View source for MLS Cup

{{Short description|Annual soccer tournament}}
{{about|the championship|the tournament|MLS Cup playoffs|the trophy|Philip F. Anschutz Trophy}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2016}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox football tournament
| name = MLS Cup
| logo = MLS Cup logo.svg
| imagesize = 250px
| founded = 1996
| region = [[Major League Soccer]] ([[CONCACAF]])
| current champions = [[LA Galaxy]] (6th title)
| most successful team = LA Galaxy (6 titles) 
| broadcasters = 
{{unbulleted list
| '''United States''':
| [[MLS Season Pass]] 
| [[MLS on Fox|Fox/Fox Deportes]]
| '''Canada''':
| [[The Sports Network|TSN]]/[[Réseau des sports|RDS]]
| '''International''':
| [[List of current Major League Soccer broadcasters#International video broadcasters|Broadcasters]]
}}
| current = [[MLS Cup 2025]]
| website = {{URL|https://www.mlssoccer.com/meta/competition/mls-cup|mlssoccer.com}}
}}
'''MLS Cup''' is the annual championship game of [[Major League Soccer]] (MLS) and the culmination of the [[MLS Cup playoffs]]. The game is held in November or December and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Conference Final. The MLS Cup winner is awarded the title of league champion.

MLS uses a playoff tournament following the regular season to determine its annual league champion, a method used by other [[major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada]]. This format differs from most soccer leagues around the world, which consider the club with the most points at the end of the season to be the champion; MLS honors that achievement with the [[Supporters' Shield]].

The winner of MLS Cup is awarded one of the country's four berths in the following season's [[CONCACAF Champions Cup]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2017/04/06/concacaf-champions-league-ccl-qualifying-format-changes|title=CONCACAF resolves qualifying problem for future CCL|last=Staff|first=SI com|website=SI.com|access-date=December 10, 2018}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/09/22/how-concacaf-champions-league-qualifiers-are-determined-mls|title=2019 CONCACAF Champions League qualifying process clarified|last=MLS Soccer Staff|date=October 21, 2018|access-date=December 10, 2018}}</ref>{{efn-ua|Canadian MLS teams could not earn a berth through MLS play until 2023.}} The three Canadian teams of MLS do the same in addition to the zonal competition, the [[Leagues Cup]], or with victory in the lock-out based [[Canadian Championship]]—if a team wins multiple berths or if any U.S.-based spots is claimed by a Canadian team, the Champions Cup berth tied to the game is passed on to the highest-placed U.S.-based team in the overall regular season table that did not already qualify.<ref name=":0" />

The [[MLS Cup 1996|inaugural MLS Cup]] was held on October 20, 1996, in which [[D.C. United]] defeated the [[LA Galaxy]]. The Galaxy are the most successful team in MLS Cup history, winning a record sixth title in [[MLS Cup 2024|2024]].

Three trophy designs have been used for MLS Cup: the [[Alan I. Rothenberg]] Trophy from 1996 through 1998, a redesigned Alan I. Rothenberg Trophy from 1999 through 2007, and the [[Philip F. Anschutz Trophy]] since 2008.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mainka|first=Jurgen|title=Breakfast at Tiffany's: New MLS Cup Trophy Unveiled|url=http://redbullsreader.wordpress.com/2008/10/29/breakfast-at-tiffanys-new-mls-cup-trophy-unveiled/|work=Red Bulls Reader|publisher=Red Bull New York|access-date=March 28, 2011|date=October 28, 2008}}</ref>

==History==

=== D.C. United dynasty ===
MLS Cup's roots trace back to the foundation of Major League Soccer, when the league decided to hold a championship format similar to its contemporary North American sports leagues.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Rushin|first=Steve|date=September 16, 1996|title=A Real Kick Major League Soccer - Yes, Soccer - has Put Fans in the Stands and U.S. Stars on the Field|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1996/09/16/a-real-kick-major-league-socceryes-soccerhas-put-fans-in-the-stands-and-us-stars-on-the-field|access-date=December 14, 2020|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]}}</ref> The first few editions of the game were dominated by [[D.C. United]], who appeared in the first four MLS Cup finals, winning three.<ref>{{Cite web|date=December 11, 2020|title=Six D.C. United legends named to Major League Soccer's 'The Greatest 25'|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/six-dc-united-legends-named-major-league-soccers-greatest-25|access-date=December 14, 2020|website=[[NBC Sports]]}}</ref>

The inaugural MLS Cup in [[MLS Cup 1996|1996]] featured D.C. United and [[LA Galaxy]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=October 20, 1996|title=D.C. United wins first cup in 1996|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/sounders/mls-cup-history-dc-united-wins-first-cup-in-1996/|access-date=November 16, 2009|website=[[Seattle Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Nwulu|first=Mac|date=April 3, 2020|title=ESPN to Celebrate 25 Years of Major League Soccer with Eight-Hour Programming Marathon on Monday|url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2020/04/espn-to-celebrate-25-years-of-major-league-soccer-with-eight-hour-programming-marathon-on-monday/|access-date=December 14, 2020|website=ESPN Press Room}}</ref> The Galaxy went ahead 2–0 early in the second half, but their lead was relinquished towards the end of the match when [[Tony Sanneh]] pulled one back in the 72nd minute. Nine minutes later, [[Shawn Medved]] tied the match at two, resulting in [[overtime (soccer)|overtime]] between the two sides. Four minutes into overtime, [[Eddie Pope]] gave United the [[golden goal]] victory.<ref>{{Cite web|date=December 12, 2020|title=The full story of the former DC United star Eddie Pope's game-winning goal in the 1996 MLS Cup|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/12/12/full-story-former-dc-united-star-eddie-popes-game-winning-goal-1996-mls-cup|access-date=December 14, 2020|website=MLSSoccer.com}}</ref>

In [[MLS Cup 1997|1997]], the second league cup final was contested at [[Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium|RFK Stadium]], where United won back-to-back titles, a feat that would not be accomplished for another decade (when the [[Houston Dynamo FC|Houston Dynamo]] won the 2006 and 2007 finals). The game ended 2–1 in United's favor over the [[Colorado Rapids]], who would not win a championship until [[MLS Cup 2010|2010]]. [[Jaime Moreno (footballer, born 1974)|Jaime Moreno]] was declared [[Man of the Match]] for his goal in the 37th minute of play. This season was also the first time in league history any MLS team won the regular season ([[MLS Supporters' Shield|Supporters' Shield]]) and postseason title in the same season.

D.C. United's run ended the third year, when they made a third run to the MLS Cup finals, only to lose to the expansion side [[Chicago Fire FC|Chicago Fire]] by 2–0. However the following year, United repeated their [[Double (association football)|"double"]] of winning both the Supporters Shield and MLS Cup the same season. This time, it was a 2–0 win over the Galaxy in the [[MLS Cup 1999|1999 MLS Cup final]].

=== Rise of the California Clásico ===
[[File:LandonDonovan1.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Landon Donovan]] of San Jose defending against Chicago's [[Carlos Bocanegra]] in the [[MLS Cup 2003|2003 MLS Cup]].]]
For the first time since 1997, the 2000 MLS Cup final saw a new club reach the finals along with the Fire. This time the Kansas City Wizards, now known as Sporting Kansas City, won their first MLS Cup with a 1–0 victory over the Fire.

From 2001 through 2005, the MLS Cup finals saw a rising of the [[California Clásico]] when intrastate rivals L.A. Galaxy and the [[San Jose Earthquakes]] clashed in the 2001 final. The match also saw the rise of U.S. national [[Landon Donovan]] who won a Newcomer of the Year award and tallied the equalizer in the Earthquakes 2–1 championship victory over the Galaxy.

With the largest crowd in MLS Cup history at hand, the New England Revolution took on the Galaxy in the 2002 finals. For the match, over 61,000 fans were in attendance at [[Gillette Stadium]] to witness the final. In the second period of sudden-death overtime, the Galaxy nabbed their first MLS Cup title, and sparked the start of a string of MLS Cup losses for the Revolution.

The 2003 final saw the league leaders for that season go head-to-head. Two clubs that had MLS Cup experience, the Fire and Earthquakes, played for the final that year. The two clubs had successful regular season campaigns with the Fire winning their first Supporters' Shield, and the Earthquakes being the Western Conference regular season and post-season champions as well as having the second best overall regular season record. In a hotly contested match, the Earthquakes won with their second MLS Cup title with a 4–2 score making it the highest scoring MLS Cup final in league history (six goals).

After a four-year absence, United made their fifth trip to MLS Cup, playing against the Wizards for [[MLS Cup 2004]]. The match had four goals scored in the first 25 minutes, with United rallying for a 3–1 lead. Midway through the second half, United had relinquished a penalty kick. [[Josh Wolff]] scored for Kansas City, bringing the game within a goal. D.C. United was able to retain the lead, by winning their fourth MLS Cup title, by a score of 3–2.

For the 2005 season, the Earthquakes, as the Supporters' Shield winners, fell to the Galaxy in the Playoffs. The Galaxy went on to win MLS Cup, matching the Earthquakes at two.

