Matchday tomorrow
A full midweek slate is on the way. Check out the schedule here.
The last midweek slate of the year. We’re in the endgame now.
The Watchgridometer is here to help you plan your Wednesday by giving each game a potential watchability score. A 50/50 game has “best game of all time” potential. Games are ranked in order relative to their time slot. We have reached the point in the season where games carry a “playoffocity” score, too. 50/50 means a win or go-home game on Decision Day.
Columbus Crew vs. Inter Miami CF
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass; FS1, FOX Deportes | Wednesday, 7:45 pm ET
Watchability Score: 48/50
Playoffocity Score: 20/50
So the stakes aren’t as high as they could have been. The Crew’s window to an improbable Supporters’ Shield run more than likely came to a close when they drew with D.C. United on Saturday. But they’re still fighting for positioning with FC Cincinnati and these are still the two best teams in MLS right now. Any edge they can get now on the other could be an advantage in the Eastern Conference Final. This will have a playoff feel.
New York City FC vs. FC Cincinnati
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 40/50
Playoffocity Score: 36/50
Did we see the real NYCFC on Saturday? Or did we see a rare burst of attacking competence from a team that’s too inconsistent to be a threat in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs? A matchup against a Cincy side looking to keep pace with Columbus and bounce back from a weekend loss to LAFC will be a key litmus test.
Colorado Rapids vs. LA Galaxy
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 9:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 44/50
Playoffocity Score: 36/50
You should know by now to expect plenty of goals in this one.
Beyond that, the Galaxy are looking to seal their place at the top of the West for good and the Rapids are right in the thick of the race for the final home playoff spot in the West.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 10:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 40/50
Playoffocity Score: 43/50
Three points separate these two in the standings. The Whitecaps have a game in hand. All considered this might be the most important game of the night.
It’s a prove-it kind of game for both sides, both of whom have fallen short of contender status for a lot of this year. But it’s also a critical moment in extremely difficult final stretches for both teams. It’s playoff teams only from here on out. Any points are huge points.
Orlando City SC vs. Philadelphia Union
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 36/50
Playoffocity Score: 38/50
No one in MLS has earned points at a better clip than Orlando City over the last few months. The Lions have been on a 2.27 points-per-game clip over their last 11 games. It’s a run that’s pushed them up to fourth place in the East. Three points in this one will put them one step closer to a home playoff spot.
The Union have been putting in Union-esque performances again, though. They’ll need to be at their Union-y best to take down Orlando. If they can pull it off, they may just have a Wild Card spot virtually wrapped up by the end of the night.
Real Salt Lake vs. Minnesota United FC
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 9:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 39/50
Playoffocity Score: 40/50
Is Kelvin Yeboah really going to pull this off? Yeboah - seven goals in his first six starts - is carrying the Loons to an improbable run back up the standings and has Minnesota on the verge of working their way out of a Wild Card spot. If they can pull out a win here against an RSL side that hasn’t been in great form, they’ll have a real shot at avoiding a play-in game.
Atlanta United vs. CF Montréal
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 26/50
Playoffocity Score: 30/50
Josef Martínez returns to Atlanta in this one fresh off a brace. Montréal have taken 10 points from their last four games and have put themselves on the verge of a playoff spot with three games left. If they take down Atlanta in this one, they’ll set themselves up to jump into a Wild Card spot - potentially ahead of their rivals in Toronto - and very likely close the door on Atlanta’s playoff hopes.
Toronto FC vs. New York Red Bulls
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 24/50
Playoffocity Score: 30/50
This will be far from the prettiest game of the night, but it still has some stakes. Toronto only have two games remaining and desperately need a win to hold on to their Wild Card spot. The Red Bulls are reeling after getting thumped by NYCFC and are now two points and two places out of a home playoff spot.
Charlotte FC vs. Chicago Fire FC
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 20/50
Playoffocity Score: 16/50
Charlotte are stuck between fighting for the final home playoff spot in the East and having to worry about falling into a Wild Card spot. They’ve got to get the job done against an already-eliminated Chicago side.
Nashville SC vs. D.C. United
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 8:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 25/50
Playoffocity Score: 22/50
Can’t really call this one a must-watch, but both teams have the capability to be entertaining and both teams are only mostly dead in the playoff race. Not all the way dead.
Houston Dynamo FC vs. New England Revolution
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 8:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 23/50
Playoffocity Score: 20/50
Houston have no excuses here. This has to be three points. A misstep here in a very winnable game could have them in a Wild Card spot by the end of the night.
Portland Timbers vs. Austin FC
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 10:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 25/50
Playoffocity Score: 20/50
The Timbers can seemingly score at will on most nights, but are still scrapping to avoid the Wild Card game. Austin are essentially eliminated. If Portland don’t win this one then they’ll have no one to blame but themselves for falling short.
LAFC vs. St. Louis CITY SC
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 10:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 24/50
Playoffocity Score: 18/50
LAFC are jostling for position in the West and looking to prove that their big wins last week didn’t come by accident. They have an easy run-in to the playoffs and should be using this four-game run as a chance to get right.
San Jose Earthquakes vs. FC Dallas
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 10:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 16/50
Playoffocity Score: 0/50
Everyone should get outside and play from time to time.
Martínez named Player of the Matchday: Alonso Martínez led New York City FC to a historic Hudson River Derby win in Matchday 35 to earn MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra honors. Martínez scored twice as the Cityzens routed the New York Red Bulls 5-1 at Red Bull Arena, clinching a spot in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs with the most lopsided victory ever over their crosstown rivals.
MLS Innovation Lab unveils second cohort of technology leaders: MLS announced the six companies selected for the second edition of the MLS Innovation Lab, a pioneering initiative shaping the future of sports and the league's continued growth. The project identifies and nurtures cutting-edge startups and advanced technologies, and the new cohort will enhance the league's key priority areas of fan engagement, on-field performance, and media technology.
- Darlington Nagbe shared his story with The Players’ Tribune.
- Sacha Kljestan looked at whose stock is up and whose stock is down.
- Here’s your Team of the Matchday presented by Audi.
- Take a look at
Good luck out there. Think of ways to improve society.
