The Western Conference is one of Major League Soccer's two conferences, along with the Eastern Conference. As of 2023, the Western Conference contains fourteen teams. The conference has produced eleven Supporters' Shield champions and seventeen MLS Cup winners in Major League Soccer's first 27 seasons. In 2000 and 2001, the conference was referred to as the Western Division when Major League Soccer briefly reorganized into three divisions. 2023 standings Members Current Timeline Conference lineups by year 1996 (5 teams) Changes from 1995: Creation of the Major League Soccer. 1997 (5 teams) Changes from 1996: Kansas City changed their name from Wiz to Wizards. 1998–99 (6 teams)Changes from 1997: The Chicago Fire was added in the 1998 expansion. 2000–01 (as Western Division) (4 teams)Changes from 1999: The Western Conference renamed itself the Western Division upon the creation of the Central Division; Chicago Fire and Dallas Burn moved into the new division; The San Jose Clash renamed to the Earthquakes. 2002–04 (5 teams)Changes from 2001: The Western Division renamed back to Western Conference following the contraction of the Miami Fusion and the Tampa Bay Mutiny, resulting in the disbanding of the Central Division; Dallas Burn moved in from the Central Division. 2005 (6 teams)Changes from 2004: Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake were added in the 2005 expansion; Kansas City Wizards moved to the Eastern Conference; The Dallas Burn renamed to FC Dallas. 2006–07 (6 teams)Changes from 2005: The San Jose Earthquakes was put on hiatus; The Houston Dynamo joined the league as an expansion franchise. 2008 (7 teams)Changes from 2007: The San Jose Earthquakes return to MLS after its hiatus. 2009–10 (8 teams)Changes from 2008: Seattle Sounders FC were added in the 2009 expansion. 2011–14 (9 teams)Changes from 2010: The Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC were added in the 2011 expansion; Houston Dynamo moved to the Eastern Conference. 2015–16 (10 teams)Changes from 2014: Chivas USA ceases operations; Sporting Kansas City and the Houston Dynamo move in from the Eastern Conference. 2017 (11 teams)Changes from 2016: Minnesota United FC was added in the 2017 expansion. 2018–19 (12 teams)Changes from 2017: Los Angeles FC was added in the 2018 expansion. 2020 (12 teams)Changes from 2019: Nashville SC was added in the 2020 expansion, but moved to the Eastern Conference since the MLS is Back Tournament up to the end of the 2020 season. 2021 (13 teams)Changes from 2020: Nashville SC moved to