=== Format changes ===

Until 2005, the MLS Cup championship games had been dominated by clubs that had either won or had come close to winning the Supporters Shield. In the [[MLS Cup 2005|2005 MLS Cup]] championship, the match was won by the [[LA Galaxy]], which won the league title while having a ninth-place overall record.<ref name="mls cup 2005 seattle times recap"/> The Wizards had a better record, but did not qualify for the playoffs because they finished 5th in the Eastern Conference, in spite of an 8th-place overall record.<ref name="mls cup 2005 seattle times recap">{{cite news|last=Romero |first=José Miguel |title=MLS Cup History {{!}} Galaxy blanks Revs 1–0 to win 2005 title |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sounders/2010259600_webmlscup20.html |access-date=May 4, 2011 |newspaper=The Seattle Times |date=November 17, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091125001235/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sounders/2010259600_webmlscup20.html |archive-date=November 25, 2009 }}</ref> The result prompted MLS to create new wild-cards that were used starting in 2006, where a certain number of clubs per conference could qualify, and the next best overall teams regardless of conference would also qualify. That prompted debates about the league switching to a single table and a balanced schedule. The single table has yet been instituted, but in [[2010 MLS season|2010]] the league instituted a balanced schedule.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 16, 2009 |title=MLS Will Take a Break During 2010 World Cup |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/sports-now/story/2009-09-16/mls-will-take-a-break-during-2010-world-cup |access-date=July 25, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Times }}</ref> Starting in the [[2012 Major League Soccer season#Changes from 2011|2012 season]], the league resumed an unbalanced schedule.<ref>{{Cite web |last=mlssoccer |title=Garber confirms 2012 season will have unbalanced schedule |website=MLSSoccer.com |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/garber-confirms-2012-season-will-have-unbalanced-schedule |access-date=July 25, 2024 }}</ref>

=== Scudetto era ===
[[File:MLS Scudetto.png|thumb|Second MLS Scudetto (2009–2012)]]
At the start of the [[2006 Major League Soccer season|2006 season]], MLS created their version of the ''scudetto'' (Italian for "small shield"), a symbol worn on the jersey by the team who won the previous season's [[Serie A]] (the top Italian league).

The MLS scudetto was originally a curved, triangular badge featuring a backdrop of the American flag behind a replica of the Alan I. Rothenberg MLS Cup trophy. First worn by LA Galaxy in 2006, following their [[MLS Cup 2005|2005 MLS Cup]] title,<ref>[http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20060120&content_id=50854&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060220200116/http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20060120&content_id=50854&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp|date=February 20, 2006}}</ref> the Houston Dynamo wore the same triangular scudettos in 2007 and 2008 during their dual-cup run. It was redesigned after the 2008 season after the change to the MLS Cup trophy. It is now an oval-shaped black badge with the [[Philip F. Anschutz Trophy]] in the middle. The MLS scudetto was worn by the winning team the season following the victory. It is only during the subsequent season (two years after winning the championship), that the team adds a [[Star (football badge)|star]] – a common soccer signifier of titles won – above the team logo. The team can display the star on other items beside their jersey in the year after winning the Cup, but only if the scudetto is not shown. The [[Columbus Crew]] was the first team to wear the redesigned scudetto. [[Real Salt Lake]] wore the scudetto in 2010 after winning their first MLS cup in 2009. A year after the [[Colorado Rapids]] also wore it after their cup run in 2010 for the 2011 season. Finally, the LA Galaxy wore the scudetto after winning MLS Cup in 2011, ironically, it was the last team to do so. After the 2012 season, MLS decided not to use the scudetto for upcoming season and instead the defending MLS Cup champions would have a gold star above one or more silver stars indication the team's MLS Cup wins, followed by an additional silver star added to the lined stars the following season. The LA Galaxy were the first to receive the gold star above the team's three silver stars for the 2013 season.

=== "Buffalo Bills" of MLS ===

While the Galaxy won its second MLS Cup trophy and the Houston Dynamo earned consecutive cups, the New England Revolution went on a run of making three consecutive MLS Cup finals, losing all of them. Two of their three losses were in extra time, while the other was lost on penalty kicks. The infamy gave the club the title of being the [[Buffalo Bills]] (an [[National Football League|NFL]] American football team) of MLS.<ref>{{cite news|last=Londono|first=Taurus|title=For New England Revs fan flashbacks of Buffalo Bills, chance for redemption|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ycn-8060040|access-date=May 12, 2011|newspaper=Yahoo! news|date=March 16, 2011|archive-date=August 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804031516/https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/|url-status=dead}}</ref> This was in reference to the Buffalo Bills' [[Super Bowl]] games in the early 1990s, in which they lost in four consecutive appearances. In the 2005 final, the Revolution lost to the LA Galaxy, a rematch of 2002, in the final. In a match held at Pizza Hut Park (now [[Toyota Stadium (Texas)|Toyota Stadium]]) in [[Frisco, Texas]], the Galaxy defeated the Revolution by a score of 1–0 thanks to a 105th-minute overtime goal from Galaxy midfielder and [[Guatemala national football team|Guatemalan]] international, [[Guillermo Ramírez]]. Ramírez's goal sealed the Galaxy's second MLS Cup title, and left the Revs searching once again.

In 2006, the championship was once again played in Frisco at Pizza Hut Park. This time the Revolution took on the [[Houston Dynamo]]. Both were coming off a successful season in which they fell short of winning the Supporters' Shield. A sellout crowd of 22,427 attended the match. Revolution forward [[Taylor Twellman]] scored an overtime goal in the 113th minute to give the Revolution the 1–0 lead. However, Dynamo captain and forward [[Brian Ching]] immediately tied the score following the Revolution's goal. The match went to penalties, in which the Dynamo won 4–3. This left the Revolution for a second consecutive year searching for league glory. It was also the first time in league history that a club lost consecutive MLS Cups.<ref name="mls cup 2007"/>

In the 2007 final, the Revolution and Dynamo played each other once again for the 2007 cup. Played in Washington, D.C., at RFK Stadium, a crowd just shy of 40,000 witnessed the championship.<ref name="mls cup 2007"/> The announced crowd of 39,859 made it the largest MLS Cup crowd since 2002.{{citation needed|date=February 2014}} The Revolution had a successful season, earning its first [[U.S. Open Cup]] title. The Revolution wanted its first MLS Cup crown, and wanted to win its first "Double" in club history. Houston, finishing just shy once again to [[D.C. United]] of winning the [[MLS Supporters' Shield]], was determined to finish its second season with some hardware, and to defend its MLS Cup title.<ref name="mls cup 2007"/> The match went in the Revolution's favor early on, as the Revolution's captain, Twellman, netted in the 20th minute to give New England a 1–0 lead. However, midway through the second half, the Dynamo retaliated. Dynamo striker [[Joseph Ngwenya]] leveled things at one apiece in the 61st minute, and MLS Cup Man of the Match [[Dwayne De Rosario]] gave the Dynamo a 2–1 lead in the 74th.<ref name="mls cup 2007"/> The goal proved to be the winning goal, as the Dynamo earned the first back-to-back MLS Cup titles since [[D.C. United]] in 1996 and 1997.<ref name="mls cup 2007">{{cite news|last=Morrissey |first=mo |title=Houston Dynamo: 2007 MLS Cup Champions |url=http://www.associatedcontent.org/article/452633/houston_dynamo_2007_mls_cup_champions.html |access-date=May 12, 2011 |newspaper=Associatedcontent.com |date=November 18, 2007 }}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

=== Underdogs winning the cup ===

Early in the [[2008 Major League Soccer season]], the league announced that the championship would be returning to The Home Depot Center (now known as [[Dignity Health Sports Park]]). Throughout the regular season, the league was dominated by the Columbus Crew, who finished the season with 57 points, and secured the Supporters' Shield title with three matches remaining before the [[2008 MLS Cup Playoffs]]. Traditionally, the Shield winners only rarely made it to the league championship, in spite of usually being the heavy favorites going into the playoffs. However, for the first time in eight years, a regular season champion made it to MLS Cup. The [[Sigi Schmid]]-led club made their first run to the championship, along with their opponents the [[New York Red Bulls]]. For the Crew, being the Shield winners, their run to the final was a bit expected. The Red Bulls making the final was seen as a large surprise, possibly even a fluke. The Red Bulls did not qualify for the playoffs until the last day of the season, where they were the weakest team, in terms of regular season record, to qualify for the playoffs. The match ended up being dominated by the Crew as Columbus defeated New York with ease, 3–1. The point gap between the two clubs was the largest in history, and the scoreline between the two clubs made it tied for the largest margin of victory in MLS Cup history. New York's run to the finals was further emphasized as a fluke when the club had the worst record in 2009.

The following championship saw two intra-conference clubs meet in the final for the second consecutive year, this time at [[Seattle]]'s Qwest Field (later CenturyLink Field and now [[Lumen Field]]). The Western Conference regular season and postseason champions, LA Galaxy took on [[Real Salt Lake]], who finished fifth in the West. Although the Sounders FC management had originally planned on capping the seats available in Qwest Field to 35,700, surging demand led to the release of an additional 10,000 seats, expanding the total capacity to roughly 45,700. The announced crowd was 46,011. The crowd size was the first championship crowd since 2002 to draw over 45,000 spectators. Televised on [[ESPN]], it was the first time that the MLS championship match was televised on the cable network; the first thirteen were carried on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. In the 41st minute, Galaxy striker [[Mike Magee (soccer)|Mike Magee]] scored, only for Salt Lake's [[Robbie Findley]] to make the tying goal in the 61st. The stalemate was not broken in regulation nor overtime, requiring penalty kicks to decide the match. Thanks to a strike from Salt Lake's [[Robbie Russell (soccer)|Robbie Russell]], Salt Lake won their first major trophy. By winning the championship, they gained entry into the [[2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League]]. There, they made it to the final, only to lose to [[C.F. Monterrey|Monterrey]] of Mexico.

