The Seattle Sounders will begin the MLS Cup Playoffs against FC Dallas on Monday, Oct. 30 at 6 PM PST, it was announced on Sunday. The best-of-3 series will then continue in Dallas on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 6 PM PST. If the two teams split those games, a third game will be played at Lumen Field on Friday, Nov. 10 at 7 PM PST.
Unlike the MLS regular season when virtually every game was played on Saturday night, the playoffs are much more haphazardly scheduled seemingly in deference national TV considerations. While there's roughly a week between most matches, there's at least one game on every day of the week and kickoffs are all over the map.
The only Sounders match that is scheduled to be aired on national TV is Game 1, which will be carried by FS1. All of the matches will also be available through MLS Season Pass on AppleTV.
This will be the sixth time the Sounders have faced FC Dallas in the playoffs. The Sounders have won 4 of 5 meetings, including the last one in 2020 on the way to the MLS Cup Final. The Western Conference rivals tied both of their encounters this year with both matches ending 1-1.
This will be the first year that MLS has employed this version of its Best-of-3 format. Every game will have a winner, with the matches going directly to penalties if the score is tied at the end of regulation. The conference semifinals, finals and MLS Cup will all be single-elimination, however.
If the Sounders advance beyond FC Dallas, they will host the winner of the LAFC-Vancouver Whitecaps series.
