What a season in MLS.
LAFC finished first in the Western Conference, Chicago Fire FC missed the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, the New York Red Bulls made the playoffs but no almost one expects them to win MLS Cup presented by Audi, and Seattle Sounders FC got hot in the second half of the year.
It was truly a season unlike any other.
The Power Rankings were voted on by around 20 MLS writers, editors, and personalities and were not solely the fault of the column’s author. The 2024 Power Rankings Committee regrets the errors and tried to rank your team higher all season. They promise.
If you thought their early 2-0 deficit to New England meant anything, you haven’t been paying attention.
Congrats to the new record-holders for points (74) in a season.
- Previous: 6-2 win vs. NE
- Next: 10/25 vs. MTL/ATL
The Crew did Crew things, took down New York with a late winner, and went ahead and sealed home-field advantage for MLS Cup presented by Audi if they make it. Frankly, it would be a surprise if they didn’t. Not because they’re so much better than a team like Miami, but because they’ve made every final possible for the last year.
In Round One, their first step back to another final will be taking down the same Red Bulls side they beat last weekend.
- Previous: 3-2 win at RBNY
- Next: 10/29 vs. RBNY
LAFC fans got to experience a minor miracle at BMO Stadium on Saturday when word began to spread the Galaxy had allowed a late winner to Houston. LAFC sealed the top spot in the West after beating San Jose and will host every match they play until at least MLS Cup. They’ve now finished first in the West in two of the last three seasons.
- Previous: 3-1 win vs. SJ
- Next: 10/27 vs. VAN/POR
Well… that could have ended better.
The Galaxy allowing a late goal to Houston cost them the top spot in the West, but in the end, there might be worse things than finishing second. Yes, they wouldn’t get to host a Western Conference Final edition of El Tráfico. However, they do get to host Colorado in Round One and the winner of RSL-Minnesota in the Conference Semifinals. You could argue that’s an easier path than potentially facing Portland plus the winner of Seattle-Houston.
Still. There are much better ways to end a season.
- Previous: 2-1 loss at HOU
- Next: 10/26 vs. COL
RSL have had some ups and downs this year, but that didn’t stop them from putting up a club-record 59 points and qualifying for the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.
They spent Decision Day taking down Vancouver, 2-1, to earn the third spot in the West. Now, they’ll face a Minnesota side going nuclear. It’s worth repeating they need Chicho Arango to wake up and start finding the net ASAP if they’re going to make a run.
- Previous: 2-1 win vs. VAN
- Next: 10/29 vs. MIN
The Sounders didn’t lose to Portland, but they did miss out on the Cascadia Cup and a third-place finish in the West. Now they have to deal with a good Houston side in Round One.
It’s not an ideal ending, but they’ve had a near-ideal stretch run. They’ve averaged more points per game than anyone in the West since Leagues Cup.
- Previous: 1-1 draw vs. POR
- Next: 10/28 vs. HOU
Cincy didn’t have anything to play for on Decision Day, but went ahead and dispatched Philly. Despite injuries and roster turnover, they ended the year with 59 points.
Over the last two seasons, they earned 128 points (more than any other team in MLS). Over the last three years, only LAFC have more points.
They aren’t entering the playoffs high on anyone’s MLS Cup favorite list, but don’t lose sight of how incredible their turnaround from their expansion era has been.
- Previous: 2-1 win at PHI
- Next: 10/28 vs. NYC
Orlando didn’t need to do anything to seal the last home playoff spot in the East. They won’t be thrilled about allowing Atlanta into the postseason, but they won’t be too worried about it while they’re looking down on them from fourth place.
The Lions have a tough matchup against Charlotte on the way now. As impressive as Orlando have been since Leagues Cup, Charlotte have trended that way over the last five games. Both sides are hot at the right time.
- Previous: 2-1 loss vs. ATL
- Next: 10/27 vs. CLT
No one, and we mean no one, is hotter than the Loons heading into the playoffs. Since Leagues Cup, the Loons have earned 2.11 points per game and a league-best 1.94 expected points per game. They’ve been thumping teams, and both the eye test and the underlying numbers say it’s real.
Minnesota will face RSL in Round One and they’ll easily rank at the top of the dark-horse power rankings on everyone’s brackets.
- Previous: 4-1 win vs. STL
- Next: 10/29 at RSL
Houston needed to hold onto a late lead against the Galaxy to wrap up a fifth-place finish in the West. They didn’t do that. Fortunately, Daniel Steres had a little extra time to work.
LAFC fans should send a few gift baskets.
The Dynamo looked great for the majority of the game against LA and will be a handful in the playoffs. They’ll take on Seattle in Round One.
- Previous: 2-1 win vs. LA
- Next: 10/28 at SEA
After sputtering out of the gates following the summer window, Charlotte’s revamped attack has found a groove. Their 3-0 win over D.C. United sealed the fifth spot in the East and made it 14 goals in five games for The Crown. They’ve taken 13 points in that stretch, with their lone draw coming against Inter Miami. They’re officially in "hot at the right time" territory.