At the 2010 season's end, six teams from the Western Conference qualified for the playoffs, whereas only two clubs from the East qualified, making it the largest disparity between the two conferences in league history. The league's seeding at the time awarded conference winners earned the top seeds, the two weakest Western Conference teams, [[San Jose Earthquakes]] and [[Colorado Rapids]] were seeded against the Eastern Conference champion, New York Red Bulls and runner-up [[Columbus Crew]], respectively. Some cited this as an unfair advantage for the Rapids and Earthquakes, as both teams made the semi-finals. In the end, the Rapids played FC Dallas for [[MLS Cup 2010]], winning 2–1 in overtime.

=== LA Galaxy dynasty ===
[[File:Robbie Keane.jpg|thumb|[[LA Galaxy]] captain [[Robbie Keane]] was the [[MLS Cup 2014|2014 MLS Cup MVP]].]]
Between the 2011 and 2014 MLS Cups, the [[LA Galaxy]] appeared in three MLS Cup finals, having the most success in MLS Cup in a short period of time since United's late 1990s dynasty. The only final that the Galaxy did not win, came in 2013, where they lost in the 2013 Western Conference semi-finals to eventual runner-up, [[Real Salt Lake]]. During that time, the Galaxy became the first MLS franchise to win five MLS Cups, when they won [[MLS Cup 2014]]. These teams contained several high-profile players including Landon Donovan, [[Robbie Keane]], [[Gyasi Zardes]], [[David Beckham]] and [[Omar Gonzalez]].

Some claim that the Galaxy's dynasty began in 2009, when they reached the playoffs for the first time since 2005, and marched to the finals, only to lose on penalties to [[Real Salt Lake]]. In 2010, and again, in 2011, the Galaxy won consecutive [[Supporters' Shield]], and completed the league double winning both the Shield and MLS Cup in 2011. This was the first time this had been accomplished since the Columbus Crew achieved it in 2008. In the [[MLS Cup 2011|2011 MLS Cup final]], the Galaxy defeated the [[Houston Dynamo FC|Houston Dynamo]], 1&ndash;0 off a 72nd minute Donovan goal. The goal was scored off a Galaxy counter where Beckham fed a through ball to Donovan who slotted it past Hall. The 2012 final featured both the Galaxy and Dynamo again, making it the first since 2007 that an MLS Cup final was a rematch of the previous final. Again, the Galaxy won the final, this time [[MLS Cup 2012#Match details|coming from behind]] to defeat the Dynamo by a 3&ndash;1 scoreline. The match was Beckham's final MLS match.

During the 2013 season, the Galaxy's chance to three-peat was thwarted by Real Salt Lake. Salt Lake defeated the Galaxy, 2&ndash;1 on aggregate, to advance to MLS Cup, where they eventually lost to [[Sporting Kansas City]].

[[2014 MLS Season|The following season]], the Galaxy reached MLS Cup again, playing the [[New England Revolution]], making it a rematch of [[MLS Cup 2002]] and [[MLS Cup 2005]]. In extra-time a Robbie Keane goal propelled the Galaxy to their fifth MLS match, a victory in the 2014 MLS Cup.

=== Expansion teams from Cascadia, Canada, and Atlanta ===
[[File:Osvaldo Alonso lifting the MLS Cup at Sounders Rally.jpg|thumb|Osvaldo Alonso of Seattle Sounders FC lifting the MLS Cup trophy in December 2016]]
The [[Portland Timbers]] won the [[2015 MLS Cup]], defeating the Columbus Crew 2–1. Portland's [[Diego Valeri]] scored the fastest goal in MLS Cup history at 27 seconds when Crew goalkeeper [[Steve Clark (soccer)|Steve Clark]] made a fundamental error after he miscontrolled his defender's back-pass while Valeri had advanced towards the ball to strike at the opportunity.<ref>{{cite web|title=Diego Valeri scores fastest goal in MLS Cup history as Portland Timbers take early lead|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2015/12/06/goal-portland-timbers-pressure-produces-fastest-goal-mls-cup-history|publisher=Major League Soccer|access-date=November 15, 2016|date=December 6, 2015|archive-date=July 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210701112837/https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/goal-portland-timbers-pressure-produces-fastest-goal-mls-cup-history|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Seattle Sounders FC]] faced [[Toronto FC]] in the [[2016 MLS Cup]], which was played at [[BMO Field]] in [[Toronto]] on the evening of December 10, 2016. The temperature at the start of the match was {{convert|21|F|C}} ({{convert|10|F|C}}, when adjusted for wind chill), with strong winds coming off Lake Ontario. The field was watered shortly before the match, and resultant field was described as icy by players. [[Seattle Sounders FC]] defeated [[Toronto FC]] 5–4 in a [[penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalty shoot-out]] after a scoreless match of 90 minutes regular time and 30 minutes overtime. The Sounders did not register a single shot on goal, becoming the first club to do so in an MLS Cup final. The Sounders, despite a very poor start and mid-season managerial change, became the second team from the [[Pacific Northwest]] to win the cup, after Portland in 2015.

In the [[2017 MLS Cup]], Toronto FC and Seattle faced off in a rematch of the previous edition, also at BMO Field. Toronto FC won the match 2–0, and became the first Canadian team to win MLS Cup, and the first MLS team to complete a domestic [[treble (association football)|treble]], after winning the [[Canadian Championship]] and [[Supporters' Shield]] earlier in the year.<ref>{{cite news |date=December 9, 2017 |title=Toronto beats Seattle to win MLS Cup |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/42282402 |work=[[BBC Sport]] |access-date=December 9, 2017}}</ref>

[[File:AUFC MLS Cup ceremony.jpg|thumb|Pyrotechnics display during [[Atlanta United FC|Atlanta United]]'s trophy ceremony following the [[MLS Cup 2018|2018 MLS Cup]] final]]
[[Atlanta United FC]], in their second season as an expansion team, won the [[MLS Cup 2018|2018 edition]] of MLS Cup by defeating the [[Portland Timbers]] 2–0. The match, hosted in [[Atlanta]] at [[Mercedes-Benz Stadium]], was attended by 73,019 spectators and broke the MLS Cup attendance record set in 2002 by New England.<ref>{{cite news |last=Roberson |first=Doug |date=December 8, 2018 |title=Atlanta United sets MLS Cup attendance record |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-sets-mls-cup-attendance-record/lJVEXg0pSHjtlNJ7TM06hK/ |work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution |access-date=December 13, 2018}}</ref> The club became the second-youngest to win an MLS Cup, behind the 1998 Chicago Fire, and brought the first professional sports championship for the city of [[Atlanta]] since 1995.<ref>{{cite news |last=Goff |first=Steven |date=December 8, 2018 |title=Atlanta United captures MLS Cup, beats Portland Timbers, 2-0 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2018/12/09/atlanta-united-captures-mls-cup-beats-portland-timbers-/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=December 15, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Denman |first=Taylor |date=December 10, 2018 |title=Atlanta United wins over the city and takes the MLS Cup in 2018 |url=https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/sports/atlanta-united-wins-over-the-city-and-takes-the-mls/article_d09bb01a-82c2-599f-9161-36db3c6be0dc.html |work=[[Gwinnett Daily Post]] |access-date=December 15, 2018}}</ref>

In the [[2019 MLS Cup]], Toronto FC and Seattle Sounders FC both overcame underdog status in their respective conferences to contest a third final in four years, this time playing at Seattle's home ground. Seattle Sounders FC duly won their second MLS Cup, taking the final match 3–1 at CenturyLink Field in front of a Sounders record attendance of 69,274.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/11/10/2019-mls-cup-breaks-seattle-sounders-all-time-attendance-record|title=2019 MLS Cup breaks Seattle Sounders all-time attendance record |website=MLSsoccer.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2019-11-10-seattle-sounders-fc-vs-toronto-fc/recap|title=Recap: Seattle Sounders FC vs. Toronto FC 11/10/2019 &#124; Matchcenter|access-date=November 10, 2019|archive-date=January 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200108132027/https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2019-11-10-seattle-sounders-fc-vs-toronto-fc/recap|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[MLS Cup 2020|2020 edition]], which marked the end of a season dramatically affected by the [[COVID-19 pandemic in North America|COVID-19 pandemic]], saw the Sounders return to MLS Cup, this time facing [[Columbus Crew]] at the latter's home of [[Historic Crew Stadium|Mapfre Stadium]] in [[Columbus, Ohio]]. The Crew won 3–0 in front of a crowd restricted to 1,500, in the stadium's last playoff game.<ref>{{cite news |last=Das |first=Andrew |date=December 12, 2020 |title=Columbus Wins M.L.S. Cup, the Final Stop on a Journey to Stay Put |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/12/sports/soccer/columbus-crew-mls-cup.html |work=The New York Times |accessdate=September 5, 2021}}</ref>

