St Louis CITY2 and The Town FC to Host in Western Conference, New York Red Bulls II and Philadelphia Union II to Host in Eastern Conference
MLS NEXT Pro announced today the schedule for the second round of the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs, the Conference Semifinals, with one match on Saturday, October 25 and three on Sunday, October 26. Through MLS NEXT Pro’s Pick-Your-Opponent format, matchups for the Conference Semifinals are determined by the highest remaining seed in each conference selecting and hosting an opponent from the two lowest seeded teams. The two remaining Clubs face each other, with the higher of the two seeds hosting.
In the Western Conference, No. 1 overall seed St Louis CITY2 chose No. 5 MNUFC2, while in the Eastern Conference No. 1 New York Red Bulls II selected No. 6 Chicago Fire FC II.
The Conference Semifinals schedule is as follows, with all matches airing on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV:
Eastern Conference
Saturday, October 25
Philadelphia Union II (No. 2) vs Huntsville City FC (No. 5) – Subaru Park (6 p.m. ET)
Sunday, October 26
New York Red Bulls II (No. 1) vs Chicago Fire FC II (No. 6) – MSU Soccer Park (7 p.m. ET)
Western Conference
Sunday, October 26
St Louis CITY2 (No. 1) vs MNUFC2 (No. 5) – Energizer Park (6 p.m. ET)
The Town FC (No. 2) vs Colorado Rapids 2 (No.3) – PayPal Park (9 p.m. ET)
Semifinal Matchups
No. 1 St Louis CITY2 faces No. 5 MNUFC2 on Sunday at Energizer Park, with CITY2 having won two matches and drawn another in the regular season series between the clubs. CITY2 set a League record with an 18-match unbeaten streak that spanned more than half of the season in 2025, thanks in part to an efficient offense and defense that combined forces to record the League’s third-best Goal Differential (+23, tied with The Town FC). In the other Western Conference Semifinal, No. 2 The Town FC hosts No. 3 Colorado Rapids 2 in a match poised to produce goals as Billo Diop (COL, 14 goals) and Nonso Adimabua (TTFC, 13 goals) both recorded double-digit goal hauls in the 2025 season. The Town FC and Colorado Rapids 2 faced off just once in the regular season, resulting in a 3-0 victory for The Town FC.
In the East, No. 1 New York Red Bulls II hosts No. 6 Chicago Fire FC II in a match between the League’s highest scoring offenses; Fire II accumulated 69 goals throughout the season, surpassing Red Bulls II by a single goal. New York won two of the three matches against Chicago in the regular season, but Fire II had the largest margin of victory in the series with a 9-2 win in July. No. 2 Philadelphia Union II, the third-highest scoring offense in MLS NEXT Pro (64 goals), hosts Huntsville City FC and its stifling defense that recorded the fewest goals conceded across the League (32 goals). Union II also boasts the second-best defensive record in the 2025 season, trailing Huntsville by just two goals (34 goals conceded). The teams met just once in the 2025 season, playing to a 2-2 stalemate in March, with Huntsville narrowly winning the post-match penalty shootout 4-3.
How They Got Here
In the Western Conference, the No. 1-3 seeds defended home ground and advanced out of the Conference Quarterfinals on Sunday, October 19. St Louis CITY2 defeated No. 8 Ventura County, 3-0, led by Brendan McSorley’s late brace (81’, 87’). No. 2 The Town FC looked impressive against the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Cup Champions, No. 6 North Texas SC, defeating the Texas club, 3-0, through goals from Max Floriani, Missael Rodriguez and Nick Fernandez. No. 3 Colorado Rapids 2 staved off No. 7 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 in a 3-2 thriller and No. 5 MNUFC2 pulled off the upset on the road to defeat No. 4 Real Monarchs, 2-1, thanks to an 86th minute game-winning goal from Mohmoh Kamara.
With North Texas SC’s elimination, a new League Champion will be crowned in 2025. The 2023 (Austin FC II) and 2022 Champions (Columbus Crew 2) failed to qualify for this year’s Playoffs, paving the way for a fourth Club to win the fourth edition of MLS NEXT Pro Cup.
In the Eastern Conference, the top two seeds took care of business at home, while a pair of upsets shook up the Playoff field. No. 1 New York Red Bulls II defeated No. 8 Carolina Core FC in a statement victory that saw Best XI honoree Nehuén Benedetti and finalist for 2025 Playmaker of the Year Rafael Mosquera each score a brace to help the Eastern Conference leaders win, 5-1. Another brace, this time from Stas Korzeniowski, helped No. 2 Philadelphia Union II edge past Eastern Conference rivals FC Cincinnati 2 by a 2-1 scoreline. No. 6 Chicago Fire FC II was the first team to record an upset victory, defeating No. 3 New England Revolution II, 1-0, through a late goal from 2024 MLS NEXT Pro MVP presented by adidas David Poreba in the 86th minute. Finally, No. 5 Huntsville City FC played spoiler for No. 4 Chattanooga FC’s MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs debut, as Christian Koffi assisted a goal and scored another to help Huntsville City FC record a 2-0 victory.
Up Next
The Conference Finals (weekend of October 31) and MLS NEXT Pro Cup (weekend of November 7) will follow a traditional bracket style, after the first two rounds’ matchups were determined by the League’s Pick-Your-Opponent format. As the No. 1 overall seed (best regular season record), St Louis CITY2 is guaranteed home field throughout the Playoffs.
Complete details on the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs are available at MLSNEXTPro.com.
