As the top seed in the Western Conference for the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs, Sporting Kansas City will begin their postseason journey by hosting the No. 8 seed San Jose Earthquakes at 3 p.m. CT on Sunday, Nov. 22, at Children’s Mercy Park.
The conference quarterfinal showdown will be held at 18% capacity with comprehensive health and safety protocols in place at Children’s Mercy Park. Sporting Kansas City Season Ticket Members will have access to an exclusive 48-hour ticket presale for the match beginning at 10 a.m. CT on Tuesday. Remaining tickets will then go on sale to the general public at noon CT on Thursday via SeatGeek.com.
Sporting Kansas City’s first-round playoff matchup will be shown live nationally on FS1 and FOX Deportes as well as the FOX Sports app.
For the second straight year, the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs will feature single-elimination matches hosted by the higher-seeded club in a bracket-style format. Sporting Kansas City has secured homefield advantage in the Western Conference, having clinched first place following a 2-0 road win over Real Salt Lake in Sunday’s regular season finale.
2020 MLS Cup Playoffs: Western Conference Schedule
Conference Quarterfinals: Nov. 22 and Nov. 24
Conference Semifinals: Dec. 1 and Dec. 2
Conference Final: Dec. 6
MLS Cup: Dec. 12
Under the guidance of Manager Peter Vermes, Sporting Kansas City has advanced to the postseason for the ninth time in 10 seasons. Over the last decade, Vermes has led Sporting to the 2013 MLS Cup title, three Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championships and four first-place conference finishes in the regular season. The club finished 2020 with a 12-6-3 record, including a 6-1-1 mark since the start of October.
The San Jose Earthquakes, back in the postseason for the first time since 2017, enter the playoffs after a 4-1 loss at Seattle Sounders FC on Sunday. Led by head coach Matias Almeyda and the league's all-time leading goal scorer in Chris Wondolowski, San Jose will face Sporting for the first time since August 2019 and the first time in the postseason since 2004. The Earthquakes went 8-9-6 overall this year and 2-7-0 away from home.
The winner between Sporting and San Jose will advance to the Western Conference Semifinals to meet either No. 4 seed Minnesota United FC or No. 5 seed Colorado Rapids on Dec. 1 or 2.
