After finishing atop the Western Conference regular season standings, Sporting Kansas City will look to punctuate an unprecedented 2020 campaign by winning silverware on Major League Soccer's greatest stage. The Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs will see Sporting join an expanded field of 18 clubs, all of which have their sights firmly set on hoisting the MLS Cup on Dec. 12.
In order to claim the ultimate prize, Sporting Kansas City must navigate a single-elimination bracket packed with in-form teams. The first step is a Round One showdown with the No. 8 seed San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday, Nov. 22, at Children's Mercy Park. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. CT with live coverage on FS1 and FOX Deportes and tickets available at SeatGeek.com.
As postseason anticipation continues to build, SportingKC.com is rolling out a 12-day countdown to the club's opening playoff match, offering a comprehensive preview of the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs. From key storylines and positional breakdowns to history lessons and community initiatives, our Countdown to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs highlights the many reasons to be pumped for Sporting’s pursuit of another MLS Cup title. To visit the series homepage as it expands, head to SportingKC.com/playoffcountdown.
Count national television coverage among the many perks of watching the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs.
That's right, all 17 fixtures in the 2020 MLS postseason will be shown live to a national audience, making it easy for supporters in Kansas City and from coast to coast to catch every minute of the action on the ABC/ESPN, FOX/FS1 or Univision family of networks.
Before we dive into broadcast details, here's a quick primer on the format for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. Single-elimination matches will be hosted by the higher-seeded club, with eight teams involved in the West and 10 in the East. After a pair of play-in games in the East on Nov. 20, the real fun will begin next weekend. From the conference quarterfinals on Nov. 21, 22 and 24 to the highly anticipated 2020 MLS Cup on Dec. 12, teams will battle it out in a win-or-go-home, bracket-style competition.
If matches are tied after 90 minutes, an additional 30 minutes of extra time will be played in its entirety. If the teams are still deadlocked, a penalty kick shootout will decide the winner.
Now that we know how the postseason works, let's examine Sporting Kansas City's potential playoff path in terms of dates, times and TV coverage. And to be very clear from the start, we aren't counting our chickens before they hatch. Top-seeded Sporting faces a dangerous San Jose Earthquakes side in the the Western Conference quarterfinals. Like we've stated already, win or go home is the name of the game.
That said, it always behooves supporters to be prepared. So with that in mind, here is Sporting Kansas City's potential playoff schedule should Manager Peter Vermes' side be among the two contestants in MLS Cup. The conference quarterfinal and semifinal matchups are slated for FS1, FOX Deportes and the FOX Sports app. The conference final will air on either FS1, FOX Deportes and the FOX Sports app or ABC, ESPN Deportes and the ESPN app. The 2020 MLS Cup will be shown on FOX, UniMás and the FOX Sports app.
As the West's top seed, Sporting has homefield advantage through the conference finals and would even host MLS Cup if (1) they make it that far, and (2) neither the Philadelphia Union nor Toronto FC emerge as Eastern Conference champions.
Sporting KC's Potential Playoff Schedule
- Conference Quarterfinals: Nov. 22 at 3 p.m. (FS1, FOX Deportes, FOX Sports app)
- Conference Semifinals: Dec. 1 or 2 at 8 or 9 p.m. (FS1, FOX Deportes, FOX Sports app)
- Conference Final: Dec. 6 at 2 or 5:30 p.m. (ABC/ESPN Deportes or FS1/FOX Deportes)
- 2020 MLS Cup: Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. (FOX, UniMás, FOX Sports app)
The full schedule for the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs can be found below, complete with match dates and kickoff times.
Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs Schedule
Subject to change; All times Central
Eastern Conference Play-In Round (2 games)
Friday, Nov. 20
(two games)
5:30 p.m. No. 8 New England Revolution vs. No. 9 Montreal Impact
(FS1/FOX Deportes, TSN, TVA Sports)
8 p.m. No. 7 Nashville SC vs. No. 10 Inter Miami CF
(ESPN2/ESPN Deportes, TSN, TVA Sports)
Eastern and Western Conference Round One (8 games)
Saturday, Nov. 21
(two games)
11 a.m. No. 4 Orlando City SC vs. No. 5 New York City FC
(UniMás/TUDN, TSN, TVA Sports,
MLSsoccer.com
, MLS App)
2 p.m. No. 3 Columbus Crew SC vs. No. 6 New York Red Bulls
(UniMás/TUDN, TSN, TVA Sports,
MLSsoccer.com
, MLS App)
Sunday, Nov. 22
(three games)
3 p.m. No.1 Sporting Kansas City vs. No. 8 San Jose Earthquakes
(FS1/FOX Deportes, TSN, TVA Sports)
6:30 p.m. No. 4 Minnesota United FC vs. No. 5 Colorado Rapids
(ESPN/ESPN Deportes, TSN, TVA Sports)
9 p.m. No. 3 Portland Timbers vs. No. 6 FC Dallas
(ESPN/ESPN Deportes, TSN, TVA Sports)
Tuesday, Nov. 24
(three games)
5 p.m. No. 2 Toronto FC vs. higher advancing seed from the Play-In Round
(FS1/FOX Deportes, TSN, TVA Sports)
7 p.m. No. 1 Philadelphia Union vs. lower advancing seed of the Play-In Round
(ESPN/ESPN Deportes, TSN, TVA Sports)
9:30 p.m. No. 2 Seattle Sounders FC vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Football Club
(ESPN/ESPN Deportes, TSN, TVA Sports)
Eastern and Western Conference Semifinal (4 games)
Sunday, Nov. 29
(two games)
2 p.m. Eastern Conference Semifinal
(ABC/ESPN Deportes, TSN, TVA Sports)
7 p.m. Eastern Conference Semifinal (
ESPN/ESPN Deportes, TSN, TVA Sports)
Tuesday, Dec. 1
(one game)
8 or 9 p.m. Western Conference Semifinal
(FS1/FOX Deportes, TSN, TVA Sports)
Wednesday, Dec. 2
(one game)
8 or 9 p.m. Western Conference Semifinal
(FS1/FOX Deportes, TSN, TVA Sports)
Eastern and Western Conference Final (2 games)
Sunday, Dec. 6
(two games)
2 p.m. ABC/ESPN Deportes, TSN, TVA Sports
5:30 p.m. FS1/FOX Deportes, TSN, TVA Sports
2020 MLS Cup (1 game)
Saturday, Dec. 12
7 p.m. FOX, UniMás//TUDN, TSN, TVA Sports
