List of MLS club post-season droughts
List of active droughts -- MLS Cup Conference Finals appearance
Table:
Club

Last appearance in
MLS Cup Conference Final

Length of drought

Chicago Fire
2009
10 seasons

Philadelphia Union
never (club entered MLS in 2010)
10 seasons

San Jose Earthquakes
2010
9 seasons

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
never (club entered MLS in 2011)
9 seasons

D.C. United
2012
7 seasons

Real Salt Lake
2013
6 seasons

LA Galaxy
2014
5 seasons

New England Revolution
2014
5 seasons

New York City FC
never (club entered MLS in 2015)
5 seasons

Orlando City SC
never (club entered MLS in 2015)
5 seasons

FC Dallas
2015
4 seasons

Colorado Rapids
2016
3 seasons

Minnesota United FC
never (club entered MLS in 2017)
3 seasons

Montreal Impact
2016
3 seasons

Columbus Crew SC
2017
2 seasons

Houston Dynamo
2017
2 seasons

FC Cincinnati
never (club entered MLS in 2019)
1 season

New York Red Bulls
2018
1 season

Portland Timbers
2018
1 season

Sporting Kansas City
2018
1 season

Based on the given table together with the article excerpts below.

Answer the following question: When did the team founded by Lamar Hunt in 1995 last appear in the MLS Cup Conference Final ? Provide just your answer in a JSON object {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}.

