MLS Playoff Picture 2026

The 2026 MLS playoff picture if the season ended today: the top nine in each conference qualify, seeds 1 to 7 straight into Round One and seeds 8 and 9 into a Wild Card match. Teams are ranked by points (three for a win, one for a draw), then wins, goal difference and goals scored.

TableCards

Updated Oct 4 · 4:06 AM EDT

East Playoff Picture

If the season ended today · last spot: New York Red Bulls (9W-6D-12L)

1Nashville SCEastern Conference · Conf 16-3 · W2Clinched18W-6D-3L+342New England RevolutionEastern Conference · Conf 13-5 · L1Top seven14W-4D-9L+93Inter Miami CFEastern Conference · Conf 9-4 · L1Top seven12W-10D-5L+144Charlotte FCEastern Conference · Conf 11-7 · L1Top seven12W-7D-8L+95Chicago FireEastern Conference · Conf 10-7 · W1Top seven12W-6D-8L+86Philadelphia UnionEastern Conference · Conf 8-9 · W6Top seven11W-6D-10L+107Orlando City SCEastern Conference · Conf 7-11 · L2Top seven10W-4D-13L-168New York Red BullsEastern Conference · Conf 8-9 · L1Wild Card match9W-6D-12L-179New York City FCEastern Conference · Conf 6-9 · T1Wild Card match8W-9D-10L+5–FC CincinnatiEastern Conference · Conf 6-8 · L1Tied for last spot8W-9D-9L-9–DC UnitedEastern Conference · Conf 6-6 · T13 points back6W-12D-8L-8–Columbus CrewEastern Conference · Conf 6-12 · W24 points back8W-5D-14L-4–Toronto FCEastern Conference · Conf 5-7 · L34 points back6W-11D-10L-12–Atlanta UnitedEastern Conference · Conf 4-11 · T16 points back7W-6D-14L-13–CF MontréalEastern Conference · Conf 6-13 · W19 points back6W-6D-15L-20

Seed	Team	W-D-L	PTS	Conf	Diff	Strk	Left	Status
1	Nashville SCEastern Conference	18W-6D-3L	60	16-3-5	+34	W2	7	Clinched playoffs
2	New England RevolutionEastern Conference	14W-4D-9L	46	13-5-4	+9	L1	7	Top seven
3	Inter Miami CFEastern Conference	12W-10D-5L	46	9-4-8	+14	L1	7	Top seven
4	Charlotte FCEastern Conference	12W-7D-8L	43	11-7-5	+9	L1	7	Top seven
5	Chicago FireEastern Conference	12W-6D-8L	42	10-7-5	+8	W1	8	Top seven
6	Philadelphia UnionEastern Conference	11W-6D-10L	39	8-9-5	+10	W6	7	Top seven
7	Orlando City SCEastern Conference	10W-4D-13L	34	7-11-3	-16	L2	7	Top seven
8	New York Red BullsEastern Conference	9W-6D-12L	33	8-9-5	-17	L1	7	Wild Card match
9	New York City FCEastern Conference	8W-9D-10L	33	6-9-7	+5	T1	7	Wild Card match
	FC CincinnatiEastern Conference	8W-9D-9L	33	6-8-6	-9	L1	8	In the hunt · tied for last spot
	DC UnitedEastern Conference	6W-12D-8L	30	6-6-8	-8	T1	8	In the hunt · 3 points back
	Columbus CrewEastern Conference	8W-5D-14L	29	6-12-4	-4	W2	7	In the hunt · 4 points back
	Toronto FCEastern Conference	6W-11D-10L	29	5-7-9	-12	L3	7	In the hunt · 4 points back
	Atlanta UnitedEastern Conference	7W-6D-14L	27	4-11-6	-13	T1	7	In the hunt · 6 points back
	CF MontréalEastern Conference	6W-6D-15L	24	6-13-4	-20	W1	7	In the hunt · 9 points back

East clinch watch

Points still needed to finish above the first team out (FC Cincinnati): points gained and points the chaser drops both count.

Magic number (points)12Revolution 14W-4D-9L

Magic number (points)12CF 12W-10D-5L

Magic number (points)15FC 12W-7D-8L

Magic number (points)16Fire 12W-6D-8L

East bubble

Cincinnati8W-9D-9L · tied for last spot · 8 leftDC United6W-12D-8L · 3 points back · 8 leftCrew8W-5D-14L · 4 points back · 7 leftFC6W-11D-10L · 4 points back · 7 leftUnited7W-6D-14L · 6 points back · 7 leftMontréal6W-6D-15L · 9 points back · 7 left

West Playoff Picture

If the season ended today · last spot: Colorado Rapids (11W-3D-13L)

