From a standings perspective, the Seattle Sounders don't have a ton to play for in their regular-season finale. When they kick off against New York City FC today at 3 PM PT, the Sounders will know that their No. 5 spot in the Western Conference is already locked in. NYCFC, on the other hand, can still jump into the No. 4 spot if results go their way.

But that doesn't mean the game is meaningless for the Sounders. For one, they can still jump a few teams in the Eastern Conference to improve their chances of potentially hosting MLS Cup. But even ignoring that, they have repeatedly stated this week that they know that this is their last chance to get into some kind of rhythm for the playoffs.

The big test will be on offense, where they will likely roll out their first-choice group. Although this is already their second-highest scoring season ever, they've only scored eight goals in the six games since winning Leagues Cup.

Notes

This is just the fifth time the Sounders have played at New York City. This is the third different stadium in which they've played those games.
The last time the Sounders faced NYCFC in league play was in 2019, a match the Pigeons won 3-0.
The most recent encounter across all competitions was the 2022 Concacaf Champions League semifinals, a two-legged series the Sounders won 5-2 on aggregate.
With their win last week, the Sounders crossed the 50-point barrier for the 12th time in their 17 MLS seasons.
The Sounders have scored 56 goals in league play this year, tied for the second most in their history.