Chicago Fire Football Club is an American professional soccer franchise based in Chicago , Illinois . The team competes in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) as a member of the league 's Eastern Conference , having moved to the conference in 2002 . The franchise is named after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 , and was founded as the Chicago Fire Soccer Club on October 8 , 1997 , the event 's 126th anniversary . The team began play in 1998 as one of the league 's first expansion teams . The Fire won the MLS Cup as well as the U.S. Open Cup ( the double ) in their first season in 1998 . They also won U.S. Open Cups in 2000 , 2003 , and 2006 , in addition to the 2003 MLS Supporters ' Shield . In 2015 , the club won the first ever MLS Wooden Spoon , and repeated the feat in 2016 . The Fire maintains an extensive development system , consisting of the Chicago Fire Development Academy and the Chicago Fire Juniors youth organization . They also operate the Chicago Fire Foundation , the team 's community-based charitable division . The Fire 's home stadium is Soldier Field .
The 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs is the postseason to Major League Soccer 's 2009 season . MLS Cup 2009 concluded the season on November 22 , 2009 at Qwest Field in Seattle , Washington . Real Salt Lake won the Cup in penalties over the L.A. Galaxy .
The Philadelphia Union is an American professional soccer team based in Chester , Pennsylvania . The Union competes in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) as a member club of the league 's Eastern Conference . The club began play in 2010 as an expansion team of the league . The club plays their home matches at Subaru Park , a soccer-specific stadium located in Chester on the banks of the Delaware River . Jim Curtin is the Union 's head coach . The Union finished as runners-up in the 2014 , 2015 and 2018 U.S. Open Cup tournaments . In the 2014 edition , they lost to the Seattle Sounders FC 3-1 in extra time , and to Sporting Kansas City 6-7 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the 2015 edition . They lost 3-0 to the Houston Dynamo in the final of the 2018 edition .
The 2010 Major League Soccer season was the 98th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer , the 32nd with a national first-division league , in the United States and Canada , and the 15th in MLS history . It began on March 25 at Seattle 's Qwest Field with Seattle Sounders FC defeating the expansion Philadelphia Union , 2-0 . The 2010 MLS All-Star Game was played at Reliant Stadium , hosted by the Houston Dynamo on July 28 as the MLS XI fell 5-2 to visiting Manchester United . The regular season concluded on October 24 , with Los Angeles Galaxy winning the Supporters ' Shield by one point over Real Salt Lake . Upon the completion of the regular season the 2010 MLS Cup Playoffs culminated on November 21 with a 2-1 victory by the Colorado Rapids over FC Dallas at Toronto 's BMO Field . It was the first time the MLS Cup final was played outside the United States . The expiration of and failure to sign a new collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players ' union threatened the season . Negotiations resulted in a new contract being agreed to on March 20 , 2010 .
The San Jose Earthquakes are an American professional soccer team based in San Jose , California , United States , that competes as a member of the Western Conference of Major League Soccer ( MLS ) . The franchise began play in 1996 ( originally as the San Jose Clash ) as one of the charter clubs of the league . The Earthquakes took part in the first game in MLS history , defeating D.C. United 1-0 . The Earthquakes have won two MLS Cup titles , in 2001 and 2003 , and two Supporters ' Shields in 2005 and 2012 . In 2002 , the team played in its first CONCACAF Champions Cup ( now called the CONCACAF Champions League ) , making it to the quarterfinals . The team holds a fierce rivalry with the LA Galaxy known as the California Clásico . In 2005 , the then owner of the Earthquakes , Anschutz Entertainment Group , announced plans of the team relocating to Houston due to failing efforts to secure a soccer-specific stadium in San Jose . The organization in Houston would be considered an expansion team by the league , eventually becoming the Houston Dynamo , which began play in 2006 . The Earthquakes returned after a two-year hiatus , resuming play in 2008 . Argentinian Matías Almeyda is the Quakes ' current head coach . Since 2015 the Earthquakes play their home games at Avaya Stadium . The team previously played its home games at Buck Shaw Stadium on the Santa Clara University campus in Santa Clara , California from 2008 to 2014 .
The 2010 MLS Cup Playoffs was the postseason tournament subsequent to Major League Soccer 's 2010 season . The playoffs began on Oct. 30 , with the Los Angeles Galaxy defeating the Seattle Sounders FC in the quarterfinal-round . Three weeks later , the Colorado Rapids defeated FC Dallas 2-1 in the Cup final at BMO Field in Toronto , Ontario . It was Colorado 's first title and second MLS Cup final appearance , and it was FC Dallas 's first appearance in an MLS Cup final . Of the eight MLS clubs to earn qualification into the tournament , only four of them qualified the season beforehand ; Columbus Crew , Los Angeles Galaxy , Seattle Sounders FC , and the defending-champions , Real Salt Lake . The San Jose Earthquakes were making their first playoff appearance since 2005 , Dallas ' since 2007 . It was Colorado 's and New York Red Bulls 's first time since 2008 .