== Broadcasting ==

=== United States ===

MLS Cup was aired on English-language networks [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] from 1996 to 2008 and [[ESPN]] from 2009 to 2014. ESPN/ABC and [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] alternate as MLS Cup Final broadcasters since 2015, with the [[MLS Cup 2019]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hipes |first=Patrick |date=August 28, 2019 |title=Major League Soccer's MLS Cup To Air This Year On ABC |url=https://deadline.com/2019/08/mls-cup-2019-abc-broadcast-1202706381/ |access-date=February 22, 2023 |website=Deadline }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=mlssoccer |title=2019 MLS Cup to Air live on ABC and Univision |website=MLSSoccer.com |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2019-mls-cup-air-live-abc-and-univision |access-date=February 22, 2023 }}</ref> on ABC, their first MLS match since 2008. ABC also air four playoff matches including the [[MLS Cup 2021]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=mlssoccer |title=Thanksgiving Day Match on FOX and Four ABC Broadcasts Highlight MLS Postseason Schedule |website=MLSSoccer.com |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/thanksgiving-day-match-on-fox-and-four-abc-broadcasts-highlight-mls-postseason-s |access-date=February 22, 2023 }}</ref> MLS Cup has also been aired on Spanish-language networks [[TeleFutura]] in 2007 and 2008,<ref>{{cite news |last=Fallas |first=Bernardo |date=November 17, 2007 |title=MLS strives to find place on U.S. sports landscape |page=1 |url=https://www.chron.com/sports/dynamo/article/MLS-strives-to-find-place-on-U-S-sports-landscape-1537903.php |work=Houston Chronicle |access-date=February 1, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |date=November 21, 2008 |title=Angles abound for grand MLS Cup |url=https://www.si.com/soccer/2008/11/21/mls-cuppreview |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=January 7, 2019}}</ref> [[Galavision]] from 2009 to 2011,<ref>{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Grahame L. |date=November 22, 2009 |title=David Beckham's injury could add twist to MLS final |page=C3 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-nov-22-la-sp-galaxy22-2009nov22-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=November 5, 2018}}</ref><ref>[https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/55322/mls-cup-viewers-on-unimas-surpass-those-on-espn.html MLS Cup viewers on UniMas surpass those on ESPN] - Soccer America, December 10, 2013</ref> TeleFutura/[[UniMás]] from 2012 to 2018, and Univision in 2019. ABC previously had Spanish announcers under [[secondary audio program]].

From 2015 to 2022, all MLS Cup playoff games are televised on ESPN, [[Fox Sports]], or [[Univisión]] networks. UniMás will air two exclusive playoff matches, while ESPN and its affiliated networks will split the rest of the contests – including MLS Cup – with Fox Sports. Univision, UniMás and TUDN also airs the MLS Cup playoffs in Spanish.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tannenwald |first=Johnathan |date=December 13, 2015 |title=MLS, U.S. Soccer officially announce new TV deal with ESPN, Fox, Univision |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/thegoalkeeper/Live-MLS-US-Soccer-officially-announce-new-TV-deal-with-ESPN-Fox-Univision.html |work=Philly.com |access-date=November 30, 2016}}</ref>

With the new Apple TV deal beginning 2023, FOX Sports will be the only linear broadcaster of MLS, and will carry select MLS Cup playoff matches, and every MLS Cup with no alternate broadcaster starting 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=mlssoccer |title=MLS on linear TV: FOX Sports, TelevisaUnivision, TSN & RDS reach multi-year deals |website=MLSSoccer.com |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-on-linear-tv-fox-sports-televisaunivision-tsn-rds-reach-multi-year-deals |access-date=February 22, 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Belmont |first=Steven Boero |date=December 14, 2022 |title=MLS Announces Multi-Year Linear TV Deal For Select Matches |url=https://sportscredential.com/2022/12/mls-announces-multi-year-linear-tv-deal-for-select-matches/ |access-date=February 22, 2023 |website=The Sports Credential }}</ref>

=== Canada ===
MLS Cup coverage in Canada started in 2007, with the addition of Toronto FC to the league. MLS Cup bounced around different networks in the first three seasons of the league's presence in Canada; what was then the [[Cottage Life (TV channel)|bold]] network aired the 2007 Cup Final, with [[CBC Television|CBC]] airing the next year's Final and [[GolTV (Canadian TV channel)|GolTV Canada]] airing the Final the year after that. Since 2010, [[The Sports Network|TSN]] has aired MLS Cup on its networks; this includes Toronto FC's victory in 2017.

In French, [[Réseau des sports|RDS]] has exclusive rights to MLS, and thus MLS Cup.

== Format ==
{{see also|MLS Cup playoffs}}
Over the history of the MLS Cup playoffs, numerous formats have been used.

From 1996 to 1999 and 2003 to 2006, the top four teams per conference qualified for the playoffs.

In 2000 and 2001, the three division winners plus the next five teams with the next best records made the playoffs.

In 2002, the top 8 teams qualified for the playoffs regardless of conference.

In 2007, the top two teams per conference plus the next four teams with the next most points qualified.

At the end of the 2008 season, the top three teams of each conference made the playoffs; in addition, the clubs with the next two highest point totals, regardless of conference, were added to the playoffs. In the first round of this knockout tournament, aggregate goals over two matches determined the winners; the Conference Championships were one match each, with the winner of each conference advancing to MLS Cup. In all rounds, the tie-breaking method was two 15-minute periods of overtime, followed by penalty kicks if necessary. The [[away goals rule]] was not used.

At the end of the 2009 and 2010 seasons, the top two teams of each conference made the playoffs; in addition, the clubs with the next four highest point totals, regardless of conference, were added to the playoffs. In the first round of this knockout tournament, aggregate (total) goals over two matches determined the winners; the Conference Championships were one match each, with the winner of each conference advancing to MLS Cup. In all rounds, the tie-breaking method was two 15-minute periods of extra time, followed by penalty kicks if necessary. The [[away goals rule]] was not used.<ref>[http://www.mlssoccer.com/playoffs/format] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101028105941/http://www.mlssoccer.com/playoffs/format|date=October 28, 2010}}</ref>

At the 2011 season's end, the top three clubs in each of the league's two conferences earned the six automatic spots in the Conference Semifinals.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=mlssoccer |title=MLS reveals expanded playoffs structure for 2011 |website=MLSSoccer.com |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-reveals-expanded-playoffs-structure-2011 |access-date=October 17, 2022 }}</ref> The wild card entrants, seeded seventh through tenth, entered based upon their overall position in the overall league standings.<ref name=":1" /> The new format was assembled so that the lowest seed to qualify out of the wild card rounds will play against the [[MLS Supporters' Shield|Supporters' Shield]] winner.<ref name=":1" /> The highest wild-card seed remaining will play the conference champion that did not win the Shield.<ref name=":1" /> The play-in games and Conference Finals were single matches, with the higher-seeded club hosting.<ref name=":1" /> The conference semi-finals were a two-leg aggregate series.<ref name=":1" /> MLS Cup was held at a predetermined venue.<ref name=":1" />

From 2012 to 2014, the playoff structure was further tweaked with the elimination of the wild card slots. The ten playoff berths were awarded to the top five teams in each conference. In each conference, the No. 4 seeded hosted the No. 5 seed in a single match for a place in the conference semi-finals against the best team in its conference. The Conference Semifinals remained two-legged while the finals changed from a single match to a two-leg aggregate series. Finally, MLS Cup was held at the home field of the finalist with the highest point total during the regular season. The away goals rule was used but did not apply after extra time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Big changes for MLS Cup Playoffs format in 2012 |website=MLSSoccer.com |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/big-changes-mls-cup-playoffs-format-2012 |access-date=February 27, 2023 }}</ref>

From 2015 to 2018, the top six teams per conference qualified for the playoffs (12 total teams). The first round involved each conference's No. 3 seed hosting the No. 6 seed, and the No. 4 hosting No. 5. In the Conference Semifinals, the top seed played the lowest remaining seed, and the No. 2 seed played the next lowest seed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=mlssoccer |title=Major League Soccer unveils 2015 schedule, with Decision Day finale and expanded playoff format |website=MLSSoccer.com |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/major-league-soccer-unveils-2015-schedule-decision-day-finale-and-expanded-playo |access-date=February 27, 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Straus |first=Brian |date=November 29, 2014 |title=MLS to expand playoff field to 12 in 2015, will add extra knockout games |url=https://www.si.com/soccer/2014/11/29/mls-cup-playoff-format-2015-changes |access-date=February 27, 2023 |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]}}</ref>

In the 2019, 2021, and 2022 seasons, the top seven teams per conference qualified for the playoffs, with only the best-ranked team in each conference earning a first-round bye. Each round is still single-elimination. The playoff brackets were fixed, as the league abolished re-seeding.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/12/13/2019-mls-playoff-structure |title=MLS announces new playoff format for 2019 season |date=December 17, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.si.com/soccer/2018/12/17/mls-playoff-format-changes-schedule-regular-season |title=MLS overhauls playoff format, alters league schedule |date=December 17, 2018 }}</ref> Due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in North America|COVID-19 pandemic]], the top ten teams from the Eastern and top eight teams from the Western conference qualified for the playoffs in the 2020 season, with single-elimination remaining intact. The top six Eastern teams earned byes to the first round while teams seeded 7–10 and competed in play-in games. The lowest-ranked team to advance from the play-in round advanced to play the conference's first-placed team while the highest-ranked remaining team from that round advanced to face the conference's runner-up. In the Western Conference, the top eight teams competed in their first round with no byes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=mlssoccer |title=How the 2020 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs will work: Qualifying and competition format |website=MLSSoccer.com |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/how-2020-audi-mls-cup-playoffs-will-work-qualifying-and-competition-format |access-date=February 27, 2023 }}</ref>

