With MLS Cup rematch on deck, a look at title game rematches across sports

Sam Stejskal

The MLS Cup rematch between Toronto FC and the Seattle Sounders will mark just the third time in league history that the same two teams will play for the title in back-to-back years.

The first two MLS Cup rematches both came in the last decade, and both involved the Houston Dynamo. Houston played New England in MLS Cup in 2006 and 2007, beating the Revs in both matchups to win back-to-back titles. Things didn’t go as well for Houston five years later in consecutive championship matchups against LA, with the Galaxy defeating the Dynamo at StubHub Center to win MLS Cup in 2011 and 2012.

Championship rematches have occurred with varying frequency in other leagues. The NBA has had a rash of rematches in recent seasons, while Major League Baseball hasn’t had a World Series rematch since 1977 and 1978. The NFL only has one Super Bowl rematch in its history, while there has never been a rematch in the finals of the UEFA Champions League.

Here’s a complete list of all the title game rematches in the major North American leagues, World Cup and UEFA Champions League:

MLS

2016, 2017: Seattle Sounders vs. Toronto FC
2011, 2012: Houston Dynamo vs. LA Galaxy
2006, 2007: Houston Dynamo vs. New England Revolution

MLB

1977, 1978: New York Yankees vs. LA Dodgers
1957, 1958: New York Yankees vs. Milwaukee Braves
1955, 1956: New York Yankees vs. Brooklyn Dodgers
1952, 1953: New York Yankees vs. Brooklyn Dodgers
1942, 1943: New York Yankees vs. St. Louis Cardinals
1936, 1937: New York Yankees vs. New York Giants
1921, 1922: New York Yankees vs. New York Giants
1907, 1908: Chicago Cubs vs. Detroit Tigers

NBA

2015, 2016, 2017: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors
2013, 2014: Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs
1997, 1998: Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz
1988, 1989: Detroit Pistons vs. LA Lakers
1984, 1985: Boston Celtics vs. LA Lakers
1978, 1979: Seattle SuperSonics vs. Washington Bullets
1972, 1973: LA Lakers vs. New York Knicks
1968, 1969: Boston Celtics vs. LA Lakers
1965, 1966: Boston Celtics vs. LA Lakers
1962, 1963: Boston Celtics vs. LA Lakers
1960, 1961: Boston Celtics vs. St. Louis Hawks
1957, 1958: Boston Celtics vs. St. Louis Hawks
1952, 1953: Minneapolis Lakers vs. New York Knicks

NFL

1993, 1994: Dallas Cowboys vs. Buffalo Bills

NHL

2008, 2009: Detroit Red Wings vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
1983, 1984: Edmonton Oilers vs. New York Islanders
1977, 1978: Montreal Canadiens vs. Boston Bruins
1968, 1969: Montreal Canadiens vs. St. Louis Blues
1963, 1964: Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Detroit Red Wings
1959, 1960: Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
1957, 1958: Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens
1954, 1955, 1956: Detroit Red Wings vs. Montreal Canadiens
1948, 1949: Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
1932, 1933: New York Rangers vs. Toronto Maple Leafs