The Vancouver Whitecaps could be homeless to start the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Play-in matches begin next week and the Whitecaps will be involved if they finish eighth or ninth in the Western Conference. They could also finish as high as seventh.
The No. 8 and 9 place teams will play a win-or-go-home match on Tuesday or Wednesday next week. The eighth-place team is supposed to host that match.
The problem for the Whitecaps? BC Place is booked all next week.
Instead, the Whitecaps have announced that they would have to play the Portland Timbers at their home stadium, Providence Park, in Oregon.
“We worked closely with BC Place and MLS to explore all potential options. We are not a club that makes excuses and our focus is to win on Decision Day,” said Whitecaps CEO and sporting director Axel Schuster. “Our goal is to improve every season, and our ambitions have not changed.”
BC Place isn’t available due to the extensive setup involved with the World Supercross Championship event, which is set for Saturday, October 26.
“BC Place worked closely with MLS and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC to explore potential solutions,” a spokesperson from BC Place and PavCo told Daily Hive. “However, one of the potential match days would coincide with necessary preparations for another previously booked event at BC Place – one that has been in our calendar for more than 18 months – which would mean the stadium would be unavailable.”
This is the second time in less than a year that the Whitecaps have been unable to play at their home field. They had to play a match in Langford in February, due to a Home and Garden Show booking at BC Place.
No other potential venues in the market were available. Other venues in the Lower Mainland like Swangard Stadium in Burnaby or Willoughby Community Park in Langley would need to meet MLS standards and get agreement from opposing teams.
Depending on the results of Saturday’s MLS matches, the Whitecaps can finish seventh, eighth, or ninth spot in the Western Conference. A win over Real Salt Lake and a Minnesota loss to St. Louis would move Vancouver up to seventh and avoid this conflict entirely.
If Real Salt Lake beats Vancouver or the match ends in a draw, Portland would move into the eighth spot and host a play-in match against the Whitecaps if they defeat Seattle.
The #1 seed out West is still up for grabs! 🍿 pic.twitter.com/0mROsT1D38
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 18, 2024
The first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs is a best-of-three series. If the Whitecaps can qualify to play in that round, BC Place would be available for Vancouver to host a match at home.
In that scenario, the Whitecaps would play either the LA Galaxy or LAFC.
“We are focused on advancing to Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs where we will have the opportunity to play at BC Place,” Schuster added.
Vancouver and Portland split three regular season matches with a 1-1-1 record. The Whitecaps were 1-0-1 at BC Place against Portland.
Ahead of MLS Decision Day, the Whitecaps have an MLS road record of 7-5-4.
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