Atlanta United and eleven other teams are set to kick off a five-and-a-half week journey to MLS Cup as the league’s playoffs begin with a knockout round this week. Who will be the last team standing? Will it be Supporters’ Shield winner Toronto FC? Can the Seattle Sounders make it two in a row and join DC United and the Houston Dynamo as the only back-to-back Cup winners in league history? Is a dark horse poised to make a run at it?
Before things get going, let’s break down the format itself.