The date is set, and so is the venue for 2018 MLS Cup.
Atlanta United will host the title game, on Dec. 8 (8 pm ET | FOX, UniMás, TSN, TVAS) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It will be the first time MLS Cup will be hosted in Atlanta, as the Five Stripes make MLS Cup for the first time in their two-year history.
Atlanta defeated the New York Red Bulls 3-1 on aggregate in the Eastern Conference Championship, following a 1-0 RBNY win at Red Bull Arena on Thursday. They will host the Portland Timbers after they beat Sporting Kansas City 3-2 on aggregate in the Western Conference Championship.
Atlanta went 11-2-4 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in MLS regular season play this season and won both of their home games in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs so far. Across all competitions, they have amassed a 25-6-8 home record in their history. This will be the first MLS Cup held indoors.
Between 1996 and 2011, MLS Cup final was hosted at a predetermined site, although the home team did happen to play in it three times. Since 2012, the final has been hosted at the venue of the team that collected the most points during the regular season among the finalists. Among the nine previous times in which MLS Cup has been hosted at the venue of one of the participants, the home team has won six times. Since 2012, the away team has won twice, in 2015 when Portland won at MAPFRE Stadium over Columbus Crew SC, and in 2016 when the Seattle Sounders won at BMO Field over Toronto FC.