The playoffs expanded to nine teams per conference in 2023 with the re-addition of a best-of-three series. The eighth and ninth seeds play a [[wild card (sports)|wild card]] match, with the winner advancing to face the best-ranked team in their conference in Round One while teams ranked 2–7 face each other, with the higher seed hosting. The Conference Semifinals, Conference Final, and MLS Cup final remain single-elimination matches hosted by the team with the better regular season record in late November and early December; as before, without re-seeding.<ref>{{cite press release |date=February 21, 2023 |title=Major League Soccer Announces Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Format and Schedule |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/major-league-soccer-announces-audi-2023-mls-cup-playoffs-format-and-schedule |publisher=Major League Soccer |accessdate=February 21, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tannenwald |first=Jonathan |title=MLS changes its playoff format again, now guaranteeing home games for more teams |url=https://www.inquirer.com/soccer/mls-playoffs-2023-format-schedule-change-20230221.html |access-date=February 22, 2023 |website=inquirer.com |date=February 21, 2023 }}</ref>

==Sponsorship==

Since the [[MLS Cup 2023|2023 edition]], the presenting sponsor of MLS Cup has been German automotive company [[Audi]].{{#tag:ref|On the official MLS website, etc., it is sometimes referred to as ''MLS Cup Presented by Audi'', along with the sponsor's name.|group=upper-alpha}} The company had already been the presenting sponsor of the MLS Cup playoffs and the [[MLS Golden Boot]].<ref>{{cite press release |date=February 21, 2023 |title=Major League Soccer and Audi extend sponsorship |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/major-league-soccer-and-audi-extend-sponsorship |publisher=Major League Soccer |accessdate=December 6, 2024}}</ref>

== Champions ==
{{main article|List of MLS Cup finals}}

The winner of [[Major League Soccer]]'s MLS Cup, the final match of the [[MLS Cup Playoffs]], determines that season's league champion. The [[playoff]] tournament is organized by the league at the conclusion of the regular season in a format similar to other [[Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada|North American professional sports leagues]]. The tournament is open to the top nine clubs of the [[Eastern Conference (MLS)|Eastern]] and [[Western Conference (MLS)|Western Conferences]].

The [[MLS Cup 1996|first MLS Cup final]] was played on October 20, 1996. To date, the record for the most championships is held by the LA Galaxy with six cup titles. The record for the most championships lost is held by the [[New England Revolution]], who lost the game five times during their history. The championship has been won by the same team in two or more consecutive years on three occasions.

==Records and statistics==

=== MLS Cup titles ===

{{As of|2024}}, 19 of the 32 teams that have played in the league have appeared at an MLS Cup final, and 15 have won a championship.<ref name="Goal-List">{{cite news |last=Tolmich |first=Ryan |date=December 9, 2023 |title=MLS Cup winners: Full list of champions – from D.C. United to LAFC |url=https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/mls-cup-all-winners-list/blt15fd45904a53e495 |work=[[Goal.com]] |accessdate=December 2, 2024}}</ref><ref name="USA-Numbers">{{cite news |last=Reineking |first=Jim |date=November 30, 2018 |title=2018 MLS Cup: Atlanta United vs. Portland Timbers by the numbers |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2018/11/30/mls-cup-2018-atlanta-united-vs-portland-timbers-story-lines/2159561002/ |work=USA Today |access-date=December 10, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181209172345/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2018/11/30/mls-cup-2018-atlanta-united-vs-portland-timbers-story-lines/2159561002/ |archive-date=December 9, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[LA Galaxy]] has appeared at and won MLS Cup the most times, with six championships in ten appearances. The [[New England Revolution]] has appeared five times as a finalist, but has not won an MLS Cup.<ref name="Goal-List"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Parker |first1=Graham |last2=Whittall |first2=Richard |date=December 8, 2014 |title=MLS Cup: how LA Galaxy crushed dreams of the Revolution |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2014/dec/08/mls-cup-how-la-galaxy-crushed-dreams-of-the-revolution |work=The Guardian |access-date=June 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180625021639/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2014/dec/08/mls-cup-how-la-galaxy-crushed-dreams-of-the-revolution |archive-date=June 25, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Chicago Fire FC|Chicago Fire]] won MLS Cup in their inaugural season in [[1998 Major League Soccer season|1998]]; the only previous professional American soccer team to win a league championship in their inaugural season was the [[Philadelphia Atoms]] in the 1973 [[North American Soccer League (1968–1984)|NASL]] season.<ref name="USA-Numbers"/>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style=text-align:center"
|-
!Apps
!scope="col"|Team{{#tag:ref|Teams are listed by their official name at the time of their most recent final.|group=upper-alpha}}
!Champion(s)
!scope="col"|Runners-up 
!Win %
!Years of appearance (in MLS Cup Finals)
<!--Default sorting is in the following order: Total appearances, Wins, earliest year of appearance-->
|-
|10
|style="text-align:left"|[[LA Galaxy]]
|6
|4
|.600
|style="text-align:left"|[[MLS Cup 1996|1996]], [[MLS Cup 1999|1999]], [[MLS Cup 2001|2001]], '''[[MLS Cup 2002|2002]]''', '''[[MLS Cup 2005|2005]]''', [[MLS Cup 2009|2009]], '''[[MLS Cup 2011|2011]]''', '''[[MLS Cup 2012|2012]]''', '''[[MLS Cup 2014|2014]]''', '''[[MLS Cup 2024|2024]]'''
|-
|5
|style="text-align:left"|[[D.C. United]]
|4
|1
|.800
|style="text-align:left"|'''[[MLS Cup 1996|1996]]''', '''[[MLS Cup 1997|1997]]''', [[MLS Cup 1998|1998]], '''[[MLS Cup 1999|1999]]''', '''[[MLS Cup 2004|2004]]'''
|-
|4
|style="text-align:left"|[[Columbus Crew]]
|3
|1
|.750
|style="text-align:left"|'''[[MLS Cup 2008|2008]]''', [[MLS Cup 2015|2015]], '''[[MLS Cup 2020|2020]]''', '''[[MLS Cup 2023|2023]]'''
|-
|4
|style="text-align:left"|[[Houston Dynamo FC]]
|2
|2
|.500
|style="text-align:left"|'''[[MLS Cup 2006|2006]]''', '''[[MLS Cup 2007|2007]]''', [[MLS Cup 2011|2011]], [[MLS Cup 2012|2012]]
|-
|4
|style="text-align:left"|[[Seattle Sounders FC]]
|2
|2
|.500
|style="text-align:left"|'''[[MLS Cup 2016|2016]]''', [[MLS Cup 2017|2017]], '''[[MLS Cup 2019|2019]]''', [[MLS Cup 2020|2020]]
|-
|3
|style="text-align:left"|[[Sporting Kansas City]]
|2
|1
|.667
|style="text-align:left"|'''[[MLS Cup 2000|2000]]''', [[MLS Cup 2004|2004]], '''[[MLS Cup 2013|2013]]'''
|-
|2
|style="text-align:left"|[[San Jose Earthquakes]]
|2
|0
|1.00
|style="text-align:left"|'''[[MLS Cup 2001|2001]]''', '''[[MLS Cup 2003|2003]]'''
|-
|3
|style="text-align:left"|[[Chicago Fire FC]]
|1
|2
|.333
|style="text-align:left"|'''[[MLS Cup 1998|1998]]''', [[MLS Cup 2000|2000]], [[MLS Cup 2003|2003]]
|-
|3
|style="text-align:left"|[[Portland Timbers]]
|1
|2
|.333
|style="text-align:left"|'''[[MLS Cup 2015|2015]]''', [[MLS Cup 2018|2018]], [[MLS Cup 2021|2021]]
|-
|3
|style="text-align:left|[[Toronto FC]]
|1
|2
|.333
|style="text-align:left"|[[MLS Cup 2016|2016]], '''[[MLS Cup 2017|2017]]''', [[MLS Cup 2019|2019]]
|-
|2
|style="text-align:left"|[[Colorado Rapids]]
|1
|1
|.500
|style="text-align:left"|[[MLS Cup 1997|1997]], '''[[MLS Cup 2010|2010]]'''
|-
|2
|style="text-align:left"|[[Real Salt Lake]]
|1
|1
|.500
|style="text-align:left"|'''[[MLS Cup 2009|2009]]''', [[MLS Cup 2013|2013]]
|-
|2
|style="text-align:left"|[[Los Angeles FC]]
|1
|1
|.500
|style="text-align:left"|'''[[MLS Cup 2022|2022]]''', [[MLS Cup 2023|2023]]
|-
|1
|style="text-align:left"|[[Atlanta United FC]]
|1
|0
|1.00
|style="text-align:left"|'''[[MLS Cup 2018|2018]]'''
|-
|1
|style="text-align:left"|[[New York City FC]]
|1
|0
|1.00
|style="text-align:left"|'''[[MLS Cup 2021|2021]]'''
|-
|5
|style="text-align:left"|[[New England Revolution]]
|0
|5
|.000
|style="text-align:left"|[[MLS Cup 2002|2002]], [[MLS Cup 2005|2005]], [[MLS Cup 2006|2006]], [[MLS Cup 2007|2007]], [[MLS Cup 2014|2014]]
|-
|2
|style="text-align:left|[[New York Red Bulls]]
|0
|2
|.000
|style="text-align:left"|[[MLS Cup 2008|2008]], [[MLS Cup 2024|2024]]
|-
|1
|style="text-align:left|[[FC Dallas]]
|0
|1
|.000
|style="text-align:left"|[[MLS Cup 2010|2010]]
|-
|1
|style="text-align:left|[[Philadelphia Union]]
|0
|1
|.000
|style="text-align:left"|[[MLS Cup 2022|2022]]
|}

=== MLS Cup finalists records in CONCACAF competition ===

For most of the league's history, only U.S. teams were eligible to fill MLS based qualification slots for CONCACAF competitions. Canadian teams, even MLS Cup participants, had to qualify by winning the separate [[Canadian Championship]]; {{Asof|2020||lc=y|since=}}, the only Canadian winner has been 2017 MLS Cup champion Toronto FC, who also won the Canadian Championship that year. However, starting with the [[2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup]], Canadian clubs could qualify via MLS slots.

