The
Tampa Bay Rowdies qualified for the playoffs by virtue of winning the
Eastern Division with 135 points. The point total earned them the number 2 seed and the right to host all preliminary rounds of the playoffs. The Rowdies defeated the
Toronto Metros-Croatia in the quarterfinal match, 1–0, on August 13, 1975. Three days later they dispatched the
Miami Toros, 3–0, in their semifinal game played on August 16, 1975, to advance to the finals.
The
Portland Timbers qualified for the playoffs by virtue of winning the
Western Division with 138 points. The point total earned them the number 1 seed and the right to host all preliminary rounds of the playoffs. The Timbers defeated the
Seattle Sounders in the quarterfinal match, 2–1, in
sudden death overtime on August 12, 1975. Five days later they beat the
St. Louis Stars, 1–0, in a semifinal game played on August 17, 1975, to advance to the finals.