The 2023 MLS campaign has come to a close for the Columbus Crew and its other 27 counterparts. Finishing third place in the Eastern Conference after a 2-1 win against CF Montreal on Decision Day, the Crew will have home field advantage in the first round when hosting Atlanta United.

On Sunday, the league announced the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs schedule. Game 1 of the team’s MLS Cup playoffs journey will take place Wednesday, Nov. 1. Kickoff for that game is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Lower.com Field. The Black & Gold will then travel to Atlanta on Tuesday, Nov. 7, for a 7 p.m. ET kickoff from Mercedes-Benz Stadium for game two of the best-of-three series. If necessary, Columbus will host game three on Sunday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. ET at Lower.com Field to decide the winner if the series is tied after the first two games.

This year’s postseason will be the first time the Crew has made a playoff appearance since winning MLS Cup in 2020. Home-field advantage will be important for the Black & Gold after losing just once this season at Lower.com Field

For 2023, the first-round format is a best-of-three series, with the highest seed being granted home-field advantage. Teams will need to win two out of the three to advance to the next round of the playoffs. After the first round, single elimination decides the rest of the playoffs until the penultimate MLS Cup Final, which will be held Dec. 9.

Earlier in the season, the two teams met for their first matchup of the season on March 25 at Lower.com Field, with Columbus taking the win by a 6-1 scoreline. With goals by Aidan Morris, Jacen Russell-Rowe, Max Arfsten, Philip Quinton and a Christian Ramirez brace, Columbus ended up tying for most goals in a game, which would be the best in MLS this season.

In the return leg at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 7, the Crew and Five Stripes fought to a 1-1 tie, with the hosts getting the equalizing goal in the dying seconds of the game, with Miles Robinson getting on the end of a Thiago Almada free kick.

Cucho Hernandez got the Crew’s lone goal in that game, bringing his total to 15 goals, meeting his personal goal that was set at the beginning of the season.