News Across the Galaxy – 2023 Major League Soccer Predictions

By Bryant Lovos

As the 2023 season kicks off, there are a couple favorites to stand alone at the top. One is favorites to repeat, others are considered dark horses. Here’s what my gut is telling me.

Western Conference

The Western Conference, aka The Wild, Wild West, is always filled with drama. Can you believe Nashville is no longer in the West? Of course, the current MLS Champions are looking to repeat (there’s a 17% chance of LAFC winning it again, according to MLS). However, there are a few other teams that would love to play spoiler.

Here is how I see the West shaking up:

Los Angeles FC – 65 pts

Seattle Sounders FC – 60 pts

Austin FC – 55 pts

FC Dallas – 52 pts

Portland Timbers – 49 pts

LA Galaxy – 47 pts

Sporting Kansas City – 45 pts

Minnesota United FC – 42 pts

Houston Dynamo FC – 41 pts

Vancouver Whitecaps – 40 pts

San Jose Earthquakes – 39 pts

St. Louis City SC – 35pts

Colorado Rapids – 33pts

Real Salt Lake – 31 pts

A surprise appearance at the top is Seattle. In 2022, they were coming off a Champions League title hangover that carried throughout the regular season. The team is still more than competitive to win the league and my surprise pick to come out of the west. As for LA Galaxy, the roster is still incomplete. Their outlook could change depending on how they use their last DP slot.

Eastern Conference

The Eastern Conference championship has been a revolving door for the last six years with no team maintaining any sort of dominance. Regrettably, Philadelphia Union seems to have been cursed, along with all of their city’s sports teams in 2022. But, can the Union shake it off and once again make an MLS Cup appearance?

This is how I see things shaping up in the East:

1. Philadelphia Union – 66 pts
2. New York City FC – 58 pts
3. Toronto FC – 57 pts
4. Atlanta United FC – 51 pts
5. FC Cincinnati – 48 pts
6. Orlando City SC – 47 pts
7. CF Montréal – 45 pts
8. Red Bull New York – 45 pts
9. Nashville SC – 44 pts
10. Columbus Crew – 42 pts
11. New England Revolution – 42 pts
12. Charlotte FC – 40 pts
13. Chicago Fire FC – 39 pts
14. Inter Miami CF – 34 pts
15. DC United – 29 pts

Philadelphia Union wants to bring a title to their city, but to me, a very stacked Toronto team might have something to say about it. DC United once again at the bottom. A four-time champion with the Wooden Spoon trophy again? With Wayne Rooney in charge, let’s hope they figure this league out and get out of this rut in order rise again as an elite MLS club.

MLS Cup Final

Unlike the Revs and their history of failure, Philadelphia will finally kick that door down and reign over MLS in 2023 with an MLS Cup victory over Seattle Sounders. Doop!

As far as LA Galaxy, they would take out Austin, taking two of three in their first round series before running into a reinvigorated Seattle side on their way to MLS Cup.