Western Conference (MLS)

Western Conference
League Major League Soccer
Sport Soccer
Founded 1996
Teams
No. of teams 12
Championships
Most recent Western Conference champion(s) Seattle Sounders FC (2017)
(2nd title)
Most Western Conference titles LA Galaxy
(8 titles)
Current MLS team locations; Western Conference teams are marked brown

The Western Conference is one of Major League Soccer's two conferences.

Current standings

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Sporting Kansas City (T) 33 17 8 8 63 39 +24 59 Conference Semi-finals[lower-alpha 1]
2 Los Angeles FC (T) 33 16 8 9 67 50 +17 57
3 FC Dallas (T) 33 16 8 9 51 42 +9 57 Knockout round
4 Seattle Sounders (T) 33 17 11 5 50 36 +14 56
5 Portland Timbers (T) 33 15 9 9 53 46 +7 54
6 Real Salt Lake 34 14 13 7 55 58 −3 49
7 LA Galaxy 33 13 11 9 64 61 +3 48
8 Vancouver Whitecaps (E) 33 12 13 8 52 66 −14 44
9 Minnesota United (E) 33 11 19 3 47 68 −21 36
10 Houston Dynamo (E) 33 9 16 8 55 56 −1 35
11 Colorado Rapids (E) 33 7 19 7 34 62 −28 28
12 San Jose Earthquakes (E) 33 4 20 9 48 69 −21 21
Updated to match(es) played on October 21, 2018. Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goal differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss or drawing of lots
(E) Eliminated; (T) Qualified, but not yet to the particular phase indicated.
Notes:
  1. ↑ Due to a change in format for the CONCACAF Champions League, the regular season conference champions will not automatically earn a berth in the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League.[1]

Members

Current

Team City Stadium
Colorado Rapids Commerce City, CO Dick's Sporting Goods Park
FC Dallas Frisco, TX Toyota Stadium
Houston Dynamo Houston, TX BBVA Compass Stadium
LA Galaxy Carson, CA StubHub Center
Los Angeles FC Los Angeles, CA Banc of California Stadium
Minnesota United FC Minneapolis, MN TCF Bank Stadium
Portland Timbers Portland, OR Providence Park
Real Salt Lake Sandy, UT Rio Tinto Stadium
San Jose Earthquakes San Jose, CA Avaya Stadium
Seattle Sounders FC Seattle, WA CenturyLink Field
Sporting Kansas City Kansas City, KS Children's Mercy Park
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Vancouver, BC BC Place

Conference Lineups

1996

Lineup for 1996

Changes from 1995

  • Creation of Major League Soccer

1997

Lineup for 1997

Changes from 1996

  • Kansas City changed their name from the Wiz to the Wizards

1998–99

Lineup for 1998–99

Changes from 1997

  • The Chicago Fire were added in the 1998 expansion

2000–01

Lineup for 2000–01

Changes from 1999

2002–04

Lineup for 2002–04

Changes from 2001

  • The Western Division changed back to the Western Conference following the contraction of the Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny, resulting in the disbanding of the Central Division
  • The Dallas Burn moved in from the Central Division

2005

Lineup for 2005

Changes from 2004

2006–07

Lineup for 2006–07

Changes from 2005

2008

Lineup for 2008

Changes from 2007

  • The San Jose Earthquakes return to MLS from their hiatus

2009–10

Lineup for 2009–10

Changes from 2008

  • Seattle Sounders FC were added in the 2009 expansion

2011–14

Lineup for 2011–14

Changes from 2010

  • The Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC were added in the 2011 expansion. Houston moved to the Eastern Conference.

2015–16

Lineup for 2015-16

Changes from 2014

2017

Lineup for 2017

Changes from 2016

2018

Lineup for 2017

Changes from 2017

Western Conference playoff champions by year

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 shootout. 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 moved to extra time (Golden goal extra time was implemented for 2003 only), then a shootout if necessary. Beginning in 2012, the finals are a two-match aggregate series. The away goals rule for series that finished even on aggregate was first implemented in 2014. Extra time and shootouts are used if necessary.

