MLS Cup : Ask Biography

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:This article is about the championship. For details on the tournament, see MLS Cup Playoffs.

The MLS Cup is the final match of the MLS Cup Playoffs which determines the annual Major League Soccer champion, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada, and two of the United States' four berths in the CONCACAF Champions' League where the winner earns a Group Stage berth, whilst the finalist earns a berth in the Preliminary Round.

The process of making the MLS Cup championship involves qualification into the MLS Cup Playoffs, which is accomplished by finishing in a qualification position during Major League Soccer's regular season. For the 2011 regular season, earning a spot in the playoffs involves finishing either in the top three in either the Eastern or Western Conference, depending on the club's respective geographical location, or finishing in the top ten overall in a single table.

In the league's existence, there have three trophies that are awarded to the cup champions that year. The original trophy was named the Alan I. Rothenberg Trophy, which was named in Rothenberg's honor for his dedication for the growth of soccer in the United States, in 1998, the trophy was redesigned In 2008 the trophy was redesigned and renamed the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy, which is the present trophy award to MLS Cup champions.

Since 2008, the MLS Cup winner has been awarded with a direct-Group Stage spot in the CONCACAF Champions League, North America's club soccer tournament. The regular season champions, who earn the MLS Supporters' Shield also earn a spot. The Cup runners-up earn a spot in the Preliminary Round of the Champions League.

Before the Champions League, MLS Cup champions were awarded with a birth into the now-defunct Champions' Cup. From 1996 until 2005, the MLS Cup runner up also earned a spot in the Champions' Cup; however, starting in 2006, the Supporters' Shield winner earned a spot in the tournament in the place of the cup finalist.

D.C. United has won the most MLS Cup titles to date, winning four total. The next closest are a tie between Los Angeles Galaxy, Houston Dynamo and San Jose Earthquakes who have all won the championship twice. New England Revolution has been the final the most times without winning the league title, making it to the MLS Cup four times in club history, three of which were consecutive.