Vancouver Whitecaps FC is a Canadian professional soccer team based in Vancouver , British Columbia that competes in the Western Conference of Major League Soccer ( MLS ) . The Whitecaps were the 17th team to enter Major League Soccer and replaced the USSF Division 2 team of the same name in the city . The club has been owned and managed by the same group since their USSF days , having graduated to MLS after the conclusion of the USSF 's 2010 season . The MLS version of the team is a phoenix club , and the third to carry the legacy of the Whitecaps name . In the 2012 season , the team became the first Canadian team to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs .
The 2011 Major League Soccer season was the 99th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer , the 33rd with a national first-division league , in the United States and Canada , and the 16th season of Major League Soccer . The season marked the arrival of two new league clubs , Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC , whose cities previously had clubs of similar name play in the USSF D2 Pro League . Those two new West Coast clubs led to a realignment of the league 's conferences , with Houston Dynamo moving to the Eastern Conference to create two conferences of nine teams each . Each team played a balanced 34-match regular season schedule , playing every team twice ( once at home and once away ) . The regular season began on March 15 , when the Los Angeles Galaxy defeated the Seattle Sounders FC 1-0 at Qwest Field , and concluded with the host Houston Dynamo defeating the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-1 on October 23 at Robertson Stadium . The season also featured the 2011 MLS All-Star Game on July 27 , when Manchester United defeated the MLS All-Stars 4-0 at Red Bull Arena ( hosted by the New York Red Bulls ) . The 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs ran from October 26 until November 20 , when the Los Angeles Galaxy claimed their third MLS championship by defeating Houston Dynamo 1-0 in MLS Cup 2011 at Home Depot Center in Carson , California .
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington , D.C . The club competes as a member of the Eastern Conference in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) , the top level of professional American soccer . The franchise began play in 1996 as one of the ten charter clubs of the league . The club was one of the most successful clubs in the early years of MLS , winning eight of its thirteen titles between 1996 and 1998 under then head coach Bruce Arena . United holds the joint MLS record for most Supporters ' Shields , has four MLS Cups , and been crowned U.S. Open Cup champions three times . It is also the first club to win both the MLS Supporters ' Shield and MLS Cup consecutively . On the international stage , D.C. United has competed in both the CONCACAF Champions League and its predecessor , the CONCACAF Champions ' Cup . The club won the 1998 CONCACAF Champions ' Cup , making them one of only two MLS teams to ever win a CONCACAF tournament . Subsequently , United won the now-defunct Copa Interamericana in 1998 against Vasco da Gama of Brazil . This is the only intercontinental title won by an MLS club . The team 's home field from 1996 to 2017 was the 45,596-seat Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium , owned by the District of Columbia . The team moved into the new Audi Field , a soccer-specific stadium with a capacity of 20,000 at Buzzard Point just a few blocks from Nationals Park in July 2018 .
The 2012 MLS Cup Playoffs was the seventeenth post-season tournament culminating the Major League Soccer regular season . The tournament began on October 31 , and culminated on December 1 , 2012 with MLS Cup 2012 , the seventeenth league championship for MLS , won by the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-1 over Houston Dynamo . It was the second year that the playoffs included ten teams , and the first playoff series since 2006 in which teams could not cross conference brackets . The top five teams in both the Eastern and Western conferences of the league earned berths , with the top three clubs in each conference earning direct byes to the conference semifinals . The fourth and fifth-place finishers of both conferences played in a single-elimination play-in match . The play-in winner played their respective conference regular season champion in the conference semifinals , which was a two-leg aggregate series , without the away goals rule enforced . For the first time in MLS Cup Playoffs history , each Conference Championship was also a two-leg aggregate series , as opposed to the traditional single elimination match . The MLS Cup championship still remain a single match , but the team with the stronger regular season record , the Los Angeles Galaxy , hosting the final at their home venue . Los Angeles Galaxy were the defending champions , having defeated Houston Dynamo 1-0 in last year 's championship . Both finalists directly entered the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League , with the champion earning a Pot A seed . They were joined by San Jose Earthquakes , the Supporters ' Shield winner , and Sporting Kansas City , the 2012 U.S. Open Cup champion . However , none of these berths were available to the league 's three Canadian teams , which instead participate in the Canadian Championship for that country 's single berth in the CONCACAF Champions League .
