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 19 · 6:36 AM EDT

East Playoff Picture

If the season ended today · last spot: New York Red Bulls (10W-6D-14L)

1Nashville SCEastern Conference · Conf 16-3 · T1Clinched20W-7D-3L+412Inter Miami CFEastern Conference · Conf 12-4 · W3Clinched15W-10D-5L+223New England RevolutionEastern Conference · Conf 15-5 · W2Clinched16W-4D-10L+84Chicago FireEastern Conference · Conf 11-9 · L2Top seven14W-6D-10L+85Charlotte FCEastern Conference · Conf 11-8 · T1Top seven13W-8D-9L+86Philadelphia UnionEastern Conference · Conf 9-9 · T1Top seven13W-7D-10L+137Orlando City SCEastern Conference · Conf 9-11 · W1Top seven12W-5D-13L-128New York Red BullsEastern Conference · Conf 8-11 · L2Wild Card match10W-6D-14L-179FC CincinnatiEastern Conference · Conf 7-10 · L2Wild Card match9W-9D-11L-10–Toronto FCEastern Conference · Conf 7-7 · W1Tied for last spot8W-12D-10L-9–Columbus CrewEastern Conference · Conf 8-13 · W21 point back10W-5D-15L-1–New York City FCEastern Conference · Conf 6-11 · T12 points back8W-10D-12L+2–DC UnitedEastern Conference · Conf 7-8 · L13 points back7W-12D-10L-14–Atlanta UnitedEastern Conference · Conf 5-13 · L16 points back8W-6D-16L-14–CF MontréalEastern Conference · Conf 6-15 · T111 points back6W-7D-17L-24

Seed	Team	W-D-L	PTS	Conf	Diff	Strk	Left	Status
1	Nashville SCEastern Conference	20W-7D-3L	67	16-3-5	+41	T1	4	Clinched playoffs
2	Inter Miami CFEastern Conference	15W-10D-5L	55	12-4-8	+22	W3	4	Clinched playoffs
3	New England RevolutionEastern Conference	16W-4D-10L	52	15-5-4	+8	W2	4	Clinched playoffs
4	Chicago FireEastern Conference	14W-6D-10L	48	11-9-5	+8	L2	4	Top seven
5	Charlotte FCEastern Conference	13W-8D-9L	47	11-8-6	+8	T1	4	Top seven
6	Philadelphia UnionEastern Conference	13W-7D-10L	46	9-9-6	+13	T1	4	Top seven
7	Orlando City SCEastern Conference	12W-5D-13L	41	9-11-4	-12	W1	4	Top seven
8	New York Red BullsEastern Conference	10W-6D-14L	36	8-11-5	-17	L2	4	Wild Card match
9	FC CincinnatiEastern Conference	9W-9D-11L	36	7-10-6	-10	L2	5	Wild Card match
	Toronto FCEastern Conference	8W-12D-10L	36	7-7-10	-9	W1	4	In the hunt · tied for last spot
	Columbus CrewEastern Conference	10W-5D-15L	35	8-13-4	-1	W2	4	In the hunt · 1 point back
	New York City FCEastern Conference	8W-10D-12L	34	6-11-7	+2	T1	4	In the hunt · 2 points back
	DC UnitedEastern Conference	7W-12D-10L	33	7-8-8	-14	L1	5	In the hunt · 3 points back
	Atlanta UnitedEastern Conference	8W-6D-16L	30	5-13-6	-14	L1	4	In the hunt · 6 points back
	CF MontréalEastern Conference	6W-7D-17L	25	6-15-4	-24	T1	4	In the hunt · 11 points back

East clinch watch

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

Magic number (points)1Fire 14W-6D-10L

Magic number (points)2FC 13W-8D-9L

Magic number (points)3Union 13W-7D-10L

Magic number (points)8City SC 12W-5D-13L

East bubble

FC8W-12D-10L · tied for last spot · 4 leftCrew10W-5D-15L · 1 point back · 4 leftNY City8W-10D-12L · 2 points back · 4 leftDC United7W-12D-10L · 3 points back · 5 leftUnited8W-6D-16L · 6 points back · 4 leftMontréal6W-7D-17L · 11 points back · 4 left

West Playoff Picture

If the season ended today · last spot: LA Galaxy (10W-10D-11L)

