The 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs are compelling on the Western Conference side. While Lionel Messi remains the star attraction in the East, the West is loaded with elite talent and global names as well including South Korea’s superstar Son Heung-Min. Here’s a look at how Decision Day shaped the MLS Western Conference playoffs.
In First Season, San Diego FC Tops MLS Western Conference
One of the best storylines in MLS history comes from the beautiful city of San Diego in Southern California. A city that has lost its NFL and NBA franchises in the past but remains passionate about sport — including the MLB’s San Diego Padres — now has an incredible new team to rally behind. On the U.S.–Mexico border with Tijuana, where football culture thrived long before MLS arrived, San Diego FC has delivered a dream debut season. SDFC finished their inaugural MLS campaign with 63 points, topping the Western Conference alongside the Vancouver Whitecaps.
The squad assembled by manager Mikey Varas is heavy on Scandinavian talent. Danish international Anders Dreyer would likely be MLS MVP if not for the brilliance of Lionel Messi — Dreyer tallied 19 goals and 19 assists after joining from Anderlecht in Belgium. His compatriot Jeppe Tverskov (formerly of Nordsjælland) contributed 12 assists from midfield, while Finland’s Onni Valakari (on loan from Champions League side Pafos) added 10 assists. Defender Christopher McVey and veteran Panamanian international Aníbal Godoy have been key pieces as well. American midfielder Luca de la Torre has shown flashes of quality but struggled for consistency. Mexican international Hirving “Chucky” Lozano — who looks increasingly likely to represent Mexico in next year’s home World Cup — has posted 9 goals and 11 assists this season.
Diego Luna vs Diego Chará in the Wild Card Round
SDFC begins its first-ever playoff series against the Wild Card winner of Portland Timbers vs. Real Salt Lake. San Diego just crushed Portland 4–0 on Decision Day, and the Timbers have managed only one win since August. Canadian internationals Kamal Miller and goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau lead the Portland side, while 39-year-old Colombian Diego Chará is winding down his career. Real Salt Lake travels to Portland with ex-Copenhagen and Benfica midfielder Diogo Gonçalves and U.S. Gold Cup standout Diego Luna as their main threats. RSL, however, remain severely limited in forward depth.
Son Heung-min’s Arrival Makes LAFC Instant Contenders
With 60 points, LAFC finished third in the Western Conference. Son Heung-min has played only 10 matches since arriving but already has 9 goals and 3 assists in that span. The Europa League winner with Tottenham Hotspur — a club legend with a famous smile, beloved from England to South Korea and now Los Angeles— has immediately formed a powerful partnership with Gabon international Denis Bouanga, who has scored 24 goals this season. Twenty-one-year-old Salvadoran star Nathan Ordaz adds youthful energy to the lineup, though the club suffered a huge blow when 22-year-old Brazilian Igor Jesus sustained a season-ending knee injury.
Son reunited with his former Tottenham teammate and captain Hugo Lloris, who now guards the net for LAFC. The club is aiming to extend its run of success in MLS — while rivals and defending champions LA Galaxy shockingly missed the playoffs. LAFC lifted the MLS Cup in 2022 and finished runners-up in 2023. While Messi dominates highlight reels in the East, Son — who is eager to lead South Korea at the 2026 World Cup hosted in North America — is the West’s headline act. His pace, technique, and creativity have proven far too much for MLS defenders to handle.
Thomas Müller Strengthens a Talented Vancouver Whitecaps
CONCACAF Champions League finalists Vancouver Whitecaps already had a talented core, but when they convinced former Bayern Munich and Germany international Thomas Müller to join the club for the final stage of his career, it was a coup that elevated them to another level. The champions of Canada couldn’t quite claim the regular-season conference crown but possess an impressive blend of youth and experience. Colombian defender Edier Ocampo (22) and American prospect Tate Johnson (20) anchor the back line. U.S. international Sebastian Berhalter (24) recorded 12 assists in midfield, while 23-year-old Canadian Jayden Nelson added 10 goal contributions. Müller has been outstanding since his arrival — in just seven games, he’s scored seven goals and provided three assists at age 36, he remains a player who is hard to contain.
The Whitecaps’ playoff fate may depend on the health of striker Brian White, who has 16 goals in 21 appearances but has been managing a hamstring injury in recent weeks.
2025 MLS Western Conference Playoff Bracket Set
San Diego will face either Portland or Real Salt Lake, while Vancouver meets FC Dallas in a three-game series — a rematch of Decision Day, when Dallas earned a surprise win. LAFC face another Texas club, Austin FC, led by 20-year-old American Owen Wolff (7 goals, 8 assists). FC Dallas relies on Croatian striker Petar Musa (18 goals), while 22-year-old Ecuadorian midfielder Patrickson Delgado plays a key role in their setup.
Obed Vargas’s Seattle Sounders — champions of the 2025 Leagues Cup and participants in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup alongside LAFC and Inter Miami — take on underdog Minnesota United. Minnesota may lack star power but feature Canadian goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair and New Zealand veteran Michael Boxall, both likely to appear in the 2026 World Cup. U.S. international Cristian Roldan has rediscovered his form alongside Vargas, a transfer target for Sporting Club Lisbon, and Albert Rusnák. Rusnák has 11 goals this year, Roldan has seven assists, and Vargas has contributed in nine goals, while Seattle has additional forward options including Danny Musovski and his 14 goals.
Eastern Conference Playoffs Feature Inter Miami and the Ohio Derby
You can read more about the MLS Eastern Conference Playoffs here, including the Ohio Derby between Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati, and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami taking on Nashville SC.
Main Photo Credit: Imago Images KiyoshixMio
