MLS Cup 2016

Lore & Background

The 2016 final was the first to feature two expansion teams not part of the original clubs from the league's inception, with Toronto joining in 2007 and Seattle in 2009. For the first time since the 2008 edition, both teams in the final were making their first appearance. Toronto and Seattle faced each other once during the 2016 regular season, ending in a 1–1 draw at BMO Field on July 2. Toronto FC became the first Canadian club to play in the MLS Cup, while Seattle capped a comeback season, who replaced their manager during the middle of the season and climbed from second-to-last in the conference to a playoff spot.

In Their Own Story

The cold Toronto air bit at the faces of the traveling fans gathered under the stadium lights. Inside BMO Field, the tension was palpable as the referee blew for extra time. When Clint Dempsey struck the ball into the net during overtime, the green and white sea erupted. It was not just a goal; it was the release of years of hope, sealing history in the final moments.

Reader's Guide

The MLS Cup is the post-season championship of Major League Soccer (MLS), a professional club soccer league in the United States and Canada. The 2016 season was the 21st in MLS history, and was contested by 20 teams in two conferences. Each club played 34 matches during the regular season from March to October, facing each team in the same conference at least twice and teams in the other conference at least once. The playoffs, running from October to December, were contested between the top six clubs in each conference and included four rounds: a one-match knockout round for the lowest-seeded teams, two rounds of home-and-away series, and the one-match final. BMO Field was confirmed as the host of MLS Cup 2016 after Toronto FC won the Eastern Conference Championship, leaving them as the highest remaining seed. The stadium previously hosted MLS Cup 2010 as a neutral site, and had also hosted the 2008 MLS All-Star Game and the 2007 FIFA Under-20 World Cup. It was renovated prior to the 2016 season, adding additional seats and a roof to cover the stands at a cost of C$150 million. With temporary seats, the stadium's capacity in its soccer configuration was about 36,000.

Did You Know?

• The 2016 final was the first in MLS Cup history to end in a scoreless draw after extra time.
• Seattle Sounders FC won their first MLS Cup title via a penalty shoot-out.
• Toronto FC became the first Canadian club to play in the MLS Cup final.
• Seattle replaced their manager Sigi Schmid with Brian Schmetzer during the middle of the 2016 season.
• The match was broadcast by Fox Sports on terrestrial television in the United States for the first time since 2008.