'''Key'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|style="background:#FFEE99"|<small>Champions</small>
|style="background:#DDDDDD"|<small>Runners-up</small>
|style="background:#CFAA88"|<small>Semifinals or consolation match</small>
|}
{{col-start|width=40%}}{{col-2}}
*QR1 = Qualification first round
*PR = Preliminary round
*GS = Group stage
*R16 = Round of 16
{{col-2}}
*QF = Quarterfinals
*SF = Semifinals or consolation match
*CON = Consolation match
*F = Final
{{Col-end}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;margin-left:1em;font-size:90%"
|-
! Year
! MLS Cup champions
! Result
! MLS Cup runners-up
! Result
|-
|[[1997 CONCACAF Champions' Cup|1997]]
|[[D.C. United]]
|bgcolor=CFAA88|CON
|[[LA Galaxy]]
|style="background:#ddd"|F
|-
|[[1998 CONCACAF Champions' Cup|1998]]
|D.C. United
|style="background:#fe9"|F
|[[Colorado Rapids]]
|QR1
|-
|[[1999 CONCACAF Champions' Cup|1999]]
|[[Chicago Fire FC|Chicago Fire]]
|bgcolor=CFAA88|CON
|D.C. United
|bgcolor=CFAA88|CON
|-
|[[2000 CONCACAF Champions' Cup|2000]]
|D.C. United
|bgcolor=|CON
|LA Galaxy
|style="background:#fe9"|F
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[2002 CONCACAF Champions' Cup|2002]]{{Cref2|1}}
|[[Sporting Kansas City|Kansas City Wizards]]
|bgcolor=CFAA88|SF
|colspan="2"|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[San Jose Earthquakes]]
|QF
|Chicago Fire
|QF
|-
|[[2003 CONCACAF Champions' Cup|2003]]
|D.C. United
|bgcolor=CFAA88|SF
|Kansas City Wizards
|QF
|-
|[[2006 CONCACAF Champions' Cup|2006]]
|LA Galaxy
|QF
|New England Revolution
|QF
|-
|[[2007 CONCACAF Champions' Cup|2007]]
|[[Houston Dynamo FC|Houston Dynamo]]
|bgcolor=CFAA88|SF
|colspan="2" rowspan="2"|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2008 CONCACAF Champions' Cup|2008]]
|Houston Dynamo
|bgcolor=CFAA88|SF
|-
|[[2008–09 CONCACAF Champions League|2008–09]]
|Houston Dynamo
|QF
|New England Revolution
|PR
|-
|[[2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League|2009–10]]
|[[Columbus Crew]]
|QF
|[[New York Red Bulls]]
|PR
|-
|[[2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League|2010–11]]
|[[Real Salt Lake]]
|style="background:#DDDDDD"|F
|LA Galaxy
|PR
|-
|[[2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League|2011–12]]
|Colorado Rapids
|GS
|[[FC Dallas]]
|GS
|-
|[[2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League|2012–13]]
|LA Galaxy
|bgcolor=CFAA88|SF
|Houston Dynamo
|QF
|-
|[[2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League|2013–14]]
|LA Galaxy
|QF
|Houston Dynamo
|GS
|-
|[[2014–15 CONCACAF Champions League|2014–15]]
|Sporting Kansas City
|GS
|Real Salt Lake
|GS
|-
|[[2015–16 CONCACAF Champions League|2015–16]]
|LA Galaxy
|QF
|colspan="3" rowspan="2"|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League|2016–17]]
|Portland Timbers 
|GS
|-
|[[2018 CONCACAF Champions League|2018]]
|[[Toronto FC]]{{Cref2|2}}
|style="background:#DDDDDD"|F
|[[Seattle Sounders FC]]{{Cref2|3}}
|QF
|-
|[[2019 CONCACAF Champions League|2019]]
|[[Atlanta United FC]]
|QF
|colspan="2" rowspan="4"|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2020 CONCACAF Champions League|2020]]
|Seattle Sounders FC
|R16
|-
|[[2021 CONCACAF Champions League|2021]]
|Columbus Crew
|QF
|-
|[[2022 CONCACAF Champions League|2022]]
|[[New York City FC]]
|bgcolor=CFAA88|SF
|-
|[[2023 CONCACAF Champions League|2023]]
|[[Los Angeles FC]]
|style="background:#DDDDDD"|F
|[[Philadelphia Union]]
|bgcolor=CFAA88|SF
|-
|[[2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup|2024]]
|Columbus Crew
|style="background:#DDDDDD"|F
|colspan="2" rowspan="4"|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup|2025]]
|LA Galaxy
|QF
|}

'''Notes'''
{{Cnote2 Begin|liststyle=disc}}
{{Cnote2|Note 1|'''1:''' The 2001 CONCACAF Champions' Cup was canceled, so both [[MLS Cup 2000]] winner, [[Sporting KC|Kansas City Wizards]] and the [[MLS Cup 2001]] winner, [[San Jose Earthquakes]] qualified for the 2002 CONCACAF Champions Cup.}}
{{Cnote2|Note 2|'''2:''' [[Toronto FC]] qualified by winning the [[2016 Canadian Championship|2016]] and [[2017 Canadian Championship|2017]] editions of the Canadian Championship.}}
{{Cnote2|Note 3|'''3:''' Seattle Sounders FC qualified as the winners of [[MLS Cup 2016]].}}
{{Cnote2 End}}

== Trophies ==
{{main|Philip F. Anschutz Trophy}}
{{multiple image
| align = right
| image1 = 1996-mls-cup-trophy-150x180.jpg
| width1 = 150
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| image2 = 1999-mls-cup-trophy-150x180.jpg
| width2 = 150
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = 
| footer = The Alan I. Rothenberg Trophy, first version (1996–1998) and second version (1999–2007)
}}
Culminating the championship, the winning team is presented with a trophy, known as the [[Philip F. Anschutz Trophy]], named for the contributions and investment to American soccer and MLS by [[Philip Anschutz]]. Typically, the award presentation is held on a podium in the center of the field, where the league commissioner will award the team with the cup.

Before the actual award presentation, the finalists are awarded with silver medals with the league's logo imprinted on them. The champions are then presented with gold medals, before the trophy is handed to the winning team's captain.

In cup history, the MLS Cup champions have been awarded with three different trophies. For the first three MLS Cup finals, the winning team was awarded with the [[Alan I. Rothenberg]] Trophy, named for Rothenberg's contributions to American soccer. The Rothenberg Trophy was a dark gold trophy that had two handles around a soccer ball, with the league's logo imprinted on the plaque. In 1999, the Rothenberg Trophy was redesigned with a soccer ball placed on a beacon. In 2008, the trophy was redesigned again to its present state and renamed the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy.

== Venues ==
[[File:LA Galaxy vs Houston Dynamo- Western Conference Finals panorama.jpg|thumb|[[Dignity Health Sports Park]] has hosted six MLS Cup finals.]]
In MLS Cup history, eight matches have been played in the Greater Los Angeles area (once at the [[Rose Bowl (stadium)|Rose Bowl]] in Pasadena, California, six times at [[Dignity Health Sports Park]] (formerly StubHub Center and Home Depot Center) in Carson, California, and once at [[Banc of California Stadium]]). Columbus, Ohio is alone in second place having hosted MLS Cup final 4 times (3 held at the [[Historic Crew Stadium]] and one at [[Lower.com Field]]). Three markets are tied for having hosted MLS Cup the third-most number of times, with three matches each: the Greater Boston metro area (twice contested at [[Foxboro Stadium]] and once at [[Gillette Stadium]], both in Foxborough, Massachusetts), Washington, D.C. (all played at [[Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium|RFK Stadium]]), and Toronto (all held at [[BMO Field]]).

Through the [[2011 Major League Soccer season|2011 season]] every MLS Cup had been played at a predetermined site (i.e., announced before the playoff participants were known). On the day before the 2011 Cup, MLS announced that starting in 2012, Cup finals would be hosted by the participant with the highest point total during the regular season.<ref name="2012 playoff changes">{{cite web |last=Freedman |first=Jonah |date=November 20, 2011 |title=Big changes for MLS Cup Playoffs format in 2012 |url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/11/20/big-changes-mls-cup-playoffs-format-2012 |access-date=November 28, 2011 |work=MLSSoccer.com |archive-date=July 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210703230844/https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/11/20/big-changes-mls-cup-playoffs-format-2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> As is the case with awarding the Supporters' Shield, if the two finalists are tied on points, the team with the most wins hosts the final. For example, at [[MLS Cup 2022]], [[Los Angeles FC]] and the [[Philadelphia Union]] both finished with 67 points, but LAFC had two more wins and thus hosted the final.

