The 2025 MLS Cup playoffs will be more accessible to viewers after the league announced every game will be made available to all Apple TV subscribers, doing away with the need for MLS Season Pass.

By dropping the MLS Season Pass requirement, MLS and Apple are making their latest effort to make games more accessible to fans across the world. Previously, select games were made available for free with Apple TV, and others to anyone with an Apple ID. Though, viewers will still need an Apple TV subscription.

At the start of the regular season, the MLS Season Pass add-on cost $99 per year as a standalone subscription, or $79 for the season on top of an Apple TV subscription.

Earlier in the week, Apple also added more to its sports portfolio, locking in Formula 1 broadcast rights in the United States for the next five years on a $750 million deal. Apple also holds broadcast rights to select Major League Baseball games.

MLS and Apple joined forces in 2023 on a 10-year deal worth $2.5 billion. The agreement allows fans from across the globe to tune in on a single service for every game, without blackouts.

While MLS on Apple TV remains the only way to watch every game from the Wild Card rounds to MLS Cup, several matches will also be shown on linear broadcast channels, including FS1 in the United States and TSN in Canada, among others.

The 2025 MLS Cup playoffs kick off on Wednesday, Oct. 22, with the Wild Card matches between the Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake, as well as Chicago Fire vs. Orlando City SC, before moving on to a 16-team bracket-style postseason.

MLS Cup will be played Dec. 6, hosted by the team which finished highest in the regular season standings.


MLS Cup Playoffs Round One on Linear TV

Philadelphia Union vs. Chicago Fire or Orlando City

  • Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 26, 5:30 pm ET/2:30 pm PT (Apple TV, FS1, FOX Deportes)

FC Cincinnati vs. Columbus Crew

  • Game 1: Monday, Oct. 27, 6:45 pm ET/3:45 pm PT (Apple TV, FS1, FOX Deportes, TSN, RDS)

Inter Miami CF vs. Nashville SC

  • Game 1: Friday, Oct. 24, 8:00p m ET/5:00 pm PT (Apple TV, FS1, FOX Deportes, TSN, RDS)

Charlotte FC vs. New York City FC

  • Game 1: Tuesday, Oct. 28, 6:45 pm ET/3:45 pm PT (Apple TV, FS1, FOX Deportes, TSN, RDS)

Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. FC Dallas

  • Game 2: Saturday, Nov. 1, 9:30 pm ET (Apple TV, TSN, RDS)

LAFC vs. Austin FC

  • Game 2: Sunday, Nov. 2, 8:30 pm ET (Apple TV, FS1, FOX Deportes, TSN, RDS)

Minnesota United vs. Seattle Sounders

  • Game 1: Monday, Oct. 27, 9 pm ET (Apple TV, FS1, FOX Deportes, TSN, RDS)
  • Game 2: Monday, Nov. 3, 10:30 pm ET (Apple TV, FS1, FOX Deportes, TSN, RDS)

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as MLS Announces Major Apple TV Change for MLS Cup Playoffs.