CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Major League Soccer matches can end in ties without the need for overtime, according to the MLS Competition Guidelines.
"Clubs will receive three points for a win, one point for a tie and zero points for a loss," the league's official rules explain.
The point system is used to determine who qualifies for the playoffs.
"Qualification for the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs will be determined by the highest number of points earned in each respective conference if every club plays the same number of matches during the MLS Regular Season," the rules explain.
At the end of the season, if any two or more clubs have the same number of points the league has tie-breaking procedures:
- Total number of wins per match
- Goal Differential (GD) per match (Goals For per match minus Goals Against per match)
- Goals For (GF) per match
- Fewest Disciplinary Points* per match
- Away Goals Differential per Away match (Away Goals For per Away match minus Away Goals Against per Away match)
- Away Goals For per Away match
- Home Goals Differential per Home match (Home Goals For per Home match minus Home Goals Against per Home match)
- Home Goals For per Home match
- Coin Toss (tie of two clubs) or Drawing of Lots (tie of three or more clubs)
Regular season matches will not go into overtime. However, playoff games will go into overtime, if needed. For the first rounds of playoffs, the semifinals, and conference finals:
"If the [playoff] match is tied through 90 minutes of regulation, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety," the MLS rules explain. "Should the score remain tied after the extra time periods, both teams will take five kicks from the penalty mark (and continue into sudden death kicks from the penalty mark, if necessary) until a winner has been determined."
The overtime rules for the MLS Cup are slightly different:
If the score is tied at the conclusion of the match, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety, followed by five kicks from the penalty mark (and continue into sudden death kicks from the penalty mark, if necessary).
"Each of the 28 MLS clubs will play 34 matches in the MLS Regular Season, 17 at home and 17 away, playing each conference opponent twice and eight non-conference opponents once," the MLS rules explain. "At the end of the regular season, the top seven clubs in points from each conference (14 total clubs) will qualify for the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs."