The 2021 MLS season is approaching its end with the 2021 MLS Cup. The 17-4-3 Portland Timbers will host the 14-9-11 New York Football Club in the title game to close out the MLS postseason. The big game will feature stars from both teams: Felipe Mora (Chile), the Chará brothers Diego and Yimmi (Colombia), Sebastián Blanco and Diego Valerie (Argentina), and Christhian Paredes (Paraguay) for the Timbers; and New York City FC’s Castellanos and Maximiliano Moralez (Argentina), Alexander Callens (Peru), and Santiago Rodríguez (Uruguay). Both teams are coming off a great showcase in their respective conference championship games.
After shutting out Real Salt Lake, 2-0, in the Western Conference Championship Game, the Portland Timbers are competing in their third MLS Cup game in 7 years. This will be their first time hosting the MLS Cup at Providence Park, which is known as one of the best atmospheres in the league.
After defeating Philadelphia Union, 2-1, in the Eastern Conference Championship Game, NYCFC booked their ticket to their first MLS Cup game in the franchise’s 8-year history. The Cityzens are led by MLS top scorer Valentín Castellanos with 19 goals.
With a capacity of over 25,000, expect a full crowd of fans at Providence Park when these two teams take the field. Cord cutters, who cannot be in attendance, can find out how to watch the 2021 MLS cup below.
When to Watch
Coverage for the 2021 MLS Cup will begin at 3 PM ET with a pregame show, the match is scheduled to kick at 3:23 PM ET on ABC. The match will stream live on the ESPN and ABC apps.
Play-by-play commentator Jon Champion and analyst Taylor Twellman will provide match commentary on ABC and ESPN International’s English-language networks. They will be joined by global sports correspondent Sam Borden, who is making his MLS Cup debut as a sideline reporter. Also making his MLS Cup debut in the booth is Rules Analyst Mark Clattenburg.
How to Watch
The final showdown between the Timbers and NYC FC will be one of the most viewed games of the year. There are plenty of ways for cord cutters to watch all the action on ABC without bulky cable boxes or satellite dishes.
AntennaWeb is a great tool you can use to find out which affiliate in your area will broadcast the championship game in MLS on ABC.
Subscribers to live TV streaming services can check out our chart below to see if your service will be streaming the game.
| Channel | DIRECTV STREAM | fuboTV | Hulu + Live | Sling Orange | Vidgo | YouTube TV |
| $69.99 | $64.99 | $64.99 | $35 | $55 | $64.99 | |
| ABC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Soccer fans can also stream the 2021 MLS Cup on the ESPN app and the ABC app with authentication credentials.