Real Salt Lake ( /riːˈæl/ ) , also known as RSL , is an American professional soccer franchise that competes as a member club of Major League Soccer ( MLS ) Western Conference . RSL began play in 2005 as an expansion team of the league . The club was founded in 2004 when the club 's first owner and founder was awarded an expansion berth in Major League Soccer . The club plays its home games at Rio Tinto Stadium , a soccer-specific stadium located in the Salt Lake City suburb of Sandy , Utah , which they share with their sister team , Utah Royals FC . Before moving to Rio Tinto , RSL played home games at Rice-Eccles Stadium , located on the campus of the University of Utah , from 2005-2007 . The team is currently led by interim head coach Freddy Juarez . In domestic soccer , Real Salt Lake won the 2009 MLS Cup , the Supporters Shield in 2010 , and the 2013 edition of the U.S. Open Cup . They were runners-up in the 2013 MLS Cup . The franchise regional success to date was in the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League , where RSL finished runners-up in the tournament becoming the first American club , since the CONCACAF Champions League format was introduced in 2008 , to advance to the final stage of the tournament . Their fully owned USL affiliate , Real Monarchs , won the 2019 USL Championship , the second division title in American soccer .
The 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs was the eighteenth post-season tournament culminating the Major League Soccer regular season . The tournament began in late October and culminated on December 7 , 2013 with MLS Cup 2013 , the eighteenth league championship for MLS . This was the third year that the playoffs included ten teams , and the second playoff series since 2006 in which teams could not cross conference brackets . The top five teams in both the Eastern and Western conferences of the league earned berths , with the top three clubs in each conference earning direct byes to the conference semifinals . The fourth and fifth-place finishers of both conferences competed in a single-elimination play-in match . The play-in winner played their respective conference regular season champion in the conference semifinals , which was a two-leg aggregate series , without the away goals rule enforced . For the second year in a row , each Conference Championship will also be a two-leg aggregate series , as opposed to the traditional single elimination match . The MLS Cup championship will once again remain a single match , but the team with the stronger regular season record will host the final at their home venue . Los Angeles Galaxy were the defending champions , having defeated Houston Dynamo 3-1 in the 2012 MLS Cup . In a break from previous years , only Sporting Kansas City , the MLS Cup winner , directly entered the 2014-15 CONCACAF Champions League , earning a Pot A seed . They were joined by the New York Red Bulls , the Supporters ' Shield winner ; the Portland Timbers , the conference winner from the conference opposite the Supporters ' Shield winner ; and D.C. United , the 2013 U.S. Open Cup champion . However , none of these berths were available to the league 's three Canadian teams , which instead participated in the Canadian Championship for that country 's single berth in the CONCACAF Champions League .
The LA Galaxy , also known as the Los Angeles Galaxy , is an American professional soccer club based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson , California , that competes in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) , as a member of the Western Conference . The club began play in 1996 as one of the league 's ten charter members . The Galaxy was founded in 1994 and is owned by Anschutz Entertainment Group . In their early years , the club played its home games at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena , California . Since 2003 , they have played at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson , California . The team holds a rivalry with the San Jose Earthquakes in the California Clásico and used to play the SuperClasico against city rivals Chivas USA before that team folded in 2014 . A new rival emerged in 2018 in the form of Los Angeles FC in the El Tráfico derby . The franchise is one of Major League Soccer 's most successful teams , with a record five MLS Cups and having appeared an additional four times in the final , and won the Western Conference regular season title eight times , four Supporters ' Shields , two U.S. Open Cups and one CONCACAF Champions ' Cup title . In 2017 , the club added the dubious MLS Wooden Spoon to its trophy case for finishing bottom of the MLS league table . In 2007 , the club made international headlines with the signing of English player David Beckham from Real Madrid , the most high-profile transaction with Major League Soccer to that point . The club has fielded other high-profile international players including Zlatan Ibrahimović , Robbie Keane , Luis Hernández , Giovani dos Santos , Jonathan dos Santos , Jorge Campos , Steven Gerrard , Ashley Cole , and American Landon Donovan who is the all-time leading scorer for the club . Mostly recently in 2020 they signed Javier Chicharito Hernández , the all-time leading scorer for Mexico 's National Team .
