Here's the official word from the league:
NEW YORK (Monday, October 29, 2012) – The MLS Cup Playoffs begin this Wednesday, Oct. 31, when the Chicago Fire host the Houston Dynamo in a single-game Knockout Match. On Thursday, Nov. 1, the LA Galaxy will host Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the other Knockout Match.
Each Knockout Round winner will face its respective conference leader – San Jose Earthquakes in the Western Conference and Sporting Kansas City in the Eastern Conference – in a two-leg, aggregate goals Conference Semifinal series. The second- and third-place teams in each conference also will square off in the Conference Semifinals – Real Salt Lake vs. Seattle Sounders FC and D.C. United vs. New York Red Bulls.
Unlike previous years, the Conference Championships will also be decided by two-leg aggregate goals series, with the winners advancing to MLS Cup 2012 on December 1 – hosted by the finalist with the better regular season record.
Below is the MLS Cup Playoffs schedule with live national television broadcasts. It is subject to change, and more details will be determined at a later date.
Knockout Round
(Home teams listed first):
- Chicago Fire vs. Houston Dynamo – Wed., Oct. 31, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN2/Deportes, TSN2, RDS2)
- LA Galaxy vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC – Thurs., Nov. 1, 10:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN, TSN, RDS2, UDN)
Eastern Conference Semifinals
First Leg (Home teams listed first):
- New York Red Bulls vs. D.C. United – Sat., Nov. 3, 8 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
- CHI or HOU vs. Sporting Kansas City – Sun., Nov. 4, 3:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
Second Leg (Home teams listed first):
- D.C. United vs. New York Red Bulls – Wed., Nov. 7, 8 p.m. ET (NBCSN, TSN2, RDS2)
- Sporting Kansas City vs. CHI or HOU – Wed., Nov. 7, 9 p.m. ET (MLS Live, Direct Kick)
Western Conference Semifinal
First Leg (Home teams listed first):
- Seattle Sounders FC vs. Real Salt Lake -- Fri., Nov. 2, 10 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
- LA Galaxy vs. San Jose Earthquakes – Sun., Nov. 4, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN/Deportes, TSN2, RDS2) OR Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes – Sun., Nov. 4, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2/Deportes, TSN2, RDS2)
Second Leg (Home teams listed first):
- Real Salt Lake vs. Seattle Sounders FC – Thu., Nov. 8, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2/Deportes or MLS Live/UDN, TSN2, RDS2)
- San Jose Earthquakes vs. LA – Wed., Nov. 7, 11 p.m. ET (ESPN2/Deportes, TSN2, RDS2 OR San Jose Earthquakes vs. VAN – Wed. Nov. 7, Time TBD (MLS Live/TSN2, RDS2)
Conference Championships
First Leg (at lower seed)
- Eastern Conference – Sat., Nov. 10, 3:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
- Western Conference – Sun., Nov. 11, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN/Deportes, TSN2, RDS2) OR if at Seattle: Mon., Nov 12, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2/Deportes, TSN2, RDS2)
Second Leg (at higher seed)
- TBD – Sat., Nov. 17 or Sun., Nov. 18, Time TBD (NBCSN, TSN2, RDS2)
- TBD – Sun., Nov. 18, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN/Deportes, TSN2)
MLS Cup 2012
Saturday, December 1 (hosted by finalist with best regular season record) 4:30 p.m. ET (ESPN, TeleFutura, TSN, RDS) Site TBD
Key to television networks:
Deportes = ESPNDeportes (Spanish)
NBCSN = NBC Sports Network
RDS & RDS2 = in Canada (French)
TSN & TSN2 = in Canada (English)
UDN = Univision Deportes Network (Spanish)
