We are entering the last Saturday of Major League Soccer regular season play before the league takes a month long break to participate in the first edition of the newly expanded Leagues Cup. The playoff race is starting to shape up with about eleven match days remaining for each team in the league when they come back from the month long break. There are plenty of games taking place this weekend that could hold some potential playoff implications as we continue down the stretch run of the season. As always, there is also plenty of fun action to bet on this weekend as well. So here is your extensive guide that covers the final Saturday of MLS play in the month of July. 

Must Watch Games

FC Cincinnati vs Nashville SC:

Two of the top three teams in the Eastern Conference will face-off in the Buckeye State on Saturday evening. As the top team in the Eastern Conference, FC Cincinnati welcomes in the third place team in the East, Nashville SC. With a victory, Cincinnati would strengthen their hold on the top spot in the Eastern Conference and for Nashville a victory could propel them into second place as long as the New England Revolution fail to pick up a victory on Saturday as well. Cincinnati also has the opportunity to virtually lock up the Supporter’s Shield with another hard fought three points here on Saturday at home. As they currently have a 10 point lead over St. Louis in New England for the best regular season performance of the 2023 Major League Soccer season. 

Seattle Sounders vs FC Dallas:

It is always a good time when two of the most historic teams in Major League Soccer meet for a matchup. In this case it’ll be the Seattle Sounders playing host to Dallas on Saturday night in a game between two teams right in the middle of the Western Conference playoff race. Dallas is one of the original 10 teams that occupied MLS when it was founded in the mid-1990s and since entering the league in late 2000s Seattle has become a MLS dynasty of sorts winning several championships. Seattle enters the weekend three points away from the top spot in the Western Conference and with a little bit of help, they could be tied up with St.Louis going into the break. Meanwhile, Dallas find themselves in seventh place, and in need of three huge points to climb up the western conference standings before going into the month-long break.

Could Have Playoff Implications

Atlanta United vs Orlando City SC:

Both of these teams are in the mix of the playoff race in the Eastern Conference and they could both use a massive victory here on Saturday evening. They come into this game separated by a single point as Atlanta occupies the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference, and Orlando occupies the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference. It is a massive log jam in the middle of the pack in the conference as a victory for Atlanta could propel them as high as third or fourth place. The same can be said for Orlando, as they would jump up the standings with a victory and some help from other teams.

Minnesota United vs LAFC:

If you take a quick glance at the Western Conference standings, you would notice that these teams are on opposite ends of the table. However, three points separate Minnesota United from the bottom of the pack and the playoff race in the Western Conference. They will be hoping they can grab an all important three points against the second best team in the Western Conference here on Saturday night at home. They come into this game in solid form winning two out of their last three games on the season and they will be hoping they can catch Los Angeles sleeping and looking ahead to the upcoming Leagues Cup. A  victory could propel Minnesota United from 10th all the way to sixth place if they get the help they need from some other teams. For Los Angeles they will be hoping to break a recent run of bad play where they have lost three out of their last five games on the season.