# 2021 MLS Cup playoffs

The 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs (branded as the 2021 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons) was the 26th edition of the MLS Cup Playoffs, the post-season championship of Major League Soccer (MLS), the top soccer league in the United States and Canada. The tournament culminated the 2021 MLS regular season. The tournament began on November 20 and concluded with MLS Cup 2021 on December 11.
The Columbus Crew were the defending MLS Cup champions, but failed to qualify for the playoffs after finishing ninth in the Eastern Conference.
The 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs marked the first time since 2004 that no club from Texas qualified, and the first time ever that no club from California qualified.

## Conference standings

The top seven teams in the Eastern and Western Conference qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs, with the conference champions receiving second round byes. Background colors denote playoff teams, with green also qualifying for the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League.
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | Pts |
| 1 | New England Revolution | 34 | 73 |
| 2 | Philadelphia Union | 34 | 54 |
| 3 | Nashville SC | 34 | 54 |
| 4 | New York City FC (C) | 34 | 51 |
| 5 | Atlanta United FC | 34 | 51 |
| 6 | Orlando City SC | 34 | 51 |
| 7 | New York Red Bulls | 34 | 48 |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | Pts |
| 1 | Colorado Rapids | 34 | 61 |
| 2 | Seattle Sounders FC | 34 | 60 |
| 3 | Sporting Kansas City | 34 | 58 |
| 4 | Portland Timbers | 34 | 55 |
| 5 | Minnesota United FC | 34 | 49 |
| 6 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 34 | 49 |
| 7 | Real Salt Lake | 34 | 48 |

## Bracket

| First round November 20–21, 23 | First round November 20–21, 23 | First round November 20–21, 23 | | | Conference semifinals November 25, 28, 30 | Conference semifinals November 25, 28, 30 | Conference semifinals November 25, 28, 30 | Conference finals December 4–5 | Conference finals December 4–5 | Conference finals December 4–5 | | MLS Cup December 11 | MLS Cup December 11 | MLS Cup December 11 |
| | | | | | E1 | New England Revolution | 2 (3) | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | E4 | New York City FC (p) | 2 (5) | | | | | | | |
| E4 | New York City FC | 2 | | | E4 | New York City FC (p) | 2 (5) | | | | | | | |
| E5 | Atlanta United FC | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E5 | Atlanta United FC | 0 | | | | | | E4 | New York City FC | 2 | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E4 | New York City FC | 2 | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E2 | Philadelphia Union | 1 | | | | |
| E3 | Nashville SC | 3 | | | | | | | | | E2 | Philadelphia Union | 1 | |
| E6 | Orlando City SC | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E6 | Orlando City SC | 1 | | | E3 | Nashville SC | 1 (0) | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | E2 | Philadelphia Union (p) | 1 (2) | | | | | | | |
| E2 | Philadelphia Union (a.e.t.) | 1 | | | E2 | Philadelphia Union (p) | 1 (2) | | | | | | | |
| E7 | New York Red Bulls | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E7 | New York Red Bulls | 0 | | | | | | | | | | E4 | New York City FC (p) | 1 (4) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | W4 | Portland Timbers | 1 (2) |
| | | | | | W1 | Colorado Rapids | 0 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | W4 | Portland Timbers | 1 | | | | | | | |
| W4 | Portland Timbers | 3 | | | W4 | Portland Timbers | 1 | | | | | | | |
| W5 | Minnesota United FC | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| W5 | Minnesota United FC | 1 | | | | | | W4 | Portland Timbers | 2 | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W4 | Portland Timbers | 2 | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W7 | Real Salt Lake | 0 | | | | |
| W3 | Sporting Kansas City | 3 | | | | | | | | | W7 | Real Salt Lake | 0 | |
| W6 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| W6 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 1 | | | W3 | Sporting Kansas City | 1 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | W7 | Real Salt Lake | 2 | | | | | | | |
| W2 | Seattle Sounders FC | 0 (5) | | | W7 | Real Salt Lake | 2 | | | | | | | |
| W7 | Real Salt Lake (p) | 0 (6) | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Note: The higher seeded teams hosted matches, with the MLS Cup host determined by overall points.

## First round

The second through fourth-seeded teams in each conference hosted the first-round matches. The team with the best record in each conference got a bye to the Conference Semifinals.

### Western Conference
## Conference semifinals

The higher-seeded teams in each match-up as determined by regular season ranking hosted the matches.

### Western Conference
## Conference finals

The higher-seeded teams in each conference as determined by regular season ranking hosted the matches.

### Western Conference
## MLS Cup 2021

The highest-ranked team remaining in the overall table (Portland Timbers) hosted the match.

## Top goalscorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Valentín Castellanos | New York City FC | 3 |
| 1 | Hany Mukhtar | Nashville SC | 3 |
| 3 | Sebastián Blanco | Portland Timbers | 2 |
| 3 | Larrys Mabiala | Portland Timbers | 2 |
| 3 | Felipe Mora | Portland Timbers | 2 |
| 6 | Tajon Buchanan | New England Revolution | 1 |
| 6 | Adam Buksa | New England Revolution | 1 |
| 6 | Jhonder Cádiz | Nashville SC | 1 |
| 6 | Alexander Callens | New York City FC | 1 |
| 6 | Cristian Dájome | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 1 |
| 6 | Daryl Dike | Orlando City SC | 1 |
| 6 | Franco Fragapane | Minnesota United FC | 1 |
| 6 | Dániel Gazdag | Philadelphia Union | 1 |
| 6 | Jakob Glesnes | Philadelphia Union | 1 |
| 6 | Nicolas Isimat-Mirin | Sporting Kansas City | 1 |
| 6 | Anderson Julio | Real Salt Lake | 1 |
| 6 | Talles Magno | New York City FC | 1 |
| 6 | Maximiliano Moralez | New York City FC | 1 |
| 6 | Santiago Moreno | Portland Timbers | 1 |
| 6 | Santiago Rodríguez | New York City FC | 1 |
| 6 | Johnny Russell | Sporting Kansas City | 1 |
| 6 | Khiry Shelton | Sporting Kansas City | 1 |
| 6 | Bobby Wood | Real Salt Lake | 1 |
| 6 | Graham Zusi | Sporting Kansas City | 1 |