List of MLS club post-season droughts
These are lists of active and all-time Major League Soccer (MLS) club post-season series win, MLS Cup Playoffs and MLS Cup droughts. Those teams which have never made it in club history are listed by the season that they entered the league.
Among the current 24 MLS teams, 11 have never won the MLS Cup and 13 have never won the Supporters' Shield. Among those clubs which have won the MLS Cup, the longest MLS Cup title drought is that of the Chicago Fire, who have not won the post-season honor since winning the 1998 MLS Cup. The longest Supporters' Shield drought is Sporting Kansas City, who last won the title in the 2000.
The only teams that have never qualified for the post-season tournament are Orlando City SC, who debuted in 2015 and FC Cincinnati, who debuted in 2019.
List of active droughts
MLS Cup Playoffs appearance
Updated through 2019 Major League Soccer season. Does not include clubs that made the post-season as of that year.
| Club | Last appearance in post-season |
Length of drought |
|---|---|---|
| Orlando City SC | never (club entered MLS in 2015) | 5 seasons |
| Colorado Rapids | 2016 | 3 seasons |
| Montreal Impact | 2016 | 3 seasons |
| Chicago Fire | 2017 | 2 seasons |
| Houston Dynamo | 2017 | 2 seasons |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 2017 | 2 seasons |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2017 | 2 seasons |
| Columbus Crew SC | 2018 | 1 season |
| FC Cincinnati | never (club entered MLS in 2019) | 1 season |
| Sporting Kansas City | 2018 | 1 season |
MLS Cup Conference Semifinals appearance
Updated through 2019 Major League Soccer season. Does not include clubs that reached the Conference Semifinals that year.
| Club | Last appearance in MLS Cup Conference Semifinals |
Length of drought |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Fire | 2009 | 10 seasons |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 2012 | 7 seasons |
| New England Revolution | 2014 | 5 seasons |
| Orlando City SC | never (club entered MLS in 2015) | 5 seasons |
| D.C. United | 2015 | 4 seasons |
| Colorado Rapids | 2016 | 3 seasons |
| FC Dallas | 2016 | 3 seasons |
| Minnesota United FC | never (club entered MLS in 2017) | 3 seasons |
| Montreal Impact | 2016 | 3 seasons |
| Houston Dynamo | 2017 | 2 seasons |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2017 | 2 seasons |
| Columbus Crew SC | 2018 | 1 season |
| FC Cincinnati | never (club entered MLS in 2019) | 1 season |
| New York Red Bulls | 2018 | 1 season |
| Portland Timbers | 2018 | 1 season |
| Sporting Kansas City | 2018 | 1 season |
MLS Cup Conference Finals appearance
Updated through 2019 Major League Soccer season. Does not include clubs that reached the Conference Finals that year.
| Club | Last appearance in MLS Cup Conference Final |
Length of drought |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Fire | 2009 | 10 seasons |
| Philadelphia Union | never (club entered MLS in 2010) | 10 seasons |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 2010 | 9 seasons |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | never (club entered MLS in 2011) | 9 seasons |
| D.C. United | 2012 | 7 seasons |
| Real Salt Lake | 2013 | 6 seasons |
| LA Galaxy | 2014 | 5 seasons |
| New England Revolution | 2014 | 5 seasons |
| New York City FC | never (club entered MLS in 2015) | 5 seasons |
| Orlando City SC | never (club entered MLS in 2015) | 5 seasons |
| FC Dallas | 2015 | 4 seasons |
| Colorado Rapids | 2016 | 3 seasons |
| Minnesota United FC | never (club entered MLS in 2017) | 3 seasons |
| Montreal Impact | 2016 | 3 seasons |
| Columbus Crew SC | 2017 | 2 seasons |
| Houston Dynamo | 2017 | 2 seasons |
| FC Cincinnati | never (club entered MLS in 2019) | 1 season |
| New York Red Bulls | 2018 | 1 season |
| Portland Timbers | 2018 | 1 season |
| Sporting Kansas City | 2018 | 1 season |
MLS Cup Final appearance
Updated through 2019 Major League Soccer season. Does not include clubs that appeared in the 2019 MLS Cup.