1Vancouver WhitecapsWestern Conference · Conf 13-5 · T1Conference leader15W-5D-6L+332St.Louis CityWestern Conference · Conf 10-6 · W3Top seven13W-8D-6L+123FC DallasWestern Conference · Conf 10-6 · W1Top seven13W-8D-6L+84San Jose EarthquakesWestern Conference · Conf 11-6 · W1Top seven13W-6D-8L+105Houston DynamoWestern Conference · Conf 10-9 · L1Top seven13W-5D-9L+26Los Angeles FCWestern Conference · Conf 8-8 · L1Top seven11W-8D-9L+137Seattle Sounders FCWestern Conference · Conf 10-8 · W3Top seven10W-8D-9L08Colorado RapidsWestern Conference · Conf 10-9 · L1Wild Card match11W-3D-13L09LA GalaxyWestern Conference · Conf 6-9 · W2Wild Card match9W-9D-10L-7–Portland TimbersWestern Conference · Conf 8-10 · L34 points back9W-5D-13L-3–Real Salt LakeWestern Conference · Conf 7-10 · W14 points back9W-5D-13L-4–San Diego FCWestern Conference · Conf 7-9 · T24 points back8W-8D-11L0–Austin FCWestern Conference · Conf 6-9 · T25 points back7W-10D-10L-12–Minnesota UnitedWestern Conference · Conf 5-9 · L57 points back7W-8D-12L-9–Sporting Kansas CityWestern Conference · Conf 6-14 · L115 points back6W-3D-18L-33

Seed	Team	W-D-L	PTS	Conf	Diff	Strk	Left	Status
1	Vancouver WhitecapsWestern Conference	15W-5D-6L	50	13-5-4	+33	T1	8	Conference leader
2	St.Louis CityWestern Conference	13W-8D-6L	47	10-6-5	+12	W3	7	Top seven
3	FC DallasWestern Conference	13W-8D-6L	47	10-6-7	+8	W1	7	Top seven
4	San Jose EarthquakesWestern Conference	13W-6D-8L	45	11-6-5	+10	W1	7	Top seven
5	Houston DynamoWestern Conference	13W-5D-9L	44	10-9-2	+2	L1	7	Top seven
6	Los Angeles FCWestern Conference	11W-8D-9L	41	8-8-7	+13	L1	6	Top seven
7	Seattle Sounders FCWestern Conference	10W-8D-9L	38	10-8-5	0	W3	7	Top seven
8	Colorado RapidsWestern Conference	11W-3D-13L	36	10-9-3	0	L1	7	Wild Card match
9	LA GalaxyWestern Conference	9W-9D-10L	36	6-9-7	-7	W2	6	Wild Card match
	Portland TimbersWestern Conference	9W-5D-13L	32	8-10-4	-3	L3	7	In the hunt · 4 points back
	Real Salt LakeWestern Conference	9W-5D-13L	32	7-10-5	-4	W1	7	In the hunt · 4 points back
	San Diego FCWestern Conference	8W-8D-11L	32	7-9-6	0	T2	7	In the hunt · 4 points back
	Austin FCWestern Conference	7W-10D-10L	31	6-9-7	-12	T2	7	In the hunt · 5 points back
	Minnesota UnitedWestern Conference	7W-8D-12L	29	5-9-7	-9	L5	7	In the hunt · 7 points back
	Sporting Kansas CityWestern Conference	6W-3D-18L	21	6-14-2	-33	L1	7	In the hunt · 15 points back

West clinch watch

Points still needed to finish above the first team out (Portland Timbers): points gained and points the chaser drops both count.

Magic number (points)4Whitecaps 15W-5D-6L

Magic number (points)7St. Louis 13W-8D-6L

Magic number (points)7Dallas 13W-8D-6L

Magic number (points)9Earthquakes 13W-6D-8L

Magic number (points)10Dynamo 13W-5D-9L

Magic number (points)13FC 11W-8D-9L

West bubble

Timbers9W-5D-13L · 4 points back · 7 leftSalt Lake9W-5D-13L · 4 points back · 7 leftFC8W-8D-11L · 4 points back · 7 leftFC7W-10D-10L · 5 points back · 7 leftUnited7W-8D-12L · 7 points back · 7 leftKansas City6W-3D-18L · 15 points back · 7 left

Division Races

Eastern ConferenceNashville SC 18W-6D-3LvsInter Miami CF 12W-10D-5L14 points lead

Western ConferenceVancouver Whitecaps 15W-5D-6LvsSt.Louis City 13W-8D-6L3 points lead

Seeds 1-7 straight to Round One · 8-9 Wild Card match · Ranked by points (3 per win, 1 per draw), then wins, goal difference and goals scored · Clinch/eliminated flags use games remaining, not the full tiebreaker list.

How the MLS Playoff Picture Is Calculated

The top nine clubs in each conference qualify, ranked by points (three for a win, one for a draw), then wins, goal difference and goals scored. Seeds 1 to 7 go straight into Round One; seeds 8 and 9 play a Wild Card match. A team is marked clinched when no result can drop it out of the top 8, and eliminated when it can no longer catch the last spot. Magic numbers count the wins and rival losses still needed. Tiebreakers follow the league order.

The MLS playoff picture is recalculated after every game from the full standings, so seeds, magic numbers and points back are always current. Check the tiebreaker rules for how close races are settled, and the projected bracket to see what today’s seeds would produce.