Major League Soccer announced today the full schedule for the 2019 MLS playoffs in which Atlanta United will have a chance to defend its title.
If the Five Stripes are able to repeat as MLS Champions, they will be the first team to do so since the 2011-2012 LA Galaxy and just the fourth team in MLS history to repeat.
Atlanta also finished the regular season with 58 points, the highest amount obtained by a defending champion since the 2000 season.
This year, the playoffs will consist of just one match, instead of the home-and-away series that was in place last season. The higher seed will be the host team in each round, which gives Atlanta United an opportunity to play at home in the first two rounds, if the team advances that far.
MLS Cup final will take place Nov. 10 at 3 p.m. ET.
Here’s the schedule in the Eastern Conference:
Round 1:
No. 4 Toronto FC vs. No. 5 D.C. United (October 19, 6 p.m. ET)
No. 2 Atlanta United vs. No. 7 New England Revolution (October 19, 1 p.m. ET)
No. 3 Philadelphia Union vs. No. 6 New York Red Bulls (October 20, 3 p.m. ET)
Round 2:
No. 1 New York City FC vs. winner between No. 4 and No. 5 ( October 23, 7 p.m. ET)
Winner between No. 2 vs. No. 7 vs. winner between No. 3 vs. No. 6 (October 24, 7:30 p.m. ET)
Eastern Conference Final:
October 30, time to be determined
Western Conference:
Round 1:
No. 2 Seattle vs No. 7 Dallas (October 19, 3:30 p.m. ET)
No. 3 Real Salt Lake vs No. 6 Portland (October 19, 10 p.m. ET)
No. 4 Minnesota vs No. 5 LA Galaxy (October 20, 8:30 p.m. ET)
Round 2:
No. 1 LAFC vs. winner between No. 4 and No. 5 ( October 24, 10:30 p.m. ET)
Winner between No. 2 vs. No. 7 vs. winner between No. 3 vs. No. 6 (October 23, 10 p.m. ET)
Western Conference final:
October 29, time to be determined