The 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs ( branded as the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs presented by AT & T for sponsorship reasons ) was the nineteenth post-season tournament culminating the Major League Soccer regular season . The tournament began in late October and culminated on December 7 , 2014 with MLS Cup 2014 , the nineteenth league championship for MLS . The 2014 playoffs was the first time that the away goals rule was applied to the home-and-away , aggregate-goal series . The first series impacted by the rule was a Western Conference semifinal that saw the Seattle Sounders advance past FC Dallas when the first match ( held in Dallas ) ended 1-1 and the second ( held in Seattle ) ended 0-0 . LA Galaxy defeated New England Revolution 2-1 after extra time in the MLS Cup 2014 , thus earning a spot in the 2015-16 CONCACAF Champions League . Sporting Kansas City were the defending champions , but they were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Knockout Round by New York Red Bulls .
The New England Revolution is an American professional soccer club based in the Greater Boston area that competes in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) , in the Eastern Conference of the league . It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS , having competed in the league since its inaugural season . The club is owned by Robert Kraft , who also owns the New England Patriots along with his son , Jonathan Kraft . The name Revolution refers to the New England region 's significant involvement in the American Revolution that took place from 1775-1783 . New England plays their home matches at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough , Massachusetts , located 21 miles ( 34 km ) southwest of downtown Boston , Massachusetts . The club played their home games at the adjacent and now-demolished Foxboro Stadium , from 1996 until 2001 . The Revs are the only original MLS team to have every league game in their history televised . The Revolution won their first major trophy in the 2007 U.S. Open Cup . The following year , they won the 2008 North American SuperLiga . The Revolution have participated in five MLS Cup finals in 2002 , 2005 , 2006 , 2007 , and 2014 . They also placed second in the 2005 regular season . However , they have never won an MLS Cup or MLS Supporters ' Shield .
New York City Football Club is an American professional soccer club based in New York City , that competes in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) , the highest level of American soccer , as a member of the league 's Eastern Conference . New York City played its first game in 2015 , as the twentieth overall expansion team of the league ; it is the first franchise to be based in the city , and the second in the New York metropolitan area , after the New York Red Bulls , with whom they contest the Hudson River Derby . Since 2015 , the club have played at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx . Jason Kreis was appointed as the club 's first coach , remaining for a single year prior to being replaced by Patrick Vieira . Vieira guided New York City to their first MLS Cup playoff appearance the following season , as well as a runner-up berth in the Supporters ' Shield in 2017 . Vieira 's teams also set Major League Soccer records for the largest improvement in wins for a consecutive season . Based on attendance from the 2019 regular season , New York City 's attendance was ninth-largest in the league . In 2019 , Forbes estimated the franchise was the seventh most valuable in MLS , worth over $ 385 million .
The 2015 Major League Soccer season featured 20 total clubs ( 17 based in the United States , 3 based in Canada ) . The regular season was held from March 6 through to October 25 , whereas the MLS Cup Playoffs began on October 28 and ended with MLS Cup 2015 on December 6 . The defending MLS Cup champions were the LA Galaxy , while Seattle Sounders FC were the defending Supporters ' Shield winners . It was the first season for expansion teams Orlando City SC and New York City FC , who both joined the Eastern Conference , while both the Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City moved from the Eastern Conference to the Western Conference . Chivas USA folded at the end of the 2014 season . At the end of the regular season , the New York Red Bulls of the Eastern Conference won the Supporters ' Shield , while the team on top of the Western Conference was FC Dallas . The Portland Timbers won their first MLS Cup , winning 2-1 at Columbus Crew SC .
Orlando City Soccer Club is an American professional soccer club in Orlando , Florida , that competes as a member of the Eastern Conference in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) . Orlando City SC began play in 2015 as the 21st franchise in MLS , succeeding the USL Pro team of the same name . In doing so they became the first MLS team in Florida since Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny both folded following the 2001 season . The team plays at Exploria Stadium in Downtown Orlando .
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco , Texas . The club competes as a member of the Western Conference in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) . The franchise began play in 1996 as a charter club of the league . The club was founded in 1995 as the Dallas Burn before adopting its current name in 2004 . Dallas plays its home games at their 20,500-capacity soccer-specific Toyota Stadium , where they have played since 2005 . In the club 's early years , Dallas played their home games in the Cotton Bowl . The team is owned by the Hunt Sports Group led by brothers Clark Hunt and Dan Hunt , who is the team 's president . The Hunt family also owns the NFL 's Kansas City Chiefs and part of the Chicago Bulls . FC Dallas in 2016 won their first Supporters ' Shield . In 2010 they were runners-up in the MLS Cup , losing to the Colorado Rapids in extra time . The team has won the U.S. Open Cup on two occasions ( in 1997 and again in 2016 ) . Their fully owned USL affiliate , North Texas SC , won the 2019 USL League One regular season and overall championship titles , the third division title in American soccer .
