West, but a six-match winless streak that carried from August into September put their season on the brink. Now, they are tasked with pulling off an upset if they want to move beyond the first round for just the second time since moving up to MLS.

Au contraire to the trend, the clubs split the regular season series, though the road team won both matchups.

Check out the MLS Cup Playoff Bracket here