Western Conference (MLS)

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

Western Conference
LeagueMajor League Soccer
SportSoccer
Founded1996
Teams
No. of teams13
Championships
Most recent champion(s)Seattle Sounders FC (2019)
(3rd title)
Most titlesLA Galaxy
(8 titles)
Current MLS team locations.
Western Conference in brown, Eastern Conference in blue.

2019 standings
Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Los Angeles FC 34 21 4 9 85 37 +48 72 Conference Semifinals & 2020 CONCACAF Champions League
2 Seattle Sounders FC (C) 34 16 10 8 51 49 +2 56 First round & 2020 CONCACAF Champions League[lower-alpha 1]
3 Real Salt Lake 34 16 13 5 45 41 +4 53 First round & 2020 Leagues Cup
4 Minnesota United FC 34 15 11 8 52 42 +10 53
5 LA Galaxy 34 16 15 3 56 55 +1 51
6 Portland Timbers 34 14 13 7 49 48 +1 49
7 FC Dallas 34 13 12 9 48 46 +2 48 First round
8 San Jose Earthquakes 34 13 16 5 51 52 −1 44
9 Colorado Rapids 34 12 16 6 57 60 −3 42
10 Houston Dynamo 34 12 18 4 45 57 −12 40
11 Sporting Kansas City 34 10 16 8 49 67 −18 38
12 Vancouver Whitecaps FC[lower-alpha 2] 34 8 16 10 37 58 −21 34
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 goals scored; 9) home goal differential; 10) coin toss or drawing of lots
(C) Champion.
Notes:
  1. As MLS Cup 2019 champions
  2. Canadian clubs could not qualify for the 2020 CONCACAF Champions League through MLS play.

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 Saint Paul, MN Allianz Field
Nashville SC Nashville, TN Nissan 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
  • Colorado Rapids
  • Dallas Burn
  • Kansas City Wiz
  • Los Angeles Galaxy
  • San Jose Clash

Changes from 1995

  • Creation of Major League Soccer

1997
  • Colorado Rapids
  • Dallas Burn
  • Kansas City Wizards
  • Los Angeles Galaxy
  • San Jose Clash

Changes from 1996

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

1998–99
  • Chicago Fire
  • Colorado Rapids
  • Dallas Burn
  • Kansas City Wizards
  • Los Angeles Galaxy
  • San Jose Clash

Changes from 1997

  • The Chicago Fire were added in the 1998 expansion

2000–01 (as Western Division)

Changes from 1999

  • The Western Conference changed to the Western Division with the creation of the new Central Division
  • The Chicago Fire and Dallas Burn moved into the new Central Division
  • San Jose Clash changed their nickname from the Clash to the Earthquakes

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

Changes from 2004

2006–07

Changes from 2005

2008

Changes from 2007

  • The San Jose Earthquakes return to MLS from their hiatus

2009–10

Changes from 2008

  • Seattle Sounders FC were added in the 2009 expansion

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

Changes from 2014

2017

Changes from 2016

2018–19

Changes from 2017

2020

Changes from 2019

  • Nashville SC was added in the 2020 expansion, but moved to the East for the 2020 MLS is Back Tournament.[3]

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 were a two-match aggregate series. The away goals rule for series that finished even on aggregate was first implemented in 2014. Extra time and shootouts were used if necessary. In 2019, the playoffs returned to a single match, single elimination format, including the conference finals which were hosted by the highest placed teams in the regular season.

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 (a.e.t.) 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 agg. (a) Seattle Sounders FC
2015 Portland Timbers 5–3 agg. FC Dallas
2016 Seattle Sounders FC 3–1 agg. Colorado Rapids
2017 Seattle Sounders FC 5–0 agg. Houston Dynamo
2018 Portland Timbers 3–2 agg. Sporting Kansas City
2019 Seattle Sounders FC 3–1 Los Angeles FC

E – Eastern Conference team.

Western Conference regular season champions 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
2018 Sporting Kansas City 18–8–8 (+25) Lost Conference Finals
2019 Los Angeles FC 21–4–9 (+48) Lost Conference Finals

^ – 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. "MLS announces new strategy for Los Angeles market, 2015 conference alignment". mlssoccer.com. Major League Soccer. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
  2. "Atlanta to join Eastern Conference in 2017, Minnesota to compete in West". Major League Soccer. August 20, 2016. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  3. "Nashville SC moves to Eastern Conference for remainder of 2020 season". MLSsoccer.com. June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
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