Before the 2012 Cup and the change to awarding the final to the participant with the higher point total, only three teams played the match on their home field. In the [[MLS Cup 1997|1997 MLS Cup]] final, D.C. United won the match in their home stadium over Colorado Rapids,<ref name="1997 stats">{{cite web|title=1997 Season Statistics|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/stats/season?season_year=1997&season_type=PS&team=ALL&group=GOALS&op=Search&form_build_id=form-7f8f3f37f70b74da0d8cde95eccf7363&form_id=mls_stats_individual_form|work=MLS|publisher=MLSSoccer.com|access-date=May 7, 2011}}</ref> [[Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium|RFK Stadium]]. The same occurrence applied in the [[MLS Cup 2002|2002 MLS Cup]] final, where the LA Galaxy defeated the New England Revolution 1–0, in the Revolution's home stadium [[Gillette Stadium]]. As a result, the 1997 and 2002 MLS Cup finals drew the largest crowds in MLS Cup history prior to the 2012 change to the higher point total hosting.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Statistics – 2002 season|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/stats/team?season_year=2002&season_type=PS&op=Search&form_build_id=form-fefea3b579d5c0abd59b232c606c2999&form_id=mls_stats_team_form|work=MLS|publisher=MLSSoccer.com|access-date=May 7, 2011|archive-date=October 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201003115426/https://www.mlssoccer.com/stats/team?season_year=2002&season_type=PS&op=Search&form_build_id=form-fefea3b579d5c0abd59b232c606c2999&form_id=mls_stats_team_form|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2011, the LA Galaxy won their [[MLS Cup 2011|2011 MLS Cup]] match in their home stadium ([[Dignity Health Sports Park|Home Depot Center]]), 1–0, over the Houston Dynamo. The Galaxy became the second team (and first since D.C. United in 1997) to win the Cup at home.

After MLS adopted its current criteria for awarding the MLS Cup match, the first three Cup finals were won by the hosts. The [[MLS Cup 2012|2012 MLS Cup]] saw a rematch of the 2011 Cup at the same site, with the Galaxy successfully defending the title with a 3–1 win. In [[MLS Cup 2013|2013]], Sporting Kansas City became the third team to win the cup in their home stadium ([[Children's Mercy Park|Sporting Park]]) when they beat Real Salt Lake in the penalty kicks, which was the longest shootout in MLS Cup history.<ref name="MLS Cup 2013 golazo">{{cite web|url=http://golazo.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2013-12-07-sporting-kansas-city-vs-real-salt-lake/recap |title=Sporting Kansas City vs. Real Salt Lake |date=December 7, 2013 |work=MLSsoccer.com |publisher=[[Major League Soccer]] |access-date=December 7, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131209173852/http://golazo.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2013-12-07-sporting-kansas-city-vs-real-salt-lake/recap |archive-date=December 9, 2013 }}</ref> Then, in [[MLS Cup 2014|2014]], the Galaxy defeated the [[New England Revolution]] 2–1 at the renamed [[Dignity Health Sports Park|StubHub Center]] in a match that was also notable as the final competitive match for [[United States men's national soccer team|U.S. national team]] all-time leading goal scorer [[Landon Donovan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2014-12-07-la-galaxy-vs-new-england-revolution/recap |title=LA Galaxy 2, New England Revolution 1: MLS Cup Final Match Recap |publisher=Major League Soccer |date=December 7, 2014 |access-date=October 26, 2015}}</ref> The pattern was broken in [[2015 MLS Cup|2015]], however, when the [[Portland Timbers]] defeated the [[Columbus Crew]] in the Crew's home stadium.

Through the 2011 season, MLS typically announced the championship location either prior to the start of its respective season, or even a few weeks into the campaign. For the [[MLS Cup 2011|2011 championship]], the league selected [[Dignity Health Sports Park|Home Depot Center]] in Carson, California, making it a fourth time the league's championship had been hosted at the venue.<ref name="MLS Cup 2011 host">{{cite news|title=Home Depot Center selected as MLS Cup 2011 host|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/05/10/home-depot-center-selected-mls-cup-2011-host|access-date=May 11, 2011|newspaper=MLSSoccer.com|date=May 9, 2011|archive-date=August 28, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120828183344/http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/05/10/home-depot-center-selected-mls-cup-2011-host|url-status=dead}}</ref>

To date, the coldest MLS Cup final was the [[MLS Cup 2013|2013 championship game]] played in Kansas City, Kansas at Sporting Kansas City's [[Children's Mercy Park|Sporting Park]] where the temperature was {{convert|20|F|C}}.<ref name=Coldest>{{cite web|last=Kaplan|first=Jonathan|title=Recap: MLS Cup champions Sporting KC prevail in 10-round penalty shootout after 1-1 draw|url=http://www.sportingkc.com/news/2013/12/recap-mls-cup-champions-sporting-kc-prevail-10-round-penalty-shootout-after-1-1-draw|work=Sportingkc.com|publisher=Sporting Kansas City|access-date=December 8, 2013|date=December 8, 2013|archive-date=December 10, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131210035336/http://www.sportingkc.com/news/2013/12/recap-mls-cup-champions-sporting-kc-prevail-10-round-penalty-shootout-after-1-1-draw|url-status=dead}}</ref> The hottest MLS Cup final was the [[MLS Cup 2005|2005 championship game]] played in Frisco, Texas at FC Dallas's [[Toyota Stadium (Texas)|Pizza Hut Park]] where the temperature was 75&nbsp;°F (23&nbsp;°C).<ref>{{cite web|title=Revolution fall 1-0 in overtime to LA Galaxy in MLS Cup|url=http://archive.revolutionsoccer.net/games/index.cfm?ac=gamereportdetail&pid=18601&pcid=115|work=The New England Revolution Archive|publisher=The New England Revolution|access-date=July 19, 2012|date=November 13, 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212142741/http://archive.revolutionsoccer.net/games/index.cfm?ac=gamereportdetail&pid=18601&pcid=115|archive-date=December 12, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Litterer|first=Dave|title=The Year in American Soccer, 2005|url=http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/2005.html#MLS|work=The American Soccer Archives|access-date=May 7, 2011|date=April 10, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151105121200/http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/2005.html#MLS|archive-date=November 5, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The 2010 edition of MLS Cup was the first final in league history to be played outside of the United States. The match was played in Canada at Toronto's [[BMO Field]], the home ground of MLS club Toronto FC.

=== Stadiums ===
[[File:Pizza Hut Park 2006 MLS Cup.jpg|thumb|Pizza Hut Park, now [[Toyota Stadium (Texas)|Toyota Stadium]], hosted the [[MLS Cup 2005|2005]] and [[MLS Cup 2006|2006]] MLS Cups.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name !! Location !! Hosted !! Years hosted
|-
| [[Dignity Health Sports Park]]{{efn|group=stad|Known as Home Depot Center prior to the 2013 season and StubHub Center in 2014.}} || [[Carson, California]] ||align=center| 7 || [[MLS Cup 2003|2003]], [[MLS Cup 2004|2004]], [[MLS Cup 2008|2008]], [[2011 MLS Cup|2011]], [[2012 MLS Cup|2012]], [[2014 MLS Cup|2014]], [[MLS Cup 2024|2024]]
|-
| ''[[Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium|RFK Stadium]]'' || [[Washington, D.C.]] ||align=center| 3 || [[MLS Cup 1997|1997]], [[MLS Cup 2000|2000]], [[MLS Cup 2007|2007]]
|-
| [[BMO Field]] || [[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]] ||align=center| 3 || [[MLS Cup 2010|2010]], [[MLS Cup 2016|2016]], [[MLS Cup 2017|2017]]
|-
| ''[[Historic Crew Stadium]]''{{efn|groiup=stad|Known as Columbus Crew Stadium prior to the 2015 season and MAPFRE Stadium from 2015 to 2020. The sponsorship contract with MAPFRE did not end until after MLS Cup 2020. The Crew moved its home matches to the new [[Lower.com Field]] early in the 2021 season.}} || [[Columbus, Ohio]] ||align=center| 3 || [[MLS Cup 2001|2001]], [[MLS Cup 2015|2015]], [[MLS Cup 2020|2020]]
|-
| [[Lumen Field]]{{efn|group=stad|Known as Qwest Field in 2009 and CenturyLink Field in 2019.}} || [[Seattle|Seattle, Washington]] ||align=center| 2 || [[MLS Cup 2009|2009]], [[MLS Cup 2019|2019]]
|-
| [[Toyota Stadium (Texas)|Toyota Stadium]]{{efn|groiup=stad|Known as Pizza Hut Park in 2005 and 2006.}} || [[Frisco, Texas]] ||align=center| 2 || [[MLS Cup 2005|2005]], [[MLS Cup 2006|2006]]
|-
| ''[[Foxboro Stadium]]'' || [[Foxborough, Massachusetts]] ||align=center| 2 || [[MLS Cup 1996|1996]], [[MLS Cup 1999|1999]]
|-
| [[Children's Mercy Park]]{{efn|groiup=stad|Known as Sporting Park in 2013.}} || [[Kansas City, Kansas]] ||align=center| 1 || [[MLS Cup 2013|2013]]
|-
| [[Gillette Stadium]] || [[Foxborough, Massachusetts]] ||align=center| 1 || [[MLS Cup 2002|2002]]
|-
| [[Mercedes-Benz Stadium]] || [[Atlanta|Atlanta, Georgia]] ||align=center| 1 || [[MLS Cup 2018|2018]]
|-
| [[Providence Park]] || [[Portland, Oregon]] ||align=center| 1 || [[MLS Cup 2021|2021]]
|-
| [[Rose Bowl (stadium)|Rose Bowl]] || [[Pasadena, California]] ||align=center| 1 || [[MLS Cup 1998|1998]]
|-
| [[BMO Stadium]]{{efn|group=stad|Known as Banc of California Stadium prior to the 2023 season.}} || [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, California]] ||align=center| 1 || [[MLS Cup 2022|2022]]
|-
| [[Lower.com Field]] || [[Columbus, Ohio]] ||align=center| 1 || [[MLS Cup 2023|2023]]
|}
''Italics'' indicate a stadium that is now inactive.

