MLS Decision Day 2020 coming up Sunday with much to be decided
NEW YORK – The crescendo of Major League Soccer’s 25th season will reach peak levels this Sunday, Nov. 8, with everything on the line for MLS Decision Day.
This suspense-filled grand finale of the regular season will feature all 26 teams in action on a single matchday, with seven simultaneous Eastern Conference matchups at 3:30 p.m. ET, followed by six simultaneous Western Conference matchups at 6:30 p.m. ET.
On a day like no other in MLS history with all 26 clubs in action, the high stakes of MLS Decision Day 2020 will determine the final league standings, No. 1 seed in the MLS Cup Playoffs, homefield advantage in the postseason, winner of the Golden Boot, and the teams in or out of the MLS Cup Playoffs picture.
The race to the top of the table is coming down to the wire between the Philadelphia Union, Toronto FC, Columbus Crew SC, and the Portland Timbers with the top seed in the 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs, homefield advantage in the postseason, and a berth to the 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League all on the line.
The Los Angeles Football Club’s 22-year-old Diego Rossi with 13 goals could become one of the youngest winners of the Golden Boot if he can hold off a field of competitors including Columbus Crew SC’s Gyasi Zardes and his 11 goals.
This Sunday will make or break the season for the final nine clubs vying to finish above the playoff line. Five teams are battling for the last two spots in the Eastern Conference, and four teams are jockeying for the last two spots in the Western Conference.
Coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. ET with the hour-long “MLS Decision Day Pregame Show,” which will be hosted by MLSsoccer.com’s Susannah Collins, Calen Carr, Matt Doyle, Andrew Wiebe and additional special guests providing key storylines, tactical analysis, and cutting live to MLS stadiums for up-to-the-minute breaking news and interviews.
The drama kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET, with all 14 Eastern Conference teams kicking off in seven simultaneous games, and the final two Play-In Round seeds completely up for grabs. In the East, a spotlight will shine on the duel between the Philadelphia Union and New England Revolution on ABC and ESPN Deportes, with the Union’s chances to finish atop the league standings at stake. Meanwhile, Thierry Henry could be on the way to his first postseason appearance as a head coach with his Montreal Impact on the brink of a playoff berth.
Immediately following the conclusion of Philadelphia vs. New England on ABC, “Decision Day presented by AT&T Live” returns on MLSsoccer.com, the MLS App, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to recap the Eastern Conference games.
Once the dust settles in the East, the urgency heats up at 6:30 p.m. ET with six simultaneous Western Conference games set to determine the final qualifying teams in MLS Cup Playoffs. FOX Sports will broadcast the showdown between LAFC and the top-ranked Portland Timbers on FS1 and FOX Deportes.
TSN will host coverage of New York Red Bulls vs. Toronto FC (3:30 p.m. ET) and D.C. United vs. the Montreal Impact (3:30 p.m. ET) in the Eastern Conference, followed by Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. LA Galaxy (6:30 p.m. ET) in the Western Conference. TVA Sports also will carry the final regular season match for the Montreal Impact, as they face D.C. United (3:30 p.m. ET).
The complete slate of games for MLS Decision Day 2020 presented by AT&T can be found here.
