League: Major League Soccer
The Road Here:
- Orlando City clinched its spot in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs on Sept. 30 following a 3-1 win over FC Dallas in Frisco, Texas.
- The Lions will appear in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for the fifth time in Club history and fifth consecutive year, qualifying for the postseason in each of Head Coach Oscar Pareja’s five seasons in charge, and is one of just three active MLS teams to have qualified for five straight playoffs.
- Orlando had a tough start to its 2024 campaign going 5-9-6 and posting 21 points through June. Since the beginning of July the Lions have gone 8-2-1 in the regular season, securing 25 points and launching themselves up the Eastern Conference standings.
- The Lions’ offensive production has been a huge part of the turnaround, scoring 36 goals in their past 14 MLS matches, including 14 in their last five. City has scored multiple goals in five straight and 12 of its last 14 contests.
Where They Stand:
- The Lions currently sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings and have clinched a top seven finish thanks to their 3-1 win over FC Dallas and a Philadelphia Union draw against Atlanta United FC over the weekend, guaranteeing their place in Round One of the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs and safely pushing them out of reach of the Wild Card matches.
- Orlando City has three matches remaining in its 2024 regular season campaign, set to host the Philadelphia Union at Inter&Co Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 2, before travelling to take on FC Cincinnati on Saturday, Oct. 5, and hosting rivals Atlanta United on Decision Day, Saturday, Oct. 19.
- With nine possible points left, the Lions control their destiny when it comes to securing home-field advantage in the Round One best-of-three series.
Postseason 101:
- Format:
- Nine teams in each conference qualify for the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, with the eight and nine seeds in each playing the Wild Card round.
- The teams then enter a bracket format based on their seeding, beginning with a Round One best-of-three series with the higher seed hosting the first and, if necessary, third match of the series.
- Following the Round One series, the playoffs move to a knockout format with the Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals and ultimately MLS Cup presented by Audi being decided by the champion of each conference.
- Key Dates:
- Wild Card Matches, Oct. 3
- Round One Best-of-Three Series, Oct. 26 – Nov. 10
- Conference Semifinals, Nov. 23-24
- Conference Finals, Nov. 30 – Dec. 1
- MLS Cup presented by Audi, Dec. 7.