{{notelist|group=stad}}

== Most Valuable Player ==
Following each championship, a player on the winning club is awarded with the title of being the Most Valuable Player (MVP). Usually, but not necessarily, the winner of the award is the player who scores the game-winning goal, or sets up the game-winning goal. This is the case of the [[MLS Cup 2007|2007]], [[MLS Cup 2008|2008]], [[MLS Cup 2010#Post-match|2010]], [[MLS Cup 2017#Match|2017]], [[MLS Cup 2019#Match|2019]] and [[MLS Cup 2020#Match|2020]] recipients, who all scored game-winning goals, or assisted multiple goals for the winning side.

Exceptions to this occurred in [[MLS Cup 2000|2000]], [[MLS Cup 2009|2009]], [[MLS Cup 2016|2016]], and [[MLS Cup 2021|2021]] where the Most Valuable Player award went to goalkeepers [[Tony Meola]], [[Nick Rimando]], [[Stefan Frei]], and [[Sean Johnson (soccer)|Sean Johnson]], respectively. Meola and Frei, with the [[Sporting Kansas City|Kansas City Wizards]] and [[Seattle Sounders FC]], both earned shutouts for their respective teams in the cup. Rimando and Johnson made two saves in a penalty shoot-out to give [[Real Salt Lake]] the title over the LA Galaxy and [[New York City FC]] the title over [[Portland Timbers]], respectively.

=== List of MVP award recipients ===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Year
!Winner
!Position
!Club
|-
| [[MLS Cup 1996|1996]] || {{flagicon|BOL}} [[Marco Etcheverry]] || Midfielder || [[D.C. United]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 1997|1997]] || {{flagicon|BOL}} [[Jaime Moreno (footballer, born 1974)|Jaime Moreno]] || Forward || [[D.C. United]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 1998|1998]] || {{flagicon|POL}} [[Piotr Nowak|Peter Nowak]] || Midfielder || [[Chicago Fire FC|Chicago Fire]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 1999|1999]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Ben Olsen]] || Midfielder || [[D.C. United]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2000|2000]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Tony Meola]] || Goalkeeper || [[Sporting Kansas City|Kansas City Wizards]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2001|2001]] || {{flagicon|CAN}} [[Dwayne De Rosario]] || Forward || [[San Jose Earthquakes]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2002|2002]] || {{flagicon|GUA}} [[Carlos Ruiz (Guatemalan footballer)|Carlos Ruiz]] || Forward || [[LA Galaxy]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2003|2003]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Landon Donovan]] || Forward || [[San Jose Earthquakes]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2004|2004]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Alecko Eskandarian]] || Forward || [[D.C. United]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2005|2005]] || {{flagicon|GUA}} [[Guillermo Ramírez]] || Midfielder || [[LA Galaxy]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2006|2006]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Brian Ching]] || Forward || [[Houston Dynamo]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2007|2007]] || {{flagicon|CAN}} [[Dwayne De Rosario]] || Midfielder || [[Houston Dynamo]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2008|2008]] || {{flagicon|ARG}} [[Guillermo Barros Schelotto]]|| Midfielder || [[Columbus Crew]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2009|2009]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Nick Rimando]] || Goalkeeper || [[Real Salt Lake]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2010|2010]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Conor Casey]] || Forward || [[Colorado Rapids]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2011|2011]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Landon Donovan]] || Forward || [[LA Galaxy]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2012|2012]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Omar Gonzalez]] || Defender || [[LA Galaxy]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2013|2013]] || {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Aurélien Collin]] || Defender || [[Sporting Kansas City]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2014|2014]] || {{flagicon|IRL}} [[Robbie Keane]] || Forward || [[LA Galaxy]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2015|2015]] || {{flagicon|ARG}} [[Diego Valeri]] || Midfielder || [[Portland Timbers]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2016|2016]] || {{flagicon|CHE}} [[Stefan Frei]] || Goalkeeper || [[Seattle Sounders FC]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2017|2017]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Jozy Altidore]] || Forward || [[Toronto FC]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2018|2018]] || {{flagicon|VEN}} [[Josef Martínez]] || Forward || [[Atlanta United FC]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2019|2019]] || {{flagicon|ESP}} [[Víctor Rodríguez (Spanish footballer)|Víctor Rodríguez]] || Midfielder || [[Seattle Sounders FC]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2020|2020]] || {{flagicon|ARG}} [[Lucas Zelarayán]] || Midfielder || [[Columbus Crew]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2021|2021]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Sean Johnson (soccer)|Sean Johnson]] || Goalkeeper || [[New York City FC]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2022|2022]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[John McCarthy (soccer)|John McCarthy]] || Goalkeeper || [[Los Angeles FC]]
|-
| [[MLS Cup 2023|2023]] || {{flagicon|COL}} [[Cucho Hernández]] || Forward || [[Columbus Crew]]
|-
| [[2024 MLS Cup playoffs|2024]] || {{flagicon|URU}} [[Gastón Brugman]] || Midfielder || [[LA Galaxy]]
|}

== Players with multiple MLS Cup titles ==
At least 40 players have won two MLS Cups, mostly for teams with sequential or near-sequential titles (D.C. 1996–1999, San Jose 2001 and 2003, LA Galaxy 2002 and 2005, and 2011–2012, and Houston 2006–2007). [[Brian Mullan]] is the only player to have won the Cup with four different teams, while players that have won it with three different teams include: [[Craig Waibel]], [[Alejandro Moreno]], [[Ezra Hendrickson]], and [[Darlington Nagbe]].

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! MLS Cups 
! Players (years won)
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 6
| [[Landon Donovan]] (2001, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014)
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 5 
| [[Jeff Agoos]] (1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003)<br>[[Todd Dunivant]] (2003, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014)<br>[[Brian Mullan]] (2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2010)
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 4 
| [[Jaime Moreno (footballer, born 1974)|Jaime Moreno]] (1996, 1997, 1999, 2004)<br>[[Craig Waibel]] (2002, 2003, 2006, 2007)<br>[[Dwayne De Rosario]] (2001, 2003, 2006, 2007)<br>[[Eddie Robinson (soccer)|Eddie Robinson]] (2001, 2003, 2006, 2007)<br>[[Josh Saunders]] (2003, 2005, 2011, 2012)<br>[[Darlington Nagbe]] (2015, 2018, 2020, 2023)
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 3 
| [[Richard Mulrooney]] (2001, 2003, 2007)<br>[[Marco Etcheverry]] (1996, 1997, 1999)<br>[[Brian Kamler]] (1996, 1997, 1999)<br>[[John Maessner]] (1996, 1997, 1999)<br>[[Clint Peay]] (1996, 1997, 1999)<br>[[Eddie Pope]] (1996, 1997, 1999)<br>[[Richie Williams]] (1996, 1997, 1999)<br>[[Chris Albright]] (1999, 2002, 2005)<br>[[Brian Ching]] (2003, 2006, 2007)<br>[[Jesse Marsch]] (1996, 1997, 1998)<br>[[Alejandro Moreno]] (2002, 2006, 2008)<br>[[Ezra Hendrickson]] (2002, 2004, 2008)<br>[[Pat Onstad]] (2003, 2006, 2007)<br>[[Chad Marshall]] (2008, 2016, 2019)<br>[[Juninho (footballer, born January 1989)|Juninho]] (2011, 2012, 2014)<br>[[Omar Gonzalez]] (2011, 2012, 2014)<br>[[Robbie Keane]] (2011, 2012, 2014)<br>[[A. J. DeLaGarza]] (2011, 2012, 2014)<br>[[Leonardo (footballer, born 1988)|Leonardo]] (2011, 2012, 2014)<br>[[Hector Jiménez (soccer)|Hector Jiménez]] (2011, 2012, 2020)
|}

== See also ==
* [[MLS Cup Playoffs]]
* [[MLS rivalry cups]]
* [[Campeones Cup]]
* [[CONCACAF Champions Cup]]
* [[List of MLS Cup broadcasters]]
* [[List of MLS Cup finals]]
* [[List of MLS club post-season droughts]]
* [[List of MLS Cup referees]]
* [[List of MLS Cup winning head coaches]]

== Footnotes ==
{{Notelist-ua}}

== Notes and references ==
'''General'''
* {{cite book|last=Dure|first=Beau|title=Long-Range Goals: The Success Story of Major League Soccer|publisher=Potomac Books|isbn=978-1-59797-509-4|date=May 31, 2010}}

'''References'''
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
* {{Official website}}

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