| Club | Last appearance in MLS Cup final |
Length of drought |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Fire | 2003 | 16 seasons |
| D.C. United | 2004 | 15 seasons |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 2003 | 14 seasons1 |
| New York Red Bulls | 2008 | 11 seasons |
| Philadelphia Union | never (club entered MLS in 2010) | 10 seasons |
| Colorado Rapids | 2010 | 9 seasons |
| FC Dallas | 2010 | 9 seasons |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | never (club entered MLS in 2011) | 9 seasons |
| Montreal Impact | never (club entered MLS in 2012) | 8 seasons |
| Houston Dynamo | 2012 | 7 seasons |
| Real Salt Lake | 2013 | 6 seasons |
| Sporting Kansas City | 2013 | 6 seasons |
| LA Galaxy | 2014 | 5 seasons |
| New England Revolution | 2014 | 5 seasons |
| New York City FC | never (club entered MLS in 2015) | 5 seasons |
| Orlando City SC | never (club entered MLS in 2015) | 5 seasons |
| Columbus Crew SC | 2015 | 4 seasons |
| Minnesota United FC | never (club entered MLS in 2017) | 3 seasons |
| Los Angeles FC | never (club entered MLS in 2018) | 2 seasons |
| Atlanta United FC | 2018 | 1 season |
| FC Cincinnati | never (club entered MLS in 2019) | 1 season |
| Portland Timbers | 2018 | 1 season |
- 1 Does not include 2006-2007 when San Jose was dormant.
MLS Cup championship
Updated through 2019 Major League Soccer season. Does not include the winner of the 2019 MLS Cup (Seattle Sounders FC).
| Club | Last MLS Cup | Subsequent final losses | Length of drought |
|---|---|---|---|
| FC Dallas | never (club entered MLS in 1996) | 2010 | 24 seasons |
| New England Revolution | never (club entered MLS in 1996) | 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2014 | 24 seasons |
| New York Red Bulls | never (club entered MLS in 1996) | 2008 | 24 seasons |
| Chicago Fire | 1998 | 2000, 2003 | 21 seasons |
| D.C. United | 2004 | 15 seasons | |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 2003 | 14 seasons1 | |
| Houston Dynamo | 2007 | 2011, 2012 | 12 seasons |
| Columbus Crew SC | 2008 | 2015 | 11 seasons |
| Real Salt Lake | 2009 | 2013 | 10 seasons |
| Philadelphia Union | never (club entered MLS in 2010) | 10 seasons | |
| Colorado Rapids | 2010 | 9 seasons | |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | never (club entered MLS in 2011) | 9 seasons | |
| Montreal Impact | never (club entered MLS in 2012) | 8 seasons | |
| Sporting Kansas City | 2013 | 6 seasons | |
| Los Angeles Galaxy | 2014 | 5 seasons | |
| New York City FC | never (club entered MLS in 2015) | 5 seasons | |
| Orlando City SC | never (club entered MLS in 2015) | 5 seasons | |
| Portland Timbers | 2015 | 2018 | 4 seasons |
| Minnesota United FC | never (club entered MLS in 2017) | 3 seasons | |
| Los Angeles FC | never (club entered MLS in 2018) | 2 seasons | |
| Toronto FC | 2017 | 2019 | 2 seasons |
| Atlanta United FC | 2018 | 1 season | |
| FC Cincinnati | never (club entered MLS in 2019) | 1 season |
- 1 Does not include 2006-2007 when San Jose was dormant.
MLS Supporters' Shield win
Updated through 2019 Major League Soccer season. Does not include the 2019 winner of the Supporters' Shield (Los Angeles FC).
| Club | Last Supporters' Shield won | Length of drought |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Rapids | never (club entered MLS in 1996) | 24 seasons |
| New England Revolution | never (club entered MLS in 1996) | 24 seasons |
| Sporting Kansas City | 2000 | 19 seasons |
| Chicago Fire | 2003 | 16 seasons |
| Real Salt Lake | never (club entered MLS in 2005) | 15 seasons |
| Houston Dynamo | never (club entered MLS in 2006) | 14 seasons |
| D.C. United | 2007 | 12 seasons |
| Columbus Crew SC | 2009 | 10 seasons |
| Philadelphia Union | never (club entered MLS in 2010) | 10 seasons |
| Portland Timbers | never (club entered MLS in 2011) | 9 seasons |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | never (club entered MLS in 2011) | 9 seasons |
| Los Angeles Galaxy | 2011 | 8 seasons |
| Montreal Impact | never (club entered MLS in 2012) | 8 seasons |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 2012 | 7 seasons |
| Seattle Sounders FC | 2014 | 5 seasons |
| New York City FC | never (club entered MLS in 2015) | 5 seasons |
| Orlando City SC | never (club entered MLS in 2015) | 5 seasons |
| FC Dallas | 2016 | 3 seasons |
| Atlanta United FC | never (club entered MLS in 2017) | 3 seasons |
| Minnesota United FC | never (club entered MLS in 2017) | 3 seasons |
| Toronto FC | 2017 | 2 seasons |
| FC Cincinnati | never (club entered MLS in 2019) | 1 season |
| New York Red Bulls | 2018 | 1 season |
CONCACAF Champions League appearance
Updated through 2020 CONCACAF Champions League.
- 1 The first CONCACAF Champions League was in 2008-09. Dates before this reference qualification for the CONCACAF Champions' Cup.
