Charlotte FC will round out the 2024 regular season in D.C. on Decision Day. What's at stake?
While the boys have locked up back-to-back seasons with a spot in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, there are still a handful of scenarios to play out that could decide their fate in the postseason.
Decision Day is this Saturday, October 19th, with simultaneous kickoffs across the Eastern Conference at 6 p.m. ET. D.C. United are currently sitting 8th in the East and looking to solidify a spot in the Wild Card match.
Here's a breakdown of the key things to keep an eye out for as Charlotte look to finish the season strong against D.C. United.
Playoff Position:
Charlotte can finish anywhere from 5th - 7th in the Eastern Conference.
The impact: Who will Charlotte FC face in Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs?
The top three positions are locked. Miami, Columbus, Cincinnati, in that order.
- If Charlotte FC finish 5th, with a win and a NYCFC loss, The Crown would play Orlando City
- If Charlotte FC finish 6th - vs. FC Cincinatti
- If Charlotte FC finish 7th - vs. Columbus Crew
Controlling what you can control is the name of the game. Go out, lock up a win, finish with three points, and let the chips fall where they may. Regardless, a home playoff match is coming to the Queen City.
Playoff Dates:
Speaking of that home playoff match, the date is TBD until Decision Day results. Once the playoff positions are locked, dates and times will be set for Round One.
All we know right now, Charlotte FC's home match, match 2 of Round One, will fall between November 1st and 5th. Match 1 is still TBD based on opponent and seeding; Match 3 of the best-of-3 series is TBD if necessary.
(Let's see how many times we use TBD until Decision Day)
2024 MLS Awards:
A strong showing in D.C. could help solidify or improve some of the 2024 MLS Awards campaigns for Charlotte FC.
- Kristijan Kahlina - At this point, his vote should be a lock. But if more pundits needed some persuasion, a strong outing against D.C. should do the trick. Even if it's not another clean sheet to the tally, a good showing would further solidify Kahlina as MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.
- Adilson Malanda - In the first bout with D.C., Malanda put in an impressive performance against Golden Boot leader Christian Benteke. A round 2 knockout from Malanda could go a long way toward helping the cause for why he deserves a nod for MLS Defender of the Year.
- Dean Smith - An already club-record season for Charlotte FC shouldn't go unnoticed. It's been an incredible turnaround under Smith, transforming the defense from one of the worst in the league in 2023 to one of the best this season. Add another clean sheet, three points, and a potential 5th place spot in the Eastern Conference to the resume, and it's hard to argue that Dean shouldn't be at least the finalist for MLS Coach of the Year.