The 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs ( officially the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons ) was the 20th post-season tournament culminating the Major League Soccer regular season . The tournament began on October 28 with D.C. United defeating New England Revolution and culminated on December 6 , 2015 with MLS Cup 2015 , the twentieth league championship match for MLS . Twelve teams ( top 6 per conference ) competed , up from 10 the last 3 seasons . The first round of each conference had the third-seeded team hosting the sixth seed , while the fourth-seed hosts the fifth , in a single match to determine who advances to the Conference Semifinals . In the Conference Semifinals , the top seed plays the lowest remaining seed while the second seed plays the next-lowest . The winners advanced to the Conference Finals . Both the Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals are played as two-legged aggregate series . If teams are level at the end of the second leg , the away goals rule will be used in attempt to determine a winner . If the away goals rule does not resolve the deadlock , 30 minutes of extra time will be played , but the away goals rule will not be applied after extra time . If scores are still level following extra time , a penalty shootout will be conducted . The winners advance to the MLS Cup final , a single match hosted by the participant with the better record . The winner of MLS Cup 2015 , Portland Timbers qualified for the 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League .
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City , Colorado . The Rapids compete in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) as a member of the Western Conference . The franchise began play in 1996 as one of the charter clubs in MLS . Colorado won the MLS Cup in 2010 , their second MLS Cup appearance . The first appearance was in 1997 , losing to D.C. United . They were also runners up of the U.S. Open Cup in the 1999 tournament , where they lost to the Rochester Raging Rhinos , the last time a non-MLS team has won the Cup . The Rapids play their home games at Dick 's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City , moving to the stadium after it opened during the 2007 season .
The 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs ( branded as the 2016 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons ) began on October 26 , and ended on December 10 with MLS Cup 2016 , the 21st league championship match for MLS . This was the 21st version of the MLS Cup Playoffs , the tournament culminating the Major League Soccer regular season . Twelve teams ( the top 6 per conference ) competed . The first round of each conference had the third-seeded team hosting the sixth seed while the fourth-seed hosted the fifth in a single match to determine who advanced to the Conference Semifinals . In the Conference Semifinals , the top seed played the lowest remaining seed while the second played the next-lowest . The winners advanced to the Conference Finals . Both the Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals were played as two-legged aggregate series . The winners advanced to the MLS Cup , a single match hosted by the participant with the better record . Seattle Sounders FC defeated Toronto FC 5-4 on penalties to win their first ever MLS Cup . The game ended scoreless after extra time . It was the first MLS Cup in league history that two expansion teams participated in the final . It was also the first time in the league 's history that a Canadian MLS team competed in the MLS Cup .
Minnesota United FC is an American professional soccer club based in Saint Paul , Minnesota that plays in the Western Conference of Major League Soccer . The club began play in 2017 as the league 's 22nd club , and replaced the North American Soccer League ( NASL ) franchise of the same name . The club played its home games at TCF Bank Stadium , on the campus of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis , for its first two seasons in MLS play . The club began playing in Saint Paul ( becoming the city 's fourth professional sports team , joining the Minnesota Wild , the St. Paul Saints , and Minnesota Whitecaps ) , at Allianz Field in the Midway neighborhood starting in the spring of 2019 . Minnesota United FC 's ownership is led by Bill McGuire , former CEO of UnitedHealth Group , and includes other Minnesota sports owners : the Pohlad family , owners of the Twins ; Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor ; former Wild investor Glen Nelson , and his daughter Wendy Carlson Nelson of the Carlson hospitality company .
The 2017 Major League Soccer season was the 22nd season of Major League Soccer , top division of soccer in the United States and Canada . The regular season began on March 3 , 2017 and concluded on October 22 , 2017 . The MLS Cup Playoffs began on October 25 , 2017 and concluded with MLS Cup 2017 on December 9 , 2017 . Two new clubs joined the league as expansion franchises : Atlanta United FC and Minnesota United FC . The two franchises were the 21st and 22nd teams in the league . Seattle Sounders FC were the defending MLS Cup champions , while FC Dallas were the defending Supporters ' Shield champions . Toronto FC became the first Canadian team to win the Cup and Shield . Toronto 's win of the Canadian Championship in the same year earned them the first domestic treble by an MLS side .
