One Reason Why Every Team Could Win Mls Cup

The bracket is set. 

The 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs footwear disconnected earnestly connected Friday nighttime pinch nan first information best-of-three series, and each 16 teams could make their measurement to nan coveted MLS Cup last connected Dec. 6. While location are surefire favorites, nan postseason is notoriously unpredictable, and each squad has a shot. 

Sports Illustrated takes a look astatine nan cardinal facet that could lead each 1 of nan last 16 teams to December glory. 

Lionel Messi is searching for MLS glory and mightiness beryllium capable to propulsion his Inter Miami broadside to victory. / Mark Smith-Imagn Images

Philadelphia Union—The Philadelphia Union weren’t expected to beryllium this bully successful their first twelvemonth nether caput coach Bradley Carnell, but they defied each expectations to triumph nan Supporters’ Shield. If they’re to triumph MLS Cup, it will travel down to their astonishment factor, a balanced squad and elite defense pinch MLS Defender of nan Year finalists Kai Wagner and Jakob Glesnes, arsenic good arsenic goalkeeper Andre Blake. 

FC Cincinnati—The duo of Evander and Kévin Denkey is perfectly potent and will beryllium captious if FC Cincinnati are to make a heavy tally successful nan MLS Cup Playoffs. Denkey came successful astatine an MLS-record interest and scored 15 goals this season, pinch a knack for nan spectacular, while Evander racked up 18 goals and 15 assists, ranking among nan champion MLS players complete nan past 2 seasons. 

Inter Miami—If there’s 1 subordinate that shouldn’t beryllium doubted, it’s Lionel Messi. With 29 goals and 19 assists successful a Golden Boot-winning regular season, he remains 1 of nan champion players successful nan world and a ascendant unit successful MLS. He has a monolithic desire to win MLS Cup, particularly pinch his longtime teammates, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, retiring this season. 

Charlotte FC—If Wilfried Zaha tin push this squad to beryllium amended each season, tin he push them to an MLS Cup upset? He’ll miss nan first crippled of nan first information against New York City FC, but he has been exceptional astatine raising nan competitory level wrong nan group. They’ve besides shown they tin prolong occurrence complete an extended period, pinch a nine-game winning streak this season. 

New York City FC—NYCFC person an elite striker pinch Alonso Martínez’s 17 goals, and now person a subordinate who tin group him up successful Nicolás Fernández Mercau. With USMNT goalkeeper Matt Freese successful nan nett and nan advantage of Yankee Stadium’s mini turf, they could beryllium a Cinderella story. 

Nashville SC—In their first twelvemonth nether erstwhile U.S. men’s nationalist squad interim caput coach B.J. Callaghan, Nashville SC have shown they tin triumph a large game, having taken their first trophy successful nan 2025 U.S. Open Cup. That duo of Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar isn’t thing to scoff astatine either. 

Columbus Crew—They’ve been present before. While Columbus Crew fell to nan No. 7 seed, they’ve shown their abilities successful nan autumn earlier nether caput coach Wilfried Nancy. As nan saying goes, act for illustration you’ve been present before, and Columbus surely has. Can MLS fable Darlington Nagbe spell retired pinch a title?

Chicago Fire FC—Head coach Gregg Berhalter stepped backmost into nine shot and brought nan Chicago Fire backmost to nan MLS Cup playoffs for nan first clip since 2017. If they’re to win, it’s connected nan excitement of nan club, arsenic good arsenic nan attacking play of Hugo Cuypers’s 17 goals and Philip Zinckernagel’s 15 goals and 15 assists. 

Western Conference

Thomas Muller is looking to adhd an MLS Cup to his resume arsenic nan astir dressed up German shot player. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

San Diego FC—Is location thing San Diego FC can’t do? Few expected them to beryllium nan champion squad successful nan Western Conference, and less fathomed that Anders Dreyer would beryllium an MLS MVP contender. They support astonishing everyone and will person location advantage done nan playoffs, apt avoiding immoderate of nan brisker environments successful nan autumn postseason. 

Vancouver Whitecaps FC—Thomas Müller has changed everything successful Vancouver and has committed to changing nan mentality of nan city’s sports teams erstwhile it comes to Championships. With his desire, mixed pinch nan Whitecaps’ proven expertise to triumph tourney games done their tally to nan 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup last and fourth-straight Canadian Championship title, there’s nan cleanable operation for an MLS Cup run. 

LAFC—Son Heung-min and Denis Bouanga person mixed for 20 goals for LAFC in Son’s 9 games, and could beryllium nan champion duo successful MLS heading into nan playoffs. If nan Black and Gold are to person success, it’s going to beryllium led by them. They’ve sewage nan magical pairing and bounds of confidence. 

Minnesota United—Dayne St. Clair is an MLS Goalkeeper of nan Year favourite and has been exceptional each season, whether it beryllium successful axenic shot-stopping, distribution aliases penalties, nan second of which could beryllium captious successful nan MLS Cup Playoffs. He’ll play a monolithic domiciled if caput coach Eric Ramsay’s squad is to do damage. 

Seattle Sounders FC—The Sounders person already felt tremendous unit this twelvemonth from their 2025 Leagues Cup triumph complete Inter Miami and their group shape matches against immoderate of nan world’s biggest teams astatine nan FIFA Club World Cup. The astir important facet is sheer identity—Seattle Sounders are known for their playoff runs, and there’s thing typical successful nan metropolis now arsenic well, arsenic they piggyback connected nan Seattle Mariners’ tally to Game 7 of nan American League Championship Series successful Major League Baseball. 

Austin FC—Brad Stuver and Owen Wolff person been nan biggest factors for Austin FC and could beryllium monolithic pieces successful an MLS Cup run. Stuver was on the MLS All-Star roster and is nan type of goalkeeper teams request to triumph a title, while Wolff vanished nan play pinch 7 goals and 8 assists. They besides reached nan U.S. Open Cup final, proving they tin triumph large knockout games. 

FC Dallas—Petar Musa whitethorn person gotten immoderate MLS MVP votes aft his 17-goal season, and his business pinch Logan Farrington has blossomed successful nan 2nd half of nan play aft nan nine trim ties pinch Luciano Acosta. Those 2 are quality makers, and if they tin upset Vancouver successful information one, they will person immense belief against each team. 

Portland Timbers—The Portland Timbers will person a monolithic trial of San Diego FC successful nan opening round, but are brimming pinch assurance aft beating Real Salt Lake successful nan Wild Card. Momentum tin do magical things.

READ THE LATEST MLS NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND GOSSIP