MLS Cup Futures 2023

The MLS regular season has concluded which means the playoffs are in full swing to decide who will take home the MLS Cup this season. There is also a new playoff format for this year’s MLS playoffs to make things very interesting so now it is time to see who has the best chance of navigating this new path to the MLS Cup and winning it all this year.

FC Cincinnati +250: Cincinnati is listed as the favorite to win the MLS Cup and they are the team that finished with the most points in the league, 6 points ahead of the next team. They also had the best record as they were the only team in the MLS to win 20 matches and the only team with less than 7 losses as well since they only had 5 losses. They also had a very strong home advantage all season as they did have the best home record in the league and that is going to be a big advantage for them throughout the playoffs since no team will have home advantage over them. Cincinnati is also a very complete team with their attack and defense so it is no surprise that they are the favorite as they do have the best chance of getting through to the finals. Cincinnati is a very good team all around and they have some value in winning the MLS Cup at this price. 

Los Angeles FC +350: Los Angeles FC or LAFC is listed as the next best choice to win the MLS Cup this season. LAFC are the defending champions of the MLS Cup from last season and they still have one of the most talented squads in the league this year as well. They only finished in 3rd place of the Western Conference during the regular season though and they finished in 8th place with points in the entire MLS. They finished the regular season in very good form which will carry over into the playoffs but their motivation as the defending champions is in question as the CONCACAF Champions League was the title they wanted to win this year and they did not, and now they will likely be losing some key players in the winter as well. LAFC has a very good chance of making it to the finals this year as they are by far the strongest team in the Western Conference but they still have to go through Seattle possibly which could be very tough and they will definitely have a challenge in the finals as there are a lot of strong teams in the Eastern Conference this year, including a majority of the teams that finished ahead of LAFC in the MLS table. LAFC does have some value here but it is more likely the MLS Cup will go to a team from the Eastern Conference this year.

Columbus Crew +650: Columbus is listed as the next best choice to win the MLS Cup this season. Columbus is another team that also finished the regular season in good form but a lot of their wins were starting to turn to draws near the end. They were a very good team this season as they were 3rd place in the Eastern Conference as well as the entire MLS table. They were also a team with a very strong home advantage as they had the 2nd best home record during the regular season in the entire MLS and that will help since they do have the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference and would have home advantage over any Western Conference team if they were to make it to the finals. Columbus also has a very potent attack as they scored 67 goals this season which led the MLS in goals for, but they also needed to score those goals in their matches as they did not have a very good defense, allowing 46 goals. Columbus is a very good team with a strong home advantage but they were only 12th in the MLS this season with their road record and there is still a good chance that they will not have home advantage in the next 2 rounds if the higher seeds advance. Columbus will also get themselves into trouble on defense with the number of goals they allow and they do not have the team to make a deep run in these playoffs. There is not a lot of value with Columbus here. 

Philadelphia Union +800: Philadelphia is listed as the next best choice to win the MLS Cup this season. Philadelphia is the team that went to the finals last year from the Eastern Conference and they lost to LAFC in the finals. That was a much better Philadelphia team with a stronger home advantage that was fighting for the Supporters’ Shield as well. Philadelphia was not as good of a team this year as they only finished in 4th place in the Eastern Conference and in 5th place for the entire MLS. They did have a good attack with 57 goals scored but their defense took a big step back with 41 goals allowed. Philadelphia also has a very tough road ahead of them as they will not have home advantage in the next round if Cincinnati advances and there are also 2 other teams in the Eastern Conference who would have home advantage over them. Philadelphia was not bad in their away matches this season but their defense is not what they were last year nor is this team as a whole and they will not recreate that magic that took them to the finals last year with so many good teams in the Eastern Conference. There is not a lot of value in Philadelphia to win. 

Seattle Sounders FC +900: Seattle is listed as the next best choice to win the MLS Cup this season. Seattle is another team that was starting to catch fire near the end of the regular season as they finished playing in very good form. They finished the regular season in 7th place overall in the MLS table but they were also 2nd place in the Western Conference. St Louis is the team with the number 1 seed so even if Seattle has to meet up with LAFC down the line, Seattle will have home advantage for that match. Seattle did struggle with their attack this season as they only scored 41 goals but they had the best defense by far as they only allowed 32 goals which actually averages less than 1 goal allowed per match all year, the only team in the MLS to do so as well. Seattle’s biggest challenge in the Western Conference this year will be against LAFC but Seattle’s great defense along with the home advantage in that match gives them a very good chance to be the team from the Western Conference to make it to the finals. Seattle also has a long history over the last decade or so of having a lot of success in the MLS playoffs with a few MLS Cups to their name as well. Considering how they have the best defense in the league as well as the number 2 seed in the Western Conference, Seattle has a lot of value at this price to win the MLS Cup this year.

Orlando City SC +1000: Orlando is listed as the next best choice to win the MLS Cup this season. Orlando finished the regular season winning 4 straight matches and they were by far the most in form team coming into the playoffs. They were also very strong all season as they finished in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference as well as the entire MLS table. Orlando has the number 2 seed and that is going to be very important for them as the only team in the entire MLS that will have home advantage over them is Cincinnati. Orlando also has the added advantage of being the best road team in the MLS this year during the regular season. They almost had identical home and away records this season as well as a very favorable road to the finals in these playoffs. Orlando was also one of the few teams that beat Cincinnati away from home and it was only a few weeks ago. Orlando has a very good team and they are by far the biggest dark horse in the MLS playoffs as there is a lot of value in them at this price.

 There are a lot of strong teams in the MLS this season with a lot of them being in the Eastern Conference and it is very likely that the winner of the MLS Cup will be a team from the Eastern Conference this season. Cincinnati at +250 is always a solid choice as they do have the best as well as the most complete team in the league but LAFC at +350 is not bad considering they are making one last run with these key players. The best options to win the MLS Cup this season though are Seattle at +900 from the Western Conference as well as Orlando City at +1000 from the Eastern Conference as both have the most value considering the seeds they have in the playoffs as well as the talent on the team. MLS Cup Finals: Seattle Sounders vs Orlando City.