| goals = 52 | top goal scorer = Josef Martínez Diego Valeri(4 goals each) | prevseason = 2017 | nextseason = 2019
The 2018 MLS Cup playoffs (branded as the Audi 2018 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, with the higher-seed hosting the second leg. The winners advanced to the MLS Cup, a single match hosted by the participant with the better regular season record.
Toronto FC were the defending MLS Cup champions, but failed to qualify for the playoffs.
Atlanta United FC won their first MLS Cup title, defeating the Portland Timbers 2–0 in MLS Cup, held at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
Qualified teams Eastern Conference Atlanta United FC Columbus Crew SC D.C. United New York City FC New York Red Bulls Philadelphia Union
Western Conference FC Dallas Los Angeles FC Portland Timbers Real Salt Lake Seattle Sounders FC Sporting Kansas City
Conference standings The top six teams from each conference advanced to the MLS Cup playoffs.
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Bracket
Knockout round
Summary
|colspan="5" bgcolor=#87CEFA align=center|Eastern Conference
|colspan="5" bgcolor=#FFAEB9 align=center|Western Conference
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Conference semifinals
Summary
|colspan="5" bgcolor=#87CEFA|Eastern Conference
|colspan="5" bgcolor=#FFAEB9|Western Conference
Eastern Conference
New York Red Bulls won 3–1 on aggregate.
Atlanta United FC won 4–1 on aggregate.
Western Conference
4–4 on aggregate. Portland Timbers won 4–2 on penalties.
Sporting Kansas City won 5–3 on aggregate.
Conference finals
Summary
|colspan="5" bgcolor=#87CEFA|Eastern Conference
|colspan="5" bgcolor=#FFAEB9|Western Conference
Eastern Conference
Atlanta United FC won 3–1 on aggregate.
Western Conference
Portland Timbers won 3–2 on aggregate.
MLS Cup 2018
Statistics Top goalscorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Josef MartínezAtlanta United FC4 Diego ValeriPortland Timbers3 Sebastián BlancoPortland Timbers3 Damir KreilachReal Salt Lake Raúl RuidíazSeattle Sounders FC Dániel SallóiSporting Kansas City7 Franco EscobarAtlanta United FC2 Federico HiguaínColumbus Crew SC Daniel RoyerNew York Red Bulls Diego RubioSporting Kansas City
Best XI The following players were chosen as the best eleven of the 2018 playoffs. GoalkeeperDefendersMidfieldersForwards Jeff Attinella (POR) Aaron Long (NYR) Matt Besler (SKC) Leandro González Pírez (ATL) Franco Escobar (ATL) Sebastián Blanco (POR) Miguel Almirón (ATL) Diego Chará (POR) Diego Valeri (POR) Josef Martínez (ATL) Johnny Russell (SKC)
References