Western_Conference_(MLS)
Western Conference (MLS)
Collection of top-flight soccer teams in North America
The Western Conference is one of Major League Soccer's two conferences, along with the Eastern Conference. As of 2023, the division of the Conferences broadly follows the path of the Mississippi river from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, with clubs on, or west of the River in the Western Conference.
| League | Major League Soccer |
|---|---|
| Sport | Soccer |
| Founded | 1996 |
| No. of teams | 14 |
| Most recent champion(s) | Los Angeles FC (2023) (1st title) |
| Most titles | LA Galaxy (5 titles) |
As of 2023, the Western Conference contains fourteen teams. The conference has produced eleven Supporters' Shield champions and seventeen MLS Cup winners in Major League Soccer's first 27 seasons. In 2000 and 2001, the conference was referred to as the Western Division when Major League Soccer briefly reorganized into three divisions.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LA Galaxy | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 12 | +5 | 15 | Qualification for Round One and the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round One |
| 2 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 9 | +6 | 13 | Qualification for Round One |
| 3 | Houston Dynamo FC | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 7 | +2 | 13 | |
| 4 | Real Salt Lake | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 8 | +3 | 12 | |
| 5 | Colorado Rapids | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 12 | +1 | 12 | |
| 6 | Los Angeles FC | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 12 | +1 | 11 | |
| 7 | Minnesota United FC | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 9 | +1 | 11 | |
| 8 | St. Louis City SC | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 11 | +1 | 11 | Qualification for the Wild card round |
| 9 | Sporting Kansas City | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 13 | +1 | 10 | |
| 10 | Portland Timbers | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 9 | |
| 11 | Austin FC | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 13 | −2 | 9 | |
| 12 | Seattle Sounders FC | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 7 | +2 | 6 | |
| 13 | FC Dallas | 7 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 10 | −4 | 5 | |
| 14 | San Jose Earthquakes | 8 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 20 | −10 | 3 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)
Current
Timeline
Western Conference member Eastern Conference member Central Division member
1996 (5 teams)
Changes from 1995: Creation of the Major League Soccer.
1997 (5 teams)
- Colorado Rapids
- Dallas Burn
- Kansas City Wizards
- Los Angeles Galaxy
- San Jose Clash
Changes from 1996: Kansas City changed their name from Wiz to Wizards.
1998–99 (6 teams)
- Chicago Fire
- Colorado Rapids
- Dallas Burn
- Kansas City Wizards
- Los Angeles Galaxy
- San Jose Clash
Changes from 1997: The Chicago Fire was added in the 1998 expansion.
2000–01 (as Western Division) (4 teams)
- Colorado Rapids
- Kansas City Wizards
- Los Angeles Galaxy
- San Jose Earthquakes
Changes from 1999: The Western Conference renamed itself the Western Division upon the creation of the Central Division; Chicago Fire and Dallas Burn moved into the new division; The San Jose Clash renamed to the Earthquakes.
2002–04 (5 teams)
- Colorado Rapids
- Dallas Burn
- Kansas City Wizards
- Los Angeles Galaxy
- San Jose Earthquakes
Changes from 2001: The Western Division renamed back to Western Conference following the contraction of the Miami Fusion and the Tampa Bay Mutiny, resulting in the disbanding of the Central Division; Dallas Burn moved in from the Central Division.
2005 (6 teams)
- Chivas USA
- Colorado Rapids
- FC Dallas
- Los Angeles Galaxy
- Real Salt Lake
- San Jose Earthquakes
Changes from 2004: Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake were added in the 2005 expansion; Kansas City Wizards moved to the Eastern Conference; The Dallas Burn renamed to FC Dallas.
2006–07 (6 teams)
- Chivas USA
- Colorado Rapids
- FC Dallas
- Houston Dynamo
- Los Angeles Galaxy
- Real Salt Lake
Changes from 2005: The San Jose Earthquakes was put on hiatus; The Houston Dynamo joined the league as an expansion franchise.
