| top goal scorer = Taty Castellanos Hany Mukhtar(3 goals each) | prevseason = 2020 | nextseason = 2022
The 2021 MLS Cup playoffs (branded as the Audi 2021 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 playoffs marked the first time since 2004 that no teams from Texas qualified, and the first time ever that no teams from California qualified. This was also the only time that no teams from the Los Angeles area qualified.
Qualified teams
Eastern Conference Atlanta United FC Nashville SC New England Revolution New York City FC New York Red Bulls Orlando City SC Philadelphia Union
Western Conference Colorado Rapids Minnesota United FC Portland Timbers Real Salt Lake Seattle Sounders FC Sporting Kansas City Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Conference standings The top seven teams in the Eastern and Western Conference qualified 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.
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Bracket
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 received a bye to the conference semifinals.
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Conference semifinals The higher-seeded teams in each match-up as determined by regular season ranking hosted the matches.
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Conference finals The higher-seeded teams in each conference as determined by regular season ranking hosted the matches.
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
MLS Cup 2021
The highest-ranked team remaining in the overall table (Portland Timbers) hosted the match.
Goalscorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Taty CastellanosNew York City FC3 Hany MukhtarNashville SC3 Sebastián BlancoPortland Timbers2 Larrys MabialaPortland Timbers Felipe MoraPortland Timbers6 Tajon BuchananNew England Revolution1 Adam BuksaNew England Revolution Jhonder CádizNashville SC Alexander CallensNew York City FC Cristian DájomeVancouver Whitecaps FC Daryl DikeOrlando City SC Franco FragapaneMinnesota United FC Dániel GazdagPhiladelphia Union Jakob GlesnesPhiladelphia Union Nicolas Isimat-MirinSporting Kansas City Anderson JulioReal Salt Lake Talles MagnoNew York City FC Maxi MoralezNew York City FC Santiago MorenoPortland Timbers Santiago RodríguezNew York City FC Johnny RussellSporting Kansas City Khiry SheltonSporting Kansas City Bobby WoodReal Salt Lake Graham ZusiSporting Kansas City
References