The MLS Supporters Shield is given to the team that has the most points at the end of the regular season.
In September, people generally have a good idea of who is going to win. Usually, there is one or two teams that are the front-runners this time of year. For instance, Inter Miami won the Supporters Shield with a record 74 points. That was eight points ahead of second-place Columbus Crew. In 2023, FC Cincinnati won the shield with 69 points, six ahead of Orlando City SC. 2022 was a lot tighter, with LAFC and the Philadelphia Union both ending the season with 67 points. However, LAFC edged out Philadelphia due to having two more wins.
2025 has been quite the year for MLS, showing that the league is very competitive and unpredictable. The Supporters Shield race is as tight as a can of sardines. As it stands, it is hard to predict which team will win.
The Supporters Shield race is man, so tight
The Union currently leads the race with 60 points. But Cincinnati is close behind with 58. Newcomers San Diego FC have 57 points, and right behind them are the Vancouver Whitecaps with 55. Minnesota United is breathing down the necks of Vancouver with 54 points, while Charlotte FC and New York City FC both have 53 points, and Inter Miami has 52 points, and Orlando has 51. Then there are LAFC and Nashville SC with 50 points.
It is also worth mentioning that New York City and Orlando have one game in hand. Vancouver has two, and Miami has three.
Several of the teams in the race are currently in good form. According to the MLS Form Guide courtesy of FootyStats, NYCFC is the most in-form team in the league. They have won five out of their last six and have had 2.50 points per game. New York ended Charlotte’s nine-game winning streak with a 2-0 home win last weekend courtesy of a brace from Alonso Martinez. Charlotte also has a 2.50 PPG in their last six matches.
Behind them, the Whitecaps, LAFC, and Orlando each have won four out of their last six and have 2.17 PPG. San Diego has a 1.83 PPG and won three out of their last six. Minnesota, Miami, and Philadelphia each have 1.67 PPG in their last six matches.
Can the Whitecaps win it?
The Whitecaps have never won the MLS Supporters Shield. The closest they have ever got was in 2015 when they got 53 points and finished third in the overall MLS standings.
The 2025 Whitecaps have been at or near the top of the standings all season, despite many challenges. The 7-0 romping over the Philadelphia Union and the 2-0 win over Sporting Kansas City, despite missing several key players, were statements: Vancouver is going all-in and wants to finish as high as possible and then go on a deep playoff run.
Other than a dip in form in late June and early July, the Whitecaps have been consistent. They have broken MLS era records already and have proven they are one of the top teams in MLS. They have been creeping up the standings as the season progresses, showing resilience and determination. With each game, they seem to be gaining momentum, making them a formidable opponent as the regular season reaches its climax.
The Supporters Shield would mean a lot to the club, but how likely is it for them to win it?
For starters, the two games in hand are big factors as the Whitecaps control their own fate in the race. The same goes for Inter Miami with their three games in hand. Either Vancouver or Miami could win their remaining games to win the Shield, but Miami, of course, has its extra game in hand. But if that happens, the Whitecaps would win on the tiebreaker, which is wins.
According to Rotowire, the Whitecaps have the fourth-easiest remaining schedule behind LAFC, Inter Miami, and Austin FC. Wednesday’s home game against the Portland Timbers has a bunch of implications. Vancouver can win the Cascadia Cup for the first time since 2023 with a win; they can also overtake San Diego for the Western Conference lead. If they win, they can finish no lower than fourth place in the Western Conference, which means the Whitecaps would get home-field advantage for at least the first round of the playoffs. Securing the Supporters Shield would not only provide them the top seed in the playoffs, ensuring any playoff match they partake in till the final would be at home, but it also highlights their supremacy across the league standings. This advantage is crucial, as teams often find success when playing on their own turf, supported by their home fans, during high-stakes playoff games.
So yes, there is a chance.
Other clubs want it as much as the Whitecaps. Lionel Messi and Inter Miami want to reclaim the Supporters Shield to make up for missing out on the CONCACAF Champions Cup and Leagues Cup. San Diego will want to end their inaugural regular season with silverware, and Andres Dreyer has looked unstoppable. The Union, led by Tai Baribo and Kai Wagner, has had the lead for a few weeks now, and they don’t want to lose it. Then there is LAFC. Denis Bouanga and Son Heung-Min wasted no time finding chemistry. As mentioned, several teams have gotten hot at the right time.
A big challenge for the Whitecaps and their Shield hopes is the number of injuries they have sustained. Fortunately, help should be arriving soon. Ryan Gauld is back training with the team and has been cleared for contact, and Joedrick Pupe and Brian White have been running laps. Thomas Müller’s adductor injury has been listed as day-to-day. At the time of this writing, no word has been given if any of those players will play against Portland. Speaking of that game, Andres Cubas and Edier Ocampo are suspended due to yellow card accumulation.
But Vancouver has shown “next man up” mentality all season, and players such as Tate Johnson, Ralph Priso, and Jeevan Badwal have proven they are ready to step in when needed.
Once again, it is hard to predict who will win the Supporters Shield, but no one should be surprised if the Whitecaps end up on top.
The Supporters Shield does not guarantee playoff success, but it would be nice to have
Like the President’s Trophy in the NHL, the MLS Supporters Shield does not guarantee playoff success.
Seven teams went on to win MLS Cup after winning the Supporters Shield. DC United and LA Galaxy have done it twice. The most recent team to do it was the 2022 LAFC side. In 2017, Toronto FC won both the Supporters Shield and MLS Cup as well as the Canadian Championship. They are the only team in MLS history to win the domestic treble.
Winning the Supporters Shield would mark a successful season for the Whitecaps, highlighting their achievements throughout the year. However, whether they win the Shield or not, the focus for the team remains steadfast on taking it one game at a time for the rest of the regular season.
Vancouver has proven they have competition in them, but it’s time to prove they want no one else to succeed.
