Western Conference (MLS)

The Western Conference is one of Major League Soccer's two conferences, along with the Eastern Conference. The division of the conferences broadly follows the path of the Mississippi River from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, with clubs on, or west of the river in the Western Conference.

Western Conference

League	Major League Soccer
Sport	Soccer
Founded	1996
No. of teams	15
Most recent champion(s)	LA Galaxy (2024) (9th title)
Most titles	LA Galaxy (9 titles)

Austin

Colorado

Dallas

Houston

LAFC

Galaxy

Minnesota

Portland

Salt Lake

San Diego

San Jose

Seattle

Kansas City

St. Louis

Vancouver

Current Western Conference teams

As of 2025, the Western Conference contains 15 teams. The conference has produced 11 Supporters' Shield champions and 18 MLS Cup winners in Major League Soccer's first 29 seasons. In 2000 and 2001, the conference was referred to as the Western Division when Major League Soccer briefly reorganized into three divisions.

2025 standings

MLS Western Conference table (2025)

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	13	8	1	4	24	10	+14	28	Qualification for round one and the CONCACAF Champions Cup round one
2	Minnesota United FC	14	7	3	4	22	13	+9	25	Qualification for round one
3	San Diego FC	14	7	4	3	25	16	+9	24
4	Portland Timbers	14	6	3	5	23	20	+3	23
5	Los Angeles FC	14	6	4	4	25	20	+5	22
6	Seattle Sounders FC	14	5	4	5	21	19	+2	20
7	Colorado Rapids	14	5	5	4	16	20	−4	19
8	San Jose Earthquakes	14	5	6	3	29	23	+6	18	Qualification for the wild-card round
9	Austin FC	14	5	6	3	9	16	−7	18
10	Houston Dynamo FC	14	4	6	4	15	19	−4	16
11	FC Dallas	13	4	5	4	15	22	−7	16
12	Real Salt Lake	14	4	8	2	13	19	−6	14
13	Sporting Kansas City	14	3	8	3	19	24	−5	12
14	St. Louis City SC	14	2	7	5	11	19	−8	11
15	LA Galaxy	14	0	10	4	12	33	−21	4

Updated to match(es) played on May 18, 2025. Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)

^{[citation needed]}

Members

Current

Team	City	Stadium
Austin FC	Austin, Texas	Q2 Stadium
Colorado Rapids	Commerce City, Colorado	Dick's Sporting Goods Park
FC Dallas	Frisco, Texas	Toyota Stadium
Houston Dynamo FC	Houston, Texas	Shell Energy Stadium
LA Galaxy	Carson, California	Dignity Health Sports Park
Los Angeles FC	Los Angeles, California	BMO Stadium
Minnesota United FC	Saint Paul, Minnesota	Allianz Field
Portland Timbers	Portland, Oregon	Providence Park
Real Salt Lake	Sandy, Utah	America First Field
San Diego FC	San Diego, California	Snapdragon Stadium
San Jose Earthquakes	San Jose, California	PayPal Park
Seattle Sounders FC	Seattle, Washington	Lumen Field
Sporting Kansas City	Kansas City, Kansas	Children's Mercy Park
St. Louis City SC	St. Louis, Missouri	Energizer Park
Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Vancouver, British Columbia	BC Place

Timeline

Western Conference member Eastern Conference member Central Division member

Conference lineups by year

1996 (5 teams)

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

Changes from 1995: Creation of the Major League Soccer.

1997 (5 teams)

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

Changes from 1996: Kansas City changed their name from Wiz to Wizards.

1998–99 (6 teams)

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

Changes from 1997: Chicago Fire was added in the 1998 expansion.

2000–01 (as Western Division) (4 teams)

• Colorado Rapids
• Kansas City Wizards
• Los Angeles Galaxy
• San Jose Earthquakes

Changes from 1999: The Western Conference renamed itself the Western Division upon the creation of the Central Division; Chicago Fire and Dallas Burn moved into the new division; The San Jose Clash renamed to the Earthquakes.

2002–04 (5 teams)

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

Changes from 2001: The Western Division renamed back to Western Conference following the contraction of the Miami Fusion and the Tampa Bay Mutiny, resulting in the disbanding of the Central Division; Dallas Burn moved in from the Central Division.

2005 (6 teams)

• Chivas USA
• Colorado Rapids
• FC Dallas
• Los Angeles Galaxy
• Real Salt Lake
• San Jose Earthquakes

Changes from 2004: Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake were added in the 2005 expansion; Kansas City Wizards moved to the Eastern Conference; The Dallas Burn renamed to FC Dallas.