- 2 FC Cincinnati, Minnesota United FC, Nashville SC, and Orlando City SC played in other leagues before joining MLS and could have qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League by winning the U.S. Open Cup. This table only counts their droughts from when they joined MLS.
Domestic cup championship
Updated through 2019 U.S. Open Cup and 2019 Canadian Championship.
| Club | Last domestic cup won | Subsequent final losses | Length of drought |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Rapids | never (club entered MLS in 1996) | 1999 | 24 seasons |
| New York Red Bulls | never (club entered MLS in 1996) | 2003, 2017 | 24 seasons |
| San Jose Earthquakes | never (club entered MLS in 1996) | 22 seasons1 | |
| Columbus Crew SC | 2002 U.S. Open Cup | 2010 | 17 seasons |
| Real Salt Lake | never (club entered MLS in 2005) | 2013 | 15 seasons |
| Los Angeles Galaxy | 2005 U.S. Open Cup | 2006 | 14 seasons |
| Chicago Fire | 2006 U.S. Open Cup | 2011 | 13 seasons |
| New England Revolution | 2007 U.S. Open Cup | 2016 | 12 seasons |
| Philadelphia Union | never (club entered MLS in 2010) | 2014, 2015, 2018 | 10 seasons |
| Portland Timbers | never (club entered MLS in 2011) | 9 seasons2 | |
| D.C. United | 2013 U.S. Open Cup | 6 seasons | |
| New York City FC | never (club entered MLS in 2015) | 5 seasons | |
| Orlando City SC | never (club entered MLS in 2015) | 5 seasons2 | |
| Seattle Sounders FC | 2014 U.S. Open Cup | 5 seasons | |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2015 Canadian Championship | 2016, 2018 | 4 seasons |
| FC Dallas | 2016 U.S. Open Cup | 3 seasons | |
| Minnesota United FC | never (club entered MLS in 2017) | 2019 | 3 seasons2 |
| Los Angeles FC | never (club entered MLS in 2018) | 2 seasons | |
| Sporting Kansas City | 2017 U.S. Open Cup | 2 seasons | |
| FC Cincinnati | never (club entered MLS in 2019) | 1 season2 | |
| Houston Dynamo | 2018 U.S. Open Cup | 1 season | |
| Toronto FC | 2018 Canadian Championship | 2019 | 1 season |
| Atlanta United FC | 2019 U.S. Open Cup | 0 seasons | |
| Inter Miami CF | never (club entered MLS in 2020) | 0 seasons | |
| Montreal Impact | 2019 Canadian Championship | 0 seasons | |
| Nashville SC | never (club entered MLS in 2020) | 0 seasons2 |
- 1 Does not include 2006-2007 when San Jose was dormant.
- 2 FC Cincinnati, Minnesota United FC, Nashville SC, Orlando City SC, and Portland Timbers played in other leagues before joining MLS and competed in the U.S. Open Cup during those years. This table only counts their droughts from when they joined MLS.
Leagues Cup appearance
Updated through 2020 Leagues Cup.
| Club | Last Leagues Cup qualification | Subsequent disqualifying Champions League qualifications1 |
Length of drought |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta United FC | never (Leagues Cup began in 2019) | 2020 | 2 seasons |
| Colorado Rapids | never (Leagues Cup began in 2019) | 2 seasons | |
| Columbus Crew SC | never (Leagues Cup began in 2019) | 2 seasons | |
| FC Cincinnati | never (Leagues Cup began in 2019)2 | 2 seasons | |
| FC Dallas | never (Leagues Cup began in 2019) | 2 seasons | |
| Los Angeles FC | never (Leagues Cup began in 2019) | 2020 | 2 seasons |
| Montreal Impact | never (Leagues Cup began in 2019) | 2 seasons | |
| New England Revolution | never (Leagues Cup began in 2019) | 2 seasons | |
| New York City FC | never (Leagues Cup began in 2019) | 2020 | 2 seasons |
| Orlando City SC | never (Leagues Cup began in 2019) | 2 seasons | |
| San Jose Earthquakes | never (Leagues Cup began in 2019) | 2 seasons | |
| Seattle Sounders FC | never (Leagues Cup began in 2019) | 2020 | 2 seasons |
| Sporting Kansas City | never (Leagues Cup began in 2019) | 2 seasons | |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | never (Leagues Cup began in 2019) | 2 seasons | |
| Chicago Fire | 20193 | 1 season | |
| Houston Dynamo | 20193 | 1 season |
- 1 Clubs who qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League are ineligible for the Leagues Cup. This column lists years when clubs would have qualified for the Leagues Cup had they not qualified for the Champions League.
- 2 FC Cincinnati only joined MLS in 2019, but they had already begun play by the time the participants in the 2019 Leagues Cup were announced.