1Vancouver WhitecapsWestern Conference · Conf 14-5 · W1Clinched16W-7D-7L+322St.Louis CityWestern Conference · Conf 11-7 · L1Clinched14W-9D-7L+153FC DallasWestern Conference · Conf 11-6 · T1Clinched14W-9D-7L+84San Jose EarthquakesWestern Conference · Conf 11-6 · T3Top seven13W-9D-8L+105Houston DynamoWestern Conference · Conf 10-9 · T3Top seven13W-8D-9L+26Los Angeles FCWestern Conference · Conf 9-8 · T1Top seven12W-10D-9L+157Seattle Sounders FCWestern Conference · Conf 10-9 · T1Top seven11W-9D-10L+28LA GalaxyWestern Conference · Conf 7-10 · T1Wild Card match10W-10D-11L-99Colorado RapidsWestern Conference · Conf 10-9 · T3Wild Card match11W-6D-13L0–Real Salt LakeWestern Conference · Conf 8-10 · W13 points back10W-6D-14L-3–Portland TimbersWestern Conference · Conf 8-11 · T15 points back9W-7D-14L-5–San Diego FCWestern Conference · Conf 7-9 · T25 points back8W-10D-12L-3–Minnesota UnitedWestern Conference · Conf 6-9 · W15 points back8W-10D-12L-8–Austin FCWestern Conference · Conf 6-11 · L38 points back7W-10D-13L-18–Sporting Kansas CityWestern Conference · Conf 6-15 · L2Eliminated6W-4D-20L-39

Seed	Team	W-D-L	PTS	Conf	Diff	Strk	Left	Status
1	Vancouver WhitecapsWestern Conference	16W-7D-7L	55	14-5-6	+32	W1	4	Clinched playoffs
2	St.Louis CityWestern Conference	14W-9D-7L	51	11-7-6	+15	L1	4	Clinched playoffs
3	FC DallasWestern Conference	14W-9D-7L	51	11-6-8	+8	T1	4	Clinched playoffs
4	San Jose EarthquakesWestern Conference	13W-9D-8L	48	11-6-7	+10	T3	4	Top seven
5	Houston DynamoWestern Conference	13W-8D-9L	47	10-9-5	+2	T3	4	Top seven
6	Los Angeles FCWestern Conference	12W-10D-9L	46	9-8-8	+15	T1	3	Top seven
7	Seattle Sounders FCWestern Conference	11W-9D-10L	42	10-9-5	+2	T1	4	Top seven
8	LA GalaxyWestern Conference	10W-10D-11L	40	7-10-8	-9	T1	3	Wild Card match
9	Colorado RapidsWestern Conference	11W-6D-13L	39	10-9-6	0	T3	4	Wild Card match
	Real Salt LakeWestern Conference	10W-6D-14L	36	8-10-6	-3	W1	4	In the hunt · 3 points back
	Portland TimbersWestern Conference	9W-7D-14L	34	8-11-6	-5	T1	4	In the hunt · 5 points back
	San Diego FCWestern Conference	8W-10D-12L	34	7-9-8	-3	T2	4	In the hunt · 5 points back
	Minnesota UnitedWestern Conference	8W-10D-12L	34	6-9-9	-8	W1	4	In the hunt · 5 points back
	Austin FCWestern Conference	7W-10D-13L	31	6-11-7	-18	L3	4	In the hunt · 8 points back
	Sporting Kansas CityWestern Conference	6W-4D-20L	22	6-15-3	-39	L2	4	Eliminated

West clinch watch

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

Magic number (points)1Earthquakes 13W-9D-8L

Magic number (points)2Dynamo 13W-8D-9L

Magic number (points)3FC 12W-10D-9L

Magic number (points)7Sounders FC 11W-9D-10L

Magic number (points)10Rapids 11W-6D-13L

West bubble

Salt Lake10W-6D-14L · 3 points back · 4 leftTimbers9W-7D-14L · 5 points back · 4 leftFC8W-10D-12L · 5 points back · 4 leftUnited8W-10D-12L · 5 points back · 4 leftFC7W-10D-13L · 8 points back · 4 left

Division Races

Eastern ConferenceNashville SC 20W-7D-3LvsInter Miami CF 15W-10D-5L12 points lead

Western ConferenceVancouver Whitecaps 16W-7D-7LvsFC Dallas 14W-9D-7L4 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.