- Previous: 3-0 win at DC
- Next: 10/27 at ORL
New York City FC had an open window to take the final home playoff spot in the East. Instead, they struggled in a 2-0 loss to CF Montréal and fell back to sixth place. Now, they’ll have to face FC Cincinnati in Round One. Their inconsistency has been an issue all season and it bit them on Decision Day.
- Previous: 2-0 loss at MTL
- Next: 10/28 at CIN
The Timbers stole a point from Seattle once Antony got his skis on and started slaloming through Seattle’s defense.
That wasn’t enough to get them into eighth place, but they’ll host the Whitecaps in the Wild Card game anyway thanks to a previously scheduled event at BC Place. If they make it past the Wild Card, they’ll be up against LAFC in Round Ome.
Don’t be surprised if they give them a series, though. The Timbers have one of the most dangerous attacks in MLS and their defense isn’t as bad as you think. Since Leagues Cup, the Timbers are eighth in MLS in expected goals allowed per game.
- Previous: 1-1 draw at SEA
- Next: 10/23 at VAN
Montréal only needed a point against NYCFC to grab a playoff spot. They went ahead and took three thanks to goals from Caden Clark and Josef Martínez. Clark and Josef have been the catalysts for CFM’s remarkable run to the Wild Card Round, contributing a combined 10 goals and four assists since Clark arrived midseason from Minnesota. Montréal have averaged 1.78 points per game over that nine-game span, the seventh-best mark in the league.
- Previous: 2-0 win vs. NYC
- Next: 10/22 vs. ATL
The Red Bulls allowed a late winner against Columbus that dropped them to seventh in the East and forces them to go into Round One against… Columbus. They will not be favored.
It’s at least worth pointing out their underlying numbers since the second half of the season began have actually been good. The issue is they’ve averaged 1.06 points per game over their final 16 games of the season and it’s just hard to trust the Red Bulls heading into the playoffs.
- Previous: 3-2 loss vs. CLB
- Next: 10/29 at CLB
Well, this is less than ideal.
Colorado have bottomed out heading into the playoffs. That third-place run in Leagues Cup took so much out of them and they don’t look capable of recovering. Their Round One matchup against the Galaxy isn’t favorable.
- Previous: 3-2 loss at ATX
- Next: 10/26 at LA
It’s not totally clear how we got here, but Atlanta United are in the playoffs. They’ll take on CF Montréal in the Wild Card after defeating Orlando City on Decision Day, in addition to getting help from two results elsewhere. They started Saturday night in 12th and ended it in ninth with an out-of-character win. They’d only scored four times inside the first 30 minutes all season before scoring twice in the first 16 in Orlando.
- Previous: 2-1 win at ORL
- Next: 10/22 at MTL
The Whitecaps… looked a lot like the Whitecaps in their 2-1 loss at Real Salt Lake in a must-win game. Now they have to deal with a Wild Card game they can’t host due to a prior event at BC Place. It is very, very likely they will not make it to MLS Cup.
- Previous: 2-1 loss at RSL
- Next: 10/23 vs. POR
D.C. needed a point on Decision Day to seal a playoff spot. Instead, they belly-flopped in a 3-0 loss to Charlotte as their season ended.
The offseason should be spent on finding more options than “Christian Benteke is down there somewhere.”
- Previous: 3-0 loss vs. CLT
- Next: Season complete
For the first time in a long time, nothing went the Union’s way this year. Even when they got hot down the stretch, they couldn’t get out of their own way and seal a playoff spot. It feels appropriate the year ended on this.
They’ll have to reset after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2017. It’s not clear what that looks like for a team that hasn’t had to reset in a long time.
- Previous: 2-1 loss vs. CIN
- Next: Season complete
It's time to see how much St. Louis CITY’s roster overhaul continues this winter. What happens will make or break their next few seasons.
- Previous: 4-1 loss at MIN
- Next: Season complete
Austin got to play spoiler with a couple of stoppage-time goals against Colorado. Now it’s time to find a new head coach and for sporting director Rodolfo Borrell to give this roster a facelift.
- Previous: 3-2 win vs. COL
- Next: Season complete
Nashville’s year is done, but at least Sam Surridge ended on a high note.
The next time we see them, it will fully be B.J. Callaghan’s team.
- Previous: 3-0 win at CHI
- Next: Season complete
FC Dallas’ year ended with a 2-1 win over Sporting KC. They were a better team than their final record indicates, but health issues and mental lapses were too much to overcome. A little roster work and a lot more injury luck in 2025 could go a long way.
- Previous: 2-1 win vs. SKC
- Next: Season complete
Toronto have had their out-of-office email running for a couple of weeks now.
- Previous: Bye
- Next: Season complete
The 2024 Sporting Kansas City experience:
- Previous: 2-1 loss at DAL
- Next: Season complete
The Revs gave Inter Miami a brief scare, but couldn’t preserve the single-season points record for the 2021 edition of the club.
New England have a lot of work to do. The underlying numbers suggest they were lucky to not “win” the Wooden Spoon this year.
- Previous: 6-2 loss at MIA
- Next: Season complete
The Gregg Berhalter era can officially begin now.
- Previous: 3-0 loss vs. NSH
- Next: Season complete
San Jose ended the year with 78 goals allowed, setting a new MLS single-season record.
- Previous: 3-1 loss at LAFC
- Next: Season complete
