2015 MLS Cup Playoffs schedule

Major League Soccer has released its 2015 playoff schedule, with MLS Cup set for Dec. 6 on ESPN.

This year's playoffs will be the first with an expanded field of 12 teams. The third and fourth seeds in each conference host the fifth and sixth seeds in single knockout matches.

Those games will only be broadcast nationally on UniMas, with English commentary on SAP.

The conference semifinals and finals that follow are each over two legs. The conference finals will wait a week during the FIFA international break.

MLS Cup will be hosted by the surviving team with the best regular-season record.

Playoff seeding

Eastern Conference
1. New York Red Bulls
2. Columbus Crew
3. Montreal Impact
4. D.C. United
5. New England Revolution
6. Toronto FC

Western Conference
1. FC Dallas
2. Vancouver Whitecaps
3. Portland Timbers
4. Seattle Sounders
5. LA Galaxy
6. Sporting Kansas City

Knockout Round (UniMas)

Wednesday, Oct. 28:
D.C. United 2, New England Revolution 1
Seattle Sounders 3, LA Galaxy 2

Thursday, Oct. 29:
Montreal Impact 3-0 Toronto FC
Portland Timbers (7)2-2(6) Sporting KC

Eastern and Western Conference Semifinals

Teams receiving byes to this stage: New York, Columbus, Dallas, Vancouver
Teams to advance from knockout stage: D.C., Seattle, Montreal, Portland

First Leg: Sunday, Nov. 1
New York Red Bulls 1, D.C. United 0
Portland Timbers 0, Vancouver Whitecaps 0
Montreal Impact 2, Columbus Crew 1
Seattle Sounders 2, FC Dallas 1

Second Leg: Sunday, Nov. 8
New York Red Bulls 1, D.C. United 0
(New York advances 2-0 on aggregate)
Columbus Crew 3, Montreal Impact 1
(Columbus advances 4-3 on aggregate)
FC Dallas 2, Seattle Sounders 1 (FCD won 4-2 on penalties)
(Aggregate 3-3)
Vancouver Whitecaps 0, Portland Timbers 2
(Portland advance 2-0 on aggregate)

Conference Championships

First leg: Sunday, Nov. 22
Columbus Crew SC 2, New York Red Bulls 0
Portland Timbers 3, FC Dallas 1

Second leg: Sunday, Nov. 29
FC Dallas 2, Portland Timbers 2
(Potland advances 5-3 on aggregate)
New York Red Bulls 1, Columbus Crew SC 0
(Columbus advances 2-1 on aggregate)

2015 MLS Cup

Sunday, Dec. 6
Portland Timbers 2, Columbus Crew SC 1