2006–07 (6 teams)

• Chivas USA
• Colorado Rapids
• FC Dallas
• Houston Dynamo
• Los Angeles Galaxy
• Real Salt Lake

Changes from 2005: The San Jose Earthquakes was put on hiatus; The Houston Dynamo joined the league as an expansion franchise.

2008 (7 teams)

• Chivas USA
• Colorado Rapids
• FC Dallas
• Houston Dynamo
• Los Angeles Galaxy
• Real Salt Lake
• San Jose Earthquakes

Changes from 2007: The San Jose Earthquakes return to MLS after its hiatus.

2009–10 (8 teams)

• Chivas USA
• Colorado Rapids
• FC Dallas
• Houston Dynamo
• Los Angeles Galaxy
• Real Salt Lake
• San Jose Earthquakes
• Seattle Sounders FC

Changes from 2008: Seattle Sounders FC was added in the 2009 expansion.

2011–14 (9 teams)

• Chivas USA
• Colorado Rapids
• FC Dallas
• Los Angeles Galaxy
• Portland Timbers
• Real Salt Lake
• San Jose Earthquakes
• Seattle Sounders FC
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Changes from 2010: The Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC were added in the 2011 expansion; Houston Dynamo moved to the Eastern Conference.

2015–16 (10 teams)

• Colorado Rapids
• FC Dallas
• Houston Dynamo
• Los Angeles Galaxy
• Portland Timbers
• Real Salt Lake
• San Jose Earthquakes
• Seattle Sounders FC
• Sporting Kansas City
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Changes from 2014: Chivas USA ceases operations; Sporting Kansas City and the Houston Dynamo move in from the Eastern Conference.^[1]

2017 (11 teams)

• Colorado Rapids
• FC Dallas
• Houston Dynamo
• Los Angeles Galaxy
• Minnesota United FC
• Portland Timbers
• Real Salt Lake
• San Jose Earthquakes
• Seattle Sounders FC
• Sporting Kansas City
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Changes from 2016: Minnesota United FC was added in the 2017 expansion.^[2]

2018–19 (12 teams)

• Colorado Rapids
• FC Dallas
• Houston Dynamo
• LA Galaxy
• Los Angeles FC
• Minnesota United FC
• Portland Timbers
• Real Salt Lake
• San Jose Earthquakes
• Seattle Sounders FC
• Sporting Kansas City
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Changes from 2017: Los Angeles FC was added in the 2018 expansion.

2020 (12 teams)

• Colorado Rapids
• FC Dallas
• Houston Dynamo
• LA Galaxy
• Los Angeles FC
• Minnesota United FC
• Portland Timbers
• Real Salt Lake
• San Jose Earthquakes
• Seattle Sounders FC
• Sporting Kansas City
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Changes from 2019: Nashville SC was added in the 2020 expansion, but moved to the Eastern Conference since the MLS is Back Tournament up to the end of the 2020 season.^[3]

2021 (13 teams)

• Austin FC
• Colorado Rapids
• FC Dallas
• Houston Dynamo FC
• LA Galaxy
• Los Angeles FC
• Minnesota United FC
• Portland Timbers
• Real Salt Lake
• San Jose Earthquakes
• Seattle Sounders FC
• Sporting Kansas City
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Changes from 2020: Nashville SC moved to the Eastern Conference;^[4] Austin FC was added in the 2021 expansion; Houston Dynamo added "FC" to their name.

2022 (14 teams)

• Austin FC
• Colorado Rapids
• FC Dallas
• Houston Dynamo FC
• LA Galaxy
• Los Angeles FC
• Minnesota United FC
• Nashville SC
• Portland Timbers
• Real Salt Lake
• San Jose Earthquakes
• Seattle Sounders FC
• Sporting Kansas City
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Change from 2021: Nashville SC moved in from the Eastern Conference.^[5][6]

2023–24 (14 teams)

• Austin FC
• Colorado Rapids
• FC Dallas
• Houston Dynamo FC
• LA Galaxy
• Los Angeles FC
• Minnesota United FC
• Portland Timbers
• Real Salt Lake
• San Jose Earthquakes
• Seattle Sounders FC
• Sporting Kansas City
• St. Louis City SC
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Changes from 2022: Nashville SC moved back to the Eastern Conference as expansion side St. Louis City SC was added to the Western Conference.^[7]

