Now that the regular season is behind us, the road to the MLS NEXT Pro Cup Final begins, and with the pick-your-opponent playoff format, anything can happen.
The last two MLS NEXT Pro champions have come from the Western Conference, with Austin FC II taking it all in 2023 and North Texas SC walking away with the crown in 2024.
Could the West make it three straight come November? That remains to be seen.
In the meantime, let's look at every matchup in the Western Conference Quarterfinals, as well as what players to watch as the chase for the MLS NEXT Pro Cup begins.
Colorado Rapids 2 are back in the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs after missing out last year. Led by head coach Erik Bushey, the group is determined to return to the Western Conference Final after making it back in 2023 and this time, push even further.
After finishing third in the West, Rapids 2 selected Whitecaps FC 2 as their quarterfinal opponent, a team they met only once during the regular season back on July 13.
Rapids 2 controlled possession and outshot their opponents on the day, but WFC2 goalkeeper Adrian Zendejas put in a player-of-the-match performance to send the game to a shootout, where Rapids 2 ultimately claimed the extra point.
Whitecaps FC 2 may be limping into the postseason, losing three out of their last five games, but their attack, although streaky at times, still packs a punch.
Nelson Pierre, Cyprian Kachwele, and Jackson Castro have all shown the ability to change a game in an instant, making WFC2 a team you can never count out.
With home-field advantage and one of the league’s stingiest defenses (conceding just 40 goals all season), Rapids 2 will be a tough team to face on Sunday afternoon.
Season series:
COL 0-0 VAN (COL 7:6 SOW) on 7/13
Players to watch:
Colorado Rapids 2 - Mamadou Billo Diop
There are plenty of standout names for Rapids 2, including Sydney Wathuta, James Cameron, and Antony Garcia, but for this matchup, the player to watch is Mamadou Billo Diop.
Diop lit up MLS NEXT Pro in August, earning Player of the Month honors and finishing the season with 14 goals. His work rate and his ability to dominate in the air (thanks to his 6'2" frame) make him a tough matchup for any center back tasked with keeping him off the scoresheet.
Whitecaps FC 2 - Nikola Djordjevic
Under normal circumstances, Rayan Elloumi would be the obvious pick for Player to Watch. The 18-year-old earned a homegrown contract with the first team in early September after an incredible 2025 MLS NEXT Pro campaign, scoring 11 goals and adding seven assists - a goal contribution nearly every 60 minutes.
But since he hasn’t suited up for WFC2 since early September, and with the Whitecaps gearing up for the MLS playoffs, it's unlikely Elloumi will see the field for Ricardo Clark's team. So, for that reason, the spotlight will shift to another key player: Nikola Djordjevic.
Djordjevic has quietly been one of WFC2’s most consistent performers, logging nearly 2,000 minutes while contributing two goals and five assists. The 22-year-old has been a steady presence on the right flank for Ricardo Clark’s side throughout the 2025 season and could be the difference maker come Sunday.
St Louis CITY2 has been on a mission all season.
Since falling just short against North Texas SC in the 2024 Western Conference Final, they’ve been on a historic unbeaten run, stormed their way to the No. 1 overall seed, and locked up home-field advantage throughout the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs.
But if there’s one team that’s managed to give them headaches this season, it’s Ventura County FC.
VCFC handed CITY2 one of their rare losses back in April and pushed them all the way to a shootout at Energizer Park later in the season.
For VCFC to pull off the upset, they’ll need big performances from Gino Vivi, Ruben Ramos Jr., and Sean Karani, while captain Chris Rindov anchors a backline that must find a way to slow down CITY2’s attack.
Players to watch:
St. Louis CITY2 - MyKhi Joyner
The 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Best XI forward has been unstoppable every time he’s suited up for CITY2 this season. Joyner bagged 15 goals in just 18 appearances and has been the spark plug of CITY2’s attack.
With his composure with the ball and knack for big moments, he could be the X-factor that powers St Louis to another deep postseason run.