The Montreal Impact ( French : Impact de Montréal ) is a Canadian professional soccer team based in Montreal , Quebec . The Impact competes as a member of the Eastern Conference in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) . The team began play in 2012 as an expansion team of the league , being the league 's third Canadian club , and replaced the North American Soccer League team of the same name . In 2015 , the Impact became the second MLS club , and first Canadian club , to advance to the final of the CONCACAF Champions League , in its current name since 2008 , where they had finished runners up in the two game aggregate goal series against Club América . The Impact had won the Canadian Championship in 2013 , 2014 and 2019 . The club plays its home games at Saputo Stadium and is coached by Thierry Henry .
Columbus Crew Soccer Club is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus , Ohio . The Crew competes in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) as a member of the league 's Eastern Conference and began play in 1996 as one of the ten charter clubs of the league . The team is currently being operated by an ownership group led by the Haslam family and former team doctor Pete Edwards . The Haslam/Edwards group is the third owner in club history . The franchise was founded in 1994 as simply the Columbus Crew . Since 1999 , the Crew has played home games at Mapfre Stadium , the first soccer-specific stadium ever built for an MLS team , with a seating capacity of 19,968 as of the 2015 season . From 1996 to 1998 , the Crew played its home games at Ohio Stadium on the campus of the Ohio State University . In 2014 , the team set club attendance records for both most cumulative attendance and most sellouts . Crew SC has won five major trophies : MLS Cup 2008 , the Supporters ' Shield in 2004 , 2008 , and 2009 , and the 2002 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup . The Crew have qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League ( or its predecessor , the CONCACAF Champions ' Cup ) three times , reaching the quarterfinals each time .
The 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs ( branded as the 2017 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons ) began on October 25 , and ended on December 9 with MLS Cup 2017 , the 22nd league championship match for MLS . This is the 22nd version of the MLS Cup Playoffs , the tournament culminating the Major League Soccer regular season . Twelve teams , the top six of each conference , compete in the MLS Cup Playoffs . The first round of each conference has the third-seeded team hosting the sixth seed while the fourth-seed hosts the fifth seed in a single match to determine who advances to the Conference Semifinals . In the Conference Semifinals , the top seed plays the lowest remaining seed while the second plays the next-lowest . The winners advance to the Conference Finals . Both the Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals are played as a two-legged aggregate series . The winners advance to the MLS Cup , a single match hosted by the participant with the better record .
Houston Dynamo are an American professional soccer club based in Houston , Texas . The franchise competes in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) , as a member of the Western Conference . The Dynamo had first played their home games at Robertson Stadium on the University of Houston campus until 2011 . Since 2012 , the Dynamo has played home matches at BBVA Stadium , a soccer-specific stadium located in Houston . The Dynamo was established on December 15 , 2005 , when the then owner of the San Jose Earthquakes , Anschutz Entertainment Group , announced that the team was relocating to Houston after failed attempts in securing a soccer-specific stadium in San Jose , California . The club would then be an expansion team of the league , which began play in 2006 . The Dynamo are owned by Gabriel Brener , Jake Silverstein , Ben Guill , NBA star James Harden , and former boxer Oscar De La Hoya . Houston Dynamo 's domestic success consists of winning the 2006 and 2007 MLS Cups in their first two seasons . They also won the U.S. Open Cup in 2018 . In 2008 , Houston became the first American club to secure a point on Mexican soil in the CONCACAF Champions League era during the 2008-2017 format of the tournament .
FC Cincinnati is an American professional soccer club based in Cincinnati , Ohio . The club plays in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer ( MLS ) . The team succeeded the lower-division team of the same name and was announced on May 29 , 2018 , when MLS awarded an expansion franchise to Cincinnati . The team began MLS play on March 2 , 2019 with its first match against Seattle Sounders FC . The club 's ownership group is led by Carl H. Lindner III with Jeff Berding serving as president and Gerard Nijkamp as general manager .
The 2019 Major League Soccer season was the 24th season of Major League Soccer . The regular season began on March 2 , 2019 and ended on October 6 . The MLS Cup Playoffs began on October 19 and concluded with MLS Cup 2019 on November 10 , under a new format that included 14 teams and consisted only of single-match rounds . FC Cincinnati joined the league as an expansion franchise , bringing the total number of clubs to 24 . Minnesota United FC opened their first soccer-specific stadium , Allianz Field , on April 13 . Atlanta United FC were the defending MLS Cup champions , while New York Red Bulls were the defending Supporters ' Shield winners . Los Angeles FC won their first Supporters ' Shield with an MLS single-season record 72 points , while Seattle Sounders FC won their second MLS Cup title .