Bold MLS Cup Champions
Season Champions Score Runners Up
1996 LA Galaxy 2 matches to 0 Kansas City Wizards
1997 Colorado Rapids 2 matches to 0 Dallas Burn
1998 Chicago Fire 2 matches to 0 LA Galaxy
1999 LA Galaxy 2 matches to 1 Dallas Burn
2000 No conference playoffs
2001 No conference playoffs
2002 LA Galaxy 6 points to 0 Colorado Rapids
2003 San Jose Earthquakes 3–2 (aet) Kansas City Wizards
2004 Kansas City Wizards 2–0 LA Galaxy
2005 LA Galaxy 2–0 Colorado Rapids
2006 Houston Dynamo 3–1 Colorado Rapids
2007 Houston Dynamo 2–0 Kansas City Wizards
2008 New York Red BullsE 1–0 Real Salt Lake
2009 LA Galaxy 2–0 (aet) Houston Dynamo
2010 FC Dallas 3–0 LA Galaxy
2011 LA Galaxy 3–1 Real Salt Lake
2012 LA Galaxy 4–2 agg. Seattle Sounders FC
2013 Real Salt Lake 5–2 agg. Portland Timbers
2014 LA Galaxy 2–2 away goals Seattle Sounders FC
2015 Portland Timbers 5–3 agg. FC Dallas
2016 Seattle Sounders 3–1 agg Colorado Rapids
2017 Seattle Sounders 5–0 agg Houston Dynamo

E – Eastern Conference team.

Western Conference regular season first place teams by year

Bold Supporters' Shield Champions
Year Team Record Playoffs result
1996 LA Galaxy 19–13–0^ (+10) Lost MLS Cup Finals
1997 Kansas City Wizards 21–11–0^ (+6) Lost Conference Semifinals
1998 LA Galaxy 24–8–0^ (+41) Lost Conference Finals
1999 LA Galaxy 20–12–0^ (+20) Lost MLS Cup Finals
2000 Kansas City Wizards 16–7–9 (+18) Won MLS Cup Finals
2001 LA Galaxy† 14–7–5 (+16) Lost Semifinals
2002 LA Galaxy 16–9–3 (+11) Won MLS Cup Finals
2003 San Jose Earthquakes 14–7–9 (+10) Won MLS Cup Finals
2004 Kansas City Wizards 14–9–7 (+8) Lost MLS Cup Finals
2005 San Jose Earthquakes 18–4–10 (+22) Lost Conference Semifinals
2006 FC Dallas 16–12–4 (+4) Lost Conference Semifinals
2007 Chivas USA 15–7–8 (+18) Lost Conference Semifinals
2008 Houston Dynamo 13–5–12 (+13) Lost Conference Semifinals
2009 LA Galaxy 12–6–12 (+5) Lost MLS Cup Finals
2010 LA Galaxy 18–7–5 (+18) Lost Conference Finals
2011 LA Galaxy 19–5–10 (+20) Won MLS Cup Finals
2012 San Jose Earthquakes 19–6–9 (+29) Lost Conference Semifinals
2013 Portland Timbers 14–5–15 (+21) Lost Conference Finals
2014 Seattle Sounders FC 20–10–4 (+15) Lost Conference Finals
2015 FC Dallas 18–10–6 (+13) Lost Conference Finals
2016 FC Dallas 17–8–9 (+10) Lost Conference Semifinals
2017 Portland Timbers 15–11–8 (+10) Lost Conference Semifinals

^ – 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.

MLS Cup Champions produced

See also

References

  1. ↑ Strauss, Brian (April 6, 2017). "MLS clubs have resolution over qualifying for future CCL after format change". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  2. ↑ "MLS announces new strategy for Los Angeles market, 2015 conference alignment". mlssoccer.com. Major League Soccer. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Atlanta to join Eastern Conference in 2017, Minnesota to compete in West". Major League Soccer. August 20, 2016. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.