Ventura County FC - Dylan Vanney
Ventura County FC didn't have a double-digit scorer this season, and with Luis Müller (now playing in Europe) and Jeorgio Kocevski (out since August 31) both unavailable, Vanney will have to shoulder the goal-scoring responsibilities.
The academy midfielder has five goals to his name and will need to be sharp on Sunday, both finishing chances and creating for others, if VCFC hopes to hang with an experienced CITY2 side.
No team in the Western Conference is entering the playoffs with more momentum than Real Monarchs. After closing out the regular season with four straight wins, they’ve secured a home playoff match and head into the postseason full of confidence.
Jesus Barea and Aiden Hezarkhani have been key contributors in attack, while the midfield pairing of Griffin Dillon and Luca Moisa, who is part of the USA's FIFA U-17 World Cup squad, has been excellent in controlling tempo and driving play from the midfield. With Marcos Zambrano back from the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, Mark Lowry’s side looks like a genuine dark horse to watch in the West.
MNUFC2 also enters the postseason on solid footing, losing just once in their final six matches while earning four wins. Logan Dorsey and Luke Hille both reached double figures in goals this season, but with Hille sidelined since mid-August, Dorsey will be tasked with carrying more of the scoring burden. If he can find pockets of space and keep the attack flowing, MNUFC2 could make things very interesting against the Monarchs.
Players to watch:
Real Monarchs - Marcos Zambrano
There may not have been a bigger midseason addition than Marcos Zambrano joining Real Monarchs in July. The forward scored five goals in eight appearances before heading off to represent the United States at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, where he found the back of the net against France. If he can carry his regular season goal-scoring form in the playoffs, the rest of the West could be in trouble.
MNUFC2 - Kieran Chandler
20-year-old Kieran Chandler has been a steady presence in MNUFC2’s backline throughout the 2025 campaign, but it’s his ability to contribute in attack that makes him stand out. His six assists trail only Chattanooga FC’s Tate Robertson for the most among defenders in MLS NEXT Pro. If Chandler can push forward effectively and link up with his teammates in the final third, he could be a real difference-maker on the left flank.
Back-to-back top-three finishes in the Western Conference speak volumes about the progress The Town FC has made over the past two seasons.
Head coach Dan DeGeer and his squad reached the Western Conference Semifinals last year, and with the talent on this roster, they have every reason to believe they can go even further this time around. Leading the charge is Nonso Adimabua, who tallied 12 goals and six assists this season and will be counted on to deliver in the final third.
Their opponents? None other than the defending champions, North Texas SC. While this year’s roster looks vastly different from last season’s title-winning side, they still have plenty of firepower when they’re fully engaged. Few teams in MLS NEXT Pro are as unpredictable as NTSC. Just look at their dramatic come-from-behind Decision Day win over LAFC2.
If MVP candidate Sam Sarver finds his rhythm early, North Texas SC could once again prove to be the team no one wants to face in the postseason.
Season series:
NTX 2-0 TTFC on 4/23
Players to watch:
The Town FC - Cruz Medina
The 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Best XI midfielder has taken his game to another level this season. The 19-year-old enjoyed his best professional campaign yet, recording seven goals and five assists while orchestrating The Town FC's attack.
With Nick Fernandez and Niko Tsakiris, who recently returned from the FIFA U-20 World Cup, alongside him, The Town FC boasts one of the most dynamic midfield trios in this year's playoffs.
North Texas SC - Diego Garcia
It’s impossible to overlook what Sam Sarver has done this year, but for North Texas SC to repeat as champions, someone else will need to step up, and Diego Garcia might be that player.
The 18-year-old midfielder may not have the same flashy stats as last season, but his control and vision in the middle of the park remain a key part of the NTSC game plan.
If he can continue connecting with Sarver, and if academy standout Jaidyn Contreras, who has four goal contributions in his last four games, keeps producing, North Texas could be primed for a postseason upset.