2008 (7 teams)
- Chivas USA
- Colorado Rapids
- FC Dallas
- Houston Dynamo
- Los Angeles Galaxy
- Real Salt Lake
- San Jose Earthquakes
Changes from 2007: The San Jose Earthquakes return to MLS after its hiatus.
2009–10 (8 teams)
- Chivas USA
- Colorado Rapids
- FC Dallas
- Houston Dynamo
- Los Angeles Galaxy
- Real Salt Lake
- San Jose Earthquakes
- Seattle Sounders FC
Changes from 2008: Seattle Sounders FC were added in the 2009 expansion.
2011–14 (9 teams)
- Chivas USA
- Colorado Rapids
- FC Dallas
- Los Angeles Galaxy
- Portland Timbers
- Real Salt Lake
- San Jose Earthquakes
- Seattle Sounders FC
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Changes from 2010: The Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC were added in the 2011 expansion; Houston Dynamo moved to the Eastern Conference.
2015–16 (10 teams)
- Colorado Rapids
- FC Dallas
- Houston Dynamo
- Los Angeles Galaxy
- Portland Timbers
- Real Salt Lake
- San Jose Earthquakes
- Seattle Sounders FC
- Sporting Kansas City
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Changes from 2014: Chivas USA ceases operations; Sporting Kansas City and the Houston Dynamo move in from the Eastern Conference.[1]
2017 (11 teams)
- Colorado Rapids
- FC Dallas
- Houston Dynamo
- Los Angeles Galaxy
- Minnesota United FC
- Portland Timbers
- Real Salt Lake
- San Jose Earthquakes
- Seattle Sounders FC
- Sporting Kansas City
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Changes from 2016: Minnesota United FC was added in the 2017 expansion.[2]
2018–19 (12 teams)
- Colorado Rapids
- FC Dallas
- Houston Dynamo
- LA Galaxy
- Los Angeles FC
- Minnesota United FC
- Portland Timbers
- Real Salt Lake
- San Jose Earthquakes
- Seattle Sounders FC
- Sporting Kansas City
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Changes from 2017: Los Angeles FC was added in the 2018 expansion.
2020 (12 teams)
- Colorado Rapids
- FC Dallas
- Houston Dynamo
- LA Galaxy
- Los Angeles FC
- Minnesota United FC
- Portland Timbers
- Real Salt Lake
- San Jose Earthquakes
- Seattle Sounders FC
- Sporting Kansas City
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Changes from 2019: Nashville SC was added in the 2020 expansion, but moved to the Eastern Conference since the MLS is Back Tournament up to the end of the 2020 season.[3]
2021 (13 teams)
- Austin FC
- Colorado Rapids
- FC Dallas
- Houston Dynamo FC
- LA Galaxy
- Los Angeles FC
- Minnesota United FC
- Portland Timbers
- Real Salt Lake
- San Jose Earthquakes
- Seattle Sounders FC
- Sporting Kansas City
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Changes from 2020: Nashville SC moved to the Eastern Conference;[4] Austin FC was added in the 2021 expansion; Houston Dynamo added "FC" to their name.