- 3 Qualification for the 2019 Leagues Cup was by invitation and not based on sporting merit.
Longest all-time droughts
Post-season appearances
The list only includes MLS clubs that failed to make the playoffs for three or more consecutive seasons. Updated through 2019 Major League Soccer season.
Active club streak is highlighted
| Club | Previous post-season appearance |
Next post-season appearance |
Post-season drought |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto FC | never (club entered MLS in 2007) | 2015 | 8 seasons |
| Chivas USA | 2009 | never (club folded after 2014) | 5 seasons |
| Orlando City SC | never (club joined MLS in 2015) | 5 seasons | |
| San Jose Clash/Earthquakes | 1996 | 2001 | 4 seasons |
| D.C. United | 2007 | 2012 | 4 seasons |
| Philadelphia Union | 2011 | 2016 | 4 seasons |
| Chicago Fire | 2012 | 2017 | 4 seasons |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 2012 | 2017 | 4 seasons |
| D.C. United | 1999 | 2003 | 3 seasons |
| Columbus Crew SC | 2004 | 2008 | 3 seasons |
| Real Salt Lake | never (club entered MLS in 2005) | 2008 | 3 seasons |
| Los Angeles Galaxy | 2005 | 2009 | 3 seasons |
| Colorado Rapids | 2006 | 2010 | 3 seasons |
| New England Revolution | 2009 | 2013 | 3 seasons |
| Houston Dynamo | 2013 | 2017 | 3 seasons |
| New England Revolution | 2015 | 2019 | 3 seasons |
| Colorado Rapids | 2016 | 3 seasons | |
| Montreal Impact | 2016 | 3 seasons |
MLS Cup Final
This table lists teams with droughts lasting at least ten seasons. Updated through 2019 Major League Soccer season.
Active club streak is highlighted
| Club | Previous MLS Cup appearance |
Next MLS Cup appearance |
MLS Cup final drought |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Fire | 2003 | 16 seasons | |
| D.C. United | 2004 | 15 seasons | |
| Dallas Burn/FC Dallas | never (club entered MLS in 1996) | 2010 | 14 seasons |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 2003 | 14 seasons1 | |
| Columbus Crew SC | never (club entered MLS in 1996) | 2008 | 12 seasons |
| MetroStars/New York Red Bulls | never (club entered MLS in 1996) | 2008 | 12 seasons |
| Colorado Rapids | 1997 | 2010 | 12 seasons |
| New York Red Bulls | 2008 | 11 seasons | |
| Chivas USA | never (club entered MLS in 2005) | never (club folded after 2014) | 10 seasons |
| Philadelphia Union | never (club entered MLS in 2010) | 10 seasons |
- 1 Does not include 2006-2007 when San Jose was dormant.
MLS Cup championships
Only lists teams with droughts lasting at least 12 seasons. Updated through 2019 Major League Soccer season.
Active club streak is highlighted
| Club | Last championship | Next championship | Championship drought |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Burn/FC Dallas | never (club entered MLS in 1996) | 24 seasons | |
| MetroStars/New York Red Bulls | never (club entered MLS in 1996) | 24 seasons | |
| New England Revolution | never (club entered MLS in 1996) | 24 seasons | |
| Chicago Fire | 1998 | 21 seasons | |
| D.C. United | 2004 | 15 seasons | |
| Colorado Rapids | never (club entered MLS in 1996) | 2010 | 14 seasons |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 2003 | 14 seasons1 | |
| Columbus Crew SC | never (club entered MLS in 1996) | 2008 | 12 seasons |
| Kansas City Wizards/Sporting Kansas City | 2000 | 2013 | 12 seasons |
| Houston Dynamo | 2007 | 12 seasons |
- 1 Does not include 2006-2007 when San Jose was dormant.
Cities/regions awaiting first MLS Cup
This list only includes cities that have a club playing in MLS.
| City | Seasons waited |
MLS Cup Final appearances |
MLS team(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | 24 | 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2014 | New England Revolution |
| Dallas | 24 | 2010 | FC Dallas |
| New York | 24 | 2008 | New York Red Bulls, New York City FC |
| Philadelphia | 10 | never | Philadelphia Union |
| Vancouver | 9 | never | Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
| Montreal | 8 | never | Montreal Impact |
| Orlando | 5 | never | Orlando City SC |
| Miami | 4 | never | Miami Fusion, Inter Miami CF |
| Minneapolis | 3 | never | Minnesota United FC |
| Cincinnati | 1 | never | FC Cincinnati |
See also
- Major League Soccer
- List of Major League Baseball franchise postseason droughts
- List of National Basketball Association franchise post-season droughts
- List of National Football League franchise post-season droughts
- List of National Hockey League franchise post-season droughts
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