The New York Red Bulls are an American professional soccer club based in Harrison , New Jersey . The Red Bulls compete as a member of the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer ( MLS ) . The club was established in October 1994 and began play in the league 's inaugural season in 1996 as the New York/New Jersey MetroStars . In 2006 , the team was sold to Red Bull GmbH and re-branded as part of the company 's global network of football clubs , leading to the team 's current name . The Red Bulls have played their home matches at Red Bull Arena since 2010 , having previously played at Giants Stadium . The club is one of two teams in MLS based in the New York metropolitan region along with New York City FC , which entered the league in 2015 . The two sides compete against each other in the Hudson River Derby . The team 's current head coach is former United States international midfielder Chris Armas . The Red Bulls have reached the MLS Cup final once in 2008 where they were defeated by the Columbus Crew . The club has won three regular season Supporters ' Shield titles in 2013 , 2015 and 2018 , and has also twice reached the final of the U.S. Open Cup in 2003 and 2017 , losing on both occasions .
The 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs ( branded as the 2018 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons ) began on October 31 and ended on December 8 with MLS Cup 2018 , the 23rd league championship match for MLS . This was the 23rd version of the MLS Cup Playoffs , the tournament culminating the Major League Soccer regular season . Twelve teams , the top six of each conference , competed in the MLS Cup Playoffs . The first round of each conference had the third-seeded team hosting the sixth seed while the fourth-seed hosted the fifth seed in a single match to determine who advanced to the Conference Semifinals . In the Conference Semifinals , the top seed played the lowest remaining seed while the second played the next-lowest . The winners advanced to the Conference Finals . Both the Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals were played as a two-legged aggregate series . The winners advanced to the MLS Cup , a single match hosted by the participant with the better regular season record which was played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta . Toronto FC were the defending MLS Cup champions , but failed to qualify for the playoffs . Atlanta United FC won their first MLS Cup title .
The Portland Timbers is an American professional soccer club based in Portland , Oregon . The Timbers compete in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) as a member club of the league 's Western Conference . The Timbers have played their home games at Providence Park since 2011 , when the team began play as an expansion team in the league . The club was founded in 2009 , when the city of Portland was awarded an expansion berth to Major League Soccer . The team is owned by Peregrine Sports under the majority ownership of Merritt Paulson , whose companies had acquired the then-USL Pro team in 2007 and later established the Portland Thorns women 's team in 2012 . The club is a phoenix club , and the fourth soccer franchise based in Portland to carry the legacy of the Timbers name , which originated with the original team , in the North American Soccer League in 1975 . In 2013 , the Timbers finished the regular season in first place in the Western Conference , clinching both their first-ever playoff appearance and a CONCACAF Champions League berth . In 2015 , the franchise won the Western Conference Finals in the playoffs , and their first major trophy , the MLS Cup , becoming the first team in Cascadia to do so . In 2017 , the club again finished the regular season in first place in the Western Conference . In 2018 , the Timbers again made the playoffs , advancing in three rounds , defeating archrival Seattle in the semifinals along the way , and made the MLS Cup where they lost 2-0 to Atlanta United FC .
Sporting Kansas City , often shortened to Sporting KC , is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City , Kansas . The administrative offices are located in Downtown Kansas City , Missouri , and the team clubhouse and practice facilities are located in Kansas City , Kansas near Children 's Mercy Park . The club competes as a member of the Western Conference in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) , having returned in 2015 after spending ten seasons in the Eastern Conference . Sporting KC began play in 1996 as a charter team in the league , then known as the Kansas City Wiz . The team was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1995 . Since moving across the state line , they have been the only major professional sports league franchise to play their home games in Kansas . For the majority of their existence , the franchise were known as the Kansas City Wizards . The team rebranded in November 2010 , coinciding with its move to their home stadium , now known as Children 's Mercy Park . The franchise has won the MLS Cup twice ( 2000 , 2013 ) , the Supporters ' Shield in 2000 , and the U.S. Open Cup in 2004 , 2012 , 2015 and 2017 . The club also has a reserve team , Sporting Kansas City II , that plays in the second-tier USL Championship .