List of MLS club post-season droughts

These are lists of active and all-time Major League Soccer (MLS) droughts in the MLS Cup Playoffs, CONCACAF Champions League, U.S. Open Cup, and Canadian Championship. Those teams which have never made it in club history are listed by the season that they entered the league.

Among the current 29 MLS clubs to have completed at least one season, 14 have never won the MLS Cup. The longest MLS Cup drought is jointly held by New York Red Bulls, New England Revolution, and FC Dallas all of whom have played in every MLS season without ever winning the championship. Among those clubs which have won the MLS Cup, the longest title drought is that of Chicago Fire FC, who have not won the honor since winning MLS Cup 1998. 15 clubs have never won the Supporters' Shield, with Colorado Rapids being the only club to play in every season without ever winning the Shield. Among those clubs who have won the Shield, the longest drought is that of Sporting Kansas City who have not won it since the 2000 Major League Soccer season.

List of active droughts

MLS Cup Playoffs appearance

Updated through 2023 Major League Soccer season. This list does not include clubs that made the post-season as of that year.

MLS Cup Round One appearance

Updated through 2023 Major League Soccer season. This list does not include clubs that reached Round One as of that year.

MLS Cup Conference Semifinals appearance

Updated through 2023 Major League Soccer season. This list does not include clubs that reached the Conference Semifinals that year.

MLS Cup Conference Finals appearance

Updated through 2023 Major League Soccer season. Does not include clubs that reached the Conference Finals that year.

MLS Cup Final appearance

Updated through 2023 Major League Soccer season. Does not include clubs that appeared in MLS Cup 2023.

¹ Does not include 2006–2007 when San Jose was dormant.

MLS Cup championship

Updated through 2023 Major League Soccer season. Does not include the winner of MLS Cup 2023 (Columbus Crew).

¹ Does not include 2006–2007 when San Jose was dormant.

Supporters' Shield win

Updated through 2023 Major League Soccer season. This list does not include the current holder of the Supporters' Shield (FC Cincinnati).

CONCACAF Champions Cup appearance

Updated through 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup. From the 2008–09 season to the 2023 season, the competition was known as the Champions League before reverting back to the Champions Cup name.

¹ This club played in another league before joining MLS and could have qualified for the Champions League by winning the U.S. Open Cup. This table only counts their drought from when they joined MLS.

Domestic cup championship

Updated through 2023 U.S. Open Cup and 2023 Canadian Championship. This list does not include the current champions (Houston Dynamo FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC).

¹ Does not include 2020 and 2021 when the U.S. Open Cup was canceled.

² Does not include 2006–2007 when San Jose was dormant.

³ This club played in another league before joining MLS and competed in the U.S. Open Cup during those years. This table only counts its drought from when it joined MLS.

⁴ The final of the 2020 Canadian Championship did not take place until after the conclusion of the 2021 tournament. This table nevertheless treats the 2020 tournament as happening before the 2021 tournament.

Competitive trophy win

Updated through 2023.

Longest all-time droughts

Each list below shows the 20 longest droughts, plus ties, in the given category.

MLS Cup Playoffs appearance

The list only includes MLS clubs that failed to make the playoffs for three or more consecutive seasons. Updated through 2023 Major League Soccer season.

MLS Cup Round One appearance

The list only includes MLS clubs that failed to make Round One for three or more consecutive seasons. Updated through 2023 Major League Soccer season.

¹ This club did not actually appear in Round One because the round had not yet been created with the playoffs commencing with the Conference Semifinals. For the purposes of this table, the club is treated as if it did appear in Round One.

² This club did not actually appear in Round One because it received a bye to the Conference Semifinals. For the purposes of this table, the club is treated as if it did appear.

MLS Cup Conference Semifinals appearance

The list only includes clubs that failed to make the conference semifinals for four or more consecutive seasons. Updated through 2023 Major League Soccer season.

MLS Cup Conference Finals appearance

The list only includes clubs that failed to make the conference finals for five or more consecutive seasons. Updated through 2023 Major League Soccer season.

MLS Cup Final appearance

The list only includes clubs that failed to make the MLS Cup final for nine or more consecutive seasons. Updated through 2023 Major League Soccer season.

¹ Does not include 2006–2007 when San Jose was dormant.

MLS Cup championship

The list only includes clubs that failed to win an MLS Cup championship for nine or more consecutive seasons. Updated through 2023 Major League Soccer season.

¹ Does not include 2006–2007 when San Jose was dormant.

Supporters' Shield win

The list only includes clubs that failed to win a Supporters' Shield for nine or more consecutive seasons. Updated through 2023 Major League Soccer season.

CONCACAF Champions Cup appearance

The list only includes clubs that failed to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup for five or more consecutive seasons. Updated through 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup.

¹ Does not include the 2007, 2008, and 2008−09 tournaments which San Jose could not qualify for due to being on hiatus.

² This club played in another league before joining MLS and could have qualified for the Champions League by winning the U.S. Open Cup. This table only counts its drought from when it joined MLS.

Domestic cup championship

The list only includes clubs that failed to win the U.S. Open Cup or Canadian Championship for seven or more consecutive seasons. Updated through 2023 U.S. Open Cup and 2023 Canadian Championship.

¹ Does not include 2020–2021 when the U.S. Open Cup was canceled.

² Does not include 2006–2007 when San Jose was dormant.

³ Portland Timbers played in other leagues before joining MLS and competed in the U.S. Open Cup during those years. This table only counts its drought from when it joined MLS.

Competitive trophy win

The list only includes clubs that failed to win a competitive trophy for six or more consecutive seasons. Updated through 2023.

See also

• Major League Soccer
• List of Major League Baseball franchise postseason droughts
• List of National Basketball Association franchise post-season droughts
• List of National Football League franchise post-season droughts
• List of National Hockey League franchise post-season droughts