2022 (14 teams)
- Austin FC
- Colorado Rapids
- FC Dallas
- Houston Dynamo FC
- LA Galaxy
- Los Angeles FC
- Minnesota United FC
- Nashville SC
- Portland Timbers
- Real Salt Lake
- San Jose Earthquakes
- Seattle Sounders FC
- Sporting Kansas City
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Change from 2021: Nashville SC moved in from the Eastern Conference.[5][6]
2023–24 (14 teams)
- Austin FC
- Colorado Rapids
- FC Dallas
- Houston Dynamo FC
- LA Galaxy
- Los Angeles FC
- Minnesota United FC
- Portland Timbers
- Real Salt Lake
- San Jose Earthquakes
- Seattle Sounders FC
- Sporting Kansas City
- St. Louis City SC
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Changes from 2022: Nashville SC moved back to the Eastern Conference as expansion side St. Louis City SC was added to the Western Conference.[7]
Note: The conference finals were a best-of-three series through 2001 (including the MLS semifinals in 2000 and 2001, when a conference playoff format was not used). Matches tied after regulation were decided by a shoot-out. In 2002, a similar format was used except that draws were allowed and the team earning the most points advanced. From 2003 through 2011, the Finals were a single match. Matches tied after regulation went to extra time (Golden goal extra time was implemented for 2003 only), then a shoot-out if necessary. Beginning in 2012, the finals were a two-match aggregate series. The away goals rule for series that finished even on aggregate was first implemented in 2014. Extra time and shoot-outs were used if necessary, although away goals did not apply in extra time. In 2019, the playoffs returned to a single match, single elimination format (including the conference finals), which were hosted by the higher placed team in the regular season.
From 2015 to 2021, the Western Conference was represented in the MLS Cup by either Seattle Sounders FC or the Portland Timbers.[8]
| Bold | MLS Cup champions |
E – Eastern Conference team.
Western Conference Champion counts by team
As of the 2023 season, a total of fourteen different teams have competed in the Western Conference finals, and twelve of those teams have won at least once. In the table below, teams are ordered first by the number of appearances in a Western Conference finals, then by the number of wins, and finally by year. Note that this table does not include years that a Western Conference team appeared in the Eastern Conference in the playoffs (such as 2010), and it does include appearances by Eastern Conference teams. Chivas USA (defunct), Nashville SC, St. Louis City SC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC have never made it to the Western Conference finals.
| Club | Appearances | Wins | Losses | Most recent Year of Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LA Galaxy | 11 | 8 | 3 | 2014 |
| Seattle Sounders FC | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2020 |
| Houston Dynamo FC | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2023 |
| Colorado Rapids | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2016 |
| Sporting Kansas City | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2007 |
| FC Dallas | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2015 |
| Real Salt Lake | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2013 |
| Portland Timbers | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2021 |
| New York Red Bulls (Eastern Conference team) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2008 |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2003 |
| Chicago Fire FC (now in Eastern Conference) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1998 |
| Minnesota United FC | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2020 |
| Los Angeles FC | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2023 |
| Austin FC | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2022 |
| Bold | Supporters' Shield champions |
^ – MLS did not have draws until the 2000 season.
† – The LA Galaxy were declared winners of the Western Division in 2001 after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks forced the cancellation of the rest of the regular season. The MLS Cup Playoffs began on September 20.
In 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2004, the Major League Soccer All-Star Game was contested between an all-star team from the Western Conference against an all-star team from the Eastern Conference. In total, the MLS West all-star team has 1 win, 1 draw, and 4 losses against the east.
- "MLS announces new strategy for Los Angeles market, 2015 conference alignment". mlssoccer.com. Major League Soccer. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
- "Atlanta to join Eastern Conference in 2017, Minnesota to compete in West". Major League Soccer. August 20, 2016. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- "Nashville SC moves to Eastern Conference for remainder of 2020 season". MLSsoccer.com. June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
- Hills, Drake (December 8, 2020). "MLS Commissioner: Nashville SC in Eastern Conference next season but spot unknown beyond 2021". Tennessean. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
- "MLS Announces 2022 Schedule Format & Conference Alignment". MLSSoccer.com. MLS Digital. November 5, 2021. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- Hills, Drake (November 5, 2021). "MLS reassigns Nashville SC to Western Conference for 2022 season. Here's what it means". Tennessean. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
- "MLS moving Nashville SC back to Eastern Conference". September 30, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- "Portland Timbers win continues Pacific Northwest dominance of Western Conference titles". MLSsoccer.com. December 4, 2021. Retrieved October 30, 2022.