MLS expands playoffs to 9 teams from each conference
By ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer
Major League Soccer is expanding its playoffs to include the nine top finishers from each of its two conferences, or 62% of the league’s teams. An opening “wild-card” round will feature matches between the eighth- and ninth-seeded teams in each conference at the stadium of the higher seed. The first round of matches will be a best-of-three series. The conference semifinals, finals and MLS Cup championship will all be single games, hosted by the higher seed.