San Diego FC vs Vancouver prediction, TV channel and how to watch

San Diego FC host Vancouver Whitecaps in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference Final at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday, November 29, with kickoff at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT. The winner will advance to MLS Cup 2025, with live coverage on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.

Both sides finished the regular season with 63 points at the top of the Western Conference and now meet in a single-elimination showdown. San Diego are looking to cap a historic debut season, while Vancouver chase their first-ever MLS Cup appearance after a dramatic semifinal win over LAFC.

San Diego FC vs Vancouver start time, TV channel and how to watch

This Western Conference Final is scheduled for Saturday, November 29, 2025, at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California. Kickoff is set for 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, which corresponds to 02:00 UTC on Sunday.

In the United States, the match will be available exclusively on MLS Season Pass through Apple TV. Fans can watch in English or Spanish commentary, with additional coverage from local radio options in both markets.

San Diego enter the final as the West’s No. 1 seed after a 19-9-6 regular season (63 points), becoming only the second expansion team in league history to reach a conference final in their first year. Vancouver, seeded No. 2, matched San Diego’s 63 points with an 18-7-9 record and arrive on the back of a historic penalty shootout victory over LAFC in front of a club-record crowd.

The hosts have turned Snapdragon Stadium into a genuine playoff fortress, winning all their home postseason matches so far. Most recently, Anders Dreyer’s second-half strike sealed a 1-0 semifinal win over Minnesota United, extending San Diego’s impressive home form in knockout games.

Form, team news and key players for San Diego vs Vancouver

San Diego’s breakout season has been driven by a balanced attack and a strong mentality in high-pressure moments. The expansion side set first-year records for points and wins, and they have already shown they can handle Vancouver, drawing 1-1 at home and winning 5-3 away during the regular season.

Playmaker Anders Dreyer is the headline figure for Mikey Varas’s team. The Danish international posted 19 goals and 19 assists in 34 regular-season matches, directly contributing to more than half of San Diego’s goals, and has added four goals and two assists in the playoffs. His ability to drift in off the flank, combine with Corey Baird and Amahl Pellegrino, and punish space in transition makes him the main danger man in the final third.

San Diego will again be without goalkeeper CJ dos Santos, who fractured a cheekbone earlier in the playoffs, meaning Pablo Sisniega should continue in goal. Long-term injuries to defenders Andres Reyes and Oscar Verhoeven and midfielder Alejandro Alvarado limit rotation options, while left-back Aiden Harangi is also sidelined with a muscular issue.

On the Vancouver side, new head coach Jesper Sørensen has overseen a record-setting season, including best-ever marks for points, wins, goals and goal difference, plus a run to the Concacaf Champions Cup final and another Canadian Championship title. Thomas Müller has transformed the attack since arriving in August, delivering nine goals and several assists in just 11 appearances and acting as the emotional leader of the squad.

The Whitecaps will be forced into changes at the back. MLS Defender of the Year Tristan Blackmon is suspended after his red card against LAFC, while Belal Halbouni’s knee injury adds another blow in central defense. Full-back Sam Adekugbe and center-back Ranko Veselinovic remain out with long-term issues, increasing the likelihood that Ralph Priso will again drop into the back line.

Vancouver’s attacking threat still looks formidable. Brian White scored 16 goals in 22 appearances in the regular season and has been one of MLS’s most efficient finishers, while Müller operates in the half-spaces with Sebastian Berhalter and Andrés Cubas controlling the midfield. Vancouver also boast one of the league’s strongest away records, winning eight of 17 road games in the regular season, which underlines their ability to perform in hostile environments.

San Diego vs Vancouver prediction and tactical outlook

On paper, this final is as close as it gets. Both teams finished level on points, and their two regular-season meetings produced eight total goals, highlighting how open and attacking this matchup can become when both sides commit numbers forward. San Diego’s 5-3 victory in Vancouver showed how dangerous they are when they win the ball and break quickly, while the 1-1 draw in California underlined the Whitecaps’ ability to adapt and grind out a result on the road.

San Diego’s main advantage is continuity in their attacking structure and the atmosphere at a sold-out Snapdragon Stadium. Varas’s side have not conceded at home in more than four hours of playoff football and have outscored visitors 7-1 in those games. If they score first, history suggests they are very hard to reel back in, with 16 wins and only one loss in matches where they strike the opening goal this season.

Vancouver’s path has been more chaotic but equally impressive. Their epic semifinal against LAFC, where they survived with nine men and triumphed on penalties in front of almost 54,000 fans, reinforced their resilience and big-game mentality. Müller’s leadership and the team’s belief after that night could carry into San Diego, even with defensive absences forcing Sørensen to reshuffle his back line.

Expect San Diego to dominate possession phases through Onni Valakari and Jeppe Tverskov, building from the back and trying to stretch Vancouver’s makeshift defense with wide rotations and underlapping runs. Vancouver are likely to look for quick transitions through Cubas and Berhalter, feeding Müller between the lines and White running the channels. Both teams tend to score late in halves, which suggests the game may be decided in the closing 15 minutes, especially if tired legs open up space in midfield.

Given San Diego’s home form, Dreyer’s current level and Vancouver’s issues in central defense, a narrow home win looks slightly more likely. A 2–1 San Diego FC victory is a reasonable prediction, but the margins are thin, and Vancouver have already shown they can thrive in extreme pressure, so extra time or a dramatic late twist would not be a surprise in this Western Conference Final.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-

Q1: What time does San Diego FC vs Vancouver Whitecaps start?

The Western Conference Final kicks off on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT. The match is being played at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California.

Q2: How can I watch San Diego FC vs Vancouver live?

The game will be broadcast in full on MLS Season Pass through Apple TV. Fans in the United States can stream the match with an active MLS Season Pass subscription.

Q3: Who has the edge in San Diego vs Vancouver?

San Diego FC have home advantage, an unbeaten playoff record at Snapdragon Stadium, and slight momentum from their 1-0 semifinal win over Minnesota. Vancouver, however, have one of MLS’s best away records and arrive with confidence after a dramatic shootout win over LAFC, so this final is expected to be very close.

Q4: What is at stake in the San Diego vs Vancouver clash?

The winner of this match will be crowned Western Conference champion and qualify for MLS Cup 2025. For San Diego, it would cap a historic debut season, while Vancouver are chasing their first-ever appearance in an MLS Cup final.

Q5: Which players should fans watch most closely?

Anders Dreyer is the key attacking threat for San Diego, with huge numbers in goals and assists this season. For Vancouver, Thomas Müller’s creativity and leadership, along with Brian White’s finishing, will be crucial to their chances in San Diego.