2025 (15 teams)

• Austin FC
• Colorado Rapids
• FC Dallas
• Houston Dynamo FC
• LA Galaxy
• Los Angeles FC
• Minnesota United FC
• Portland Timbers
• Real Salt Lake
• San Diego FC
• San Jose Earthquakes
• Seattle Sounders FC
• Sporting Kansas City
• St. Louis City SC
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Changes from 2024: San Diego FC was added in the 2025 expansion.^[8]

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 shoot-out. 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 went to extra time (Golden goal extra time was implemented for 2003 only), then a shoot-out 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 shoot-outs were used if necessary, although away goals did not apply in extra time. In 2019, the playoffs returned to a single match, single elimination format (including the conference finals), which were hosted by the higher placed team in the regular season.

From 2015 to 2021, the Western Conference was represented in the MLS Cup by either Seattle Sounders FC or the Portland Timbers.^[9]

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 (a.e.t.)	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
2020	Seattle Sounders FC	3–2	Minnesota United FC
2021	Portland Timbers	2–0	Real Salt Lake
2022	Los Angeles FC	3–0	Austin FC
2023	Los Angeles FC	2–0	Houston Dynamo FC
2024	LA Galaxy	1–0	Seattle Sounders FC

^E – Eastern Conference team.

Western Conference Champion counts by team

As of the 2024 season, a total of fourteen different teams have competed in the Western Conference finals, and twelve of those teams have won at least once. In the table below, teams are ordered first by the number of appearances in a Western Conference finals, then by the number of wins, and finally by year. Note that this table does not include years that a Western Conference team appeared in the Eastern Conference in the playoffs (such as 2010), and it does include appearances by Eastern Conference teams. Chivas USA (defunct), Nashville SC, St. Louis City SC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC have never made it to the Western Conference finals.

Club	Appearances	Wins	Losses	Most recent Year of Appearance
LA Galaxy	12	9	3	2024
Seattle Sounders FC	7	4	3	2024
Houston Dynamo FC	5	2	3	2023
Colorado Rapids	5	1	4	2016
Sporting Kansas City	5	1	4	2007
FC Dallas	4	1	3	2015
Real Salt Lake	4	1	3	2013
Portland Timbers	4	3	1	2021
New York Red Bulls (Eastern Conference team)	1	1	0	2008
San Jose Earthquakes	1	1	0	2003
Chicago Fire FC (now in Eastern Conference)	1	1	0	1998
Minnesota United FC	1	0	1	2020
Los Angeles FC	3	2	1	2023
Austin FC	1	0	1	2022

Western Conference regular season champions by year

Bold	Supporters' Shield champions

Year	Team	Record (W–L–T) (GD)	Playoffs result
1996	LA Galaxy	19–13–0^ (+10)	Lost MLS Cup
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
2000	Kansas City Wizards	16–7–9 (+18)	Won MLS Cup
2001	LA Galaxy†	14–7–5 (+16)	Lost Semifinals
2002	LA Galaxy	16–9–3 (+11)	Won MLS Cup
2003	San Jose Earthquakes	14–7–9 (+10)	Won MLS Cup
2004	Kansas City Wizards	14–9–7 (+8)	Lost MLS Cup
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
2010	LA Galaxy	18–7–5 (+18)	Lost conference finals
2011	LA Galaxy	19–5–10 (+20)	Won MLS Cup
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
2020	Sporting Kansas City	12–6–3 (+13)	Lost conference semifinals
2021	Colorado Rapids	17–7–10 (+16)	Lost conference semifinals
2022	Los Angeles FC	21–9–4 (+28)	Won MLS Cup
2023	St. Louis City SC	17–12–5 (+17)	Lost first round
2024	Los Angeles FC	19–7–8 (+20)	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 West at the MLS All-Star Game

Further information: MLS All-Star Game

In 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2004, the Major League Soccer All-Star Game was contested between an all-star team from the Western Conference against an all-star team from the Eastern Conference. In total, the MLS West all-star team has 1 win, 1 draw, and 4 losses against the east.

Yearly results

Year	Result	Score	Series
1996	Lost	2–3	East 1–0–0
1997	Lost	4–5	East 2–0–0
1999	Won	6–4	East 2–1–0
2000	Lost	4–9	East 3–1–0
2001	Tied	6–6	East 3–1–1
2004	Lost	2–3	East 4–1–1

See also

• Eastern Conference (MLS)
• Central Division (MLS)