Real Monarchs are in the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs for the first time. Here are the details
Real Salt Lake's second team will open the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs at 6 p.m. MT on Sunday, Oct. 19 at Zions Bank Stadium, the team and league announced Thursday.
The first club in the Utah pro soccer pyramid has a playoff bid, and now a postseason start.
Real Monarchs will open the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs on Sunday, Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. MT at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman. The club, which is the second-team affiliate of Real Salt Lake, will host fifth-seeded Minnesota United FC 2 as the No. 4 seed in the Pick-Your-Opponent Western Conference quarterfinals.
The Monarchs didn’t technically “pick” their opponent, as they were the fourth of four teams from the West to “draft” their opening round opponents. But the club ended its season MLS NEXT Pro-best season with four domestic victories, claiming the No. 4 seed with 51 points and a 13-7-8 record.
They also ended with one of the hottest players in the league in RSL rookie Jesus Barea, who scored a brace in the club’s 4-1 regular-season finale against Vancouver to push his tally to a team-high 13 goals in his first professional season.
The top-eight teams in each conference qualified for the MLS NEXT Pro postseason, led by West winners St. Louis CITY2 (62 points) and New York Red Bulls II (58 points) from the East.
Joining the Monarchs and CITY2 in the top four in the West were San Jose affiliate The Town FC (52 points) and Colorado Rapids 2 (51 points).
Tickets will be available at the door and via SeatGeek.
Every match of the MLS NEXT Pro Cup Playoffs will be streamed on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Here’s a look at the schedule:
Conference quarterfinals: Oct. 17-19
West
No. 1 St Louis CITY2 vs. No. 8 Ventura County FC
No. 2 The Town FC vs. No. 6 North Texas SC
No. 3 Colorado Rapids 2 vs. No. 7 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2
No. 4 Real Monarchs vs. No. 5 Minnesota United FC 2
East
No. 1 New York Red Bulls II vs. No. 8 Carolina Core FC
No. 2 Philadelphia Union II vs. No. 7 FC Cincinnati 2
No. 3 New England Revolution II vs. No. 6 Chicago Fire FC II
No. 4 Chattanooga FC vs. No. 5 Huntsville City FC
Conference semifinals: Oct. 24-26
The highest remaining seed in each conference will select and host an opponent from the two lowest seeded teams, with the two remaining clubs facing off at the higher seed’s site.
Conference finals: Oct. 31-Nov. 2
The higher remaining seed in each conference will host the other club.
MLS NEXT Pro Cup: Nov. 7-9
The club with the highest regular-season point total will host the one-off Cup final against the other conference champion.
