Who Has Won the Most MLS Cups?
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The MLS Cup is the championship game that marks the culmination of the playoffs. The MLS Cup game is held in November or December, depending on the soccer schedule, and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Conference Final.
Unlike in other leagues around the world, the MLS Cup winner comes after a positional finish in the playoffs during the league campaign, then a battle in the playoffs before the final. This subsequently awards the winner the title of league champion, as opposed to just finishing atop a division like we see around Europe.
As you look to prepare for your Major League Soccer betting, it's good to know what teams have been the cream of the crop. Here's a look at what teams have won the most MLS Cups.
LA Galaxy (five titles)
The MLS landscape has drastically changed over the past decade, and giants like the LA Galaxy have struggled to keep up. LA has not won a title since 2014 but has five since debuting in 1996.
The first of those five triumphs came in 2002 when the Galaxy beat the New England Revolution 1-0 after losing in three previous MLS Cups. The Galaxy would beat the Revs three years later, 1-0 in Frisco, Texas.
The Galaxy would then win three MLS Cups in four seasons, 2011, 2012 and 2014, beating Houston Dynamo in two matches and the Revs once more in 2014.
D.C. United (four titles)
D.C. United dominated the first few years of MLS. It is one of only three teams to win two titles in a row, with victories in 1996 and 1997 before losing the 1998 MLS Cup finalrow.
In 1999, D.C. would win the MLS Cup again, making it the only MLS franchise to win three titles in four years. D.C. debuted in 1996; it made it to the final in its first four seasons.
D.C. would wait five years for another MLS Cup, as it beat the then-Kansas City Wizards 3-2 after scoring all three of its goals in a seven-minute span.
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Seattle, Kansas City, San Jose, Houston and Columbus (two each)
With D.C. and the Galaxy far ahead of every other MLS team, the next spot on the list goes to Seattle Sounders, Sporting Kansas City, San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo and Columbus Crew with two wins each.
Seattle won in 2016 and 2019 and reached the final four times from 2016-20.
Houston would win its two titles in its first two seasons, putting it alongside D.C. as the only MLS team to ever do so.
San Jose triumphed in 2001 and 2003 in its only MLS Cup appearances; it joins Atlanta United, New York City and Los Angeles as the only teams to be undefeated in MLS Cup finals.
Columbus Crew reigned supreme in 2020 during the hectic pandemic schedule after also winning in 2008. It also reached the 2015 final and lost to Portland.
Only Kansas City has a bigger gap between MLS Cup wins, triumphing in 2000 and 2013.
Teams to win one MLS title
- Chicago Fire
- Real Salt Lake
- Columbus Crew
- Colorado Rapids
- Portland Timbers
- Toronto
- Los Angeles
- New York City FC
- Atlanta United
Honorable mentions
- In 27 MLS seasons, the New York Red Bulls have only made one final, losing to the Columbus Crew in 2008.
- Alongside D.C. United, Houston and Chicago are the only teams to win the MLS Cup in their inaugural seasons.
- Only the LA Galaxy has reached more finals than the New England Revolution, with the Revs losing all five of them to set a record for most MLS Cup final defeats.
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