NFL
NBA
MLB
NHL
MLS
Liga MXWith Chicago's 3-1 win over Vancouver on Tuesday, Oct. 6, most MLS clubs have now played 27 of their 34 regular-season games. Nashville SC leads the Eastern Conference with 60 points, the Vancouver Whitecaps top the West with 50, and the regular season ends on Decision Day, Saturday, Nov. 7.
How does the 2026 MLS playoff format work?
Eighteen teams qualify, nine from each conference. According to MLSsoccer.com, seeds 1 through 7 go straight into the best-of-3 Round One series, while seeds 8 and 9 meet in a one-game Wild Card match hosted by the higher seed, with a penalty shootout if it is tied after 90 minutes. The Wild Card winner faces the conference's top seed. MLS Cup is scheduled for Dec. 18.
Eastern Conference: Who is in and who is chasing?
| Pos. | Team | GP | Record (W-L-D) | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nashville SC | 27 | 18-3-6 | +34 | 60 |
| 2 | New England Revolution | 27 | 14-9-4 | +9 | 46 |
| 3 | Inter Miami CF | 27 | 12-5-10 | +14 | 46 |
| 4 | Chicago Fire FC | 27 | 13-8-6 | +10 | 45 |
| 5 | Charlotte FC | 27 | 12-8-7 | +9 | 43 |
| 6 | Philadelphia Union | 27 | 11-10-6 | +10 | 39 |
| 7 | Orlando City SC | 27 | 10-13-4 | -16 | 34 |
| 8 | Red Bull New York | 27 | 9-12-6 | -17 | 33 |
| 9 | New York City FC | 27 | 8-10-9 | +5 | 33 |
| 10 | FC Cincinnati | 26 | 8-9-9 | -9 | 33 |
| 11 | D.C. United | 26 | 6-8-12 | -8 | 30 |
Nashville has lost only three times all season and has the best goal difference in the league. Behind them, the fight for home field in Round One is close: New England and Miami are level on 46, with the Revolution ahead on wins, and Chicago moved to 45 with Tuesday's result. Charlotte, two points further back, is the first team outside that group.
The bottom of the bracket is crowded. Red Bull New York, New York City FC and FC Cincinnati all have 33 points, and only two of the three would be in today. Cincinnati and D.C. United each have a game in hand, which makes the race for eighth and ninth the most open in the league.
Western Conference: Can anyone catch Vancouver?
| Pos. | Team | GP | Record (W-L-D) | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 27 | 15-7-5 | +31 | 50 |
| 2 | St. Louis CITY SC | 27 | 13-6-8 | +12 | 47 |
| 3 | FC Dallas | 27 | 13-6-8 | +8 | 47 |
| 4 | San Jose Earthquakes | 27 | 13-8-6 | +10 | 45 |
| 5 | Houston Dynamo FC | 27 | 13-9-5 | +2 | 44 |
| 6 | LAFC | 28 | 11-9-8 | +13 | 41 |
| 7 | Seattle Sounders FC | 27 | 10-9-8 | 0 | 38 |
| 8 | Colorado Rapids | 27 | 11-13-3 | 0 | 36 |
| 9 | LA Galaxy | 28 | 9-10-9 | -7 | 36 |
| 10 | Portland Timbers | 27 | 9-13-5 | -3 | 32 |
Vancouver's lead shrank to three points after the loss at Soldier Field. St. Louis is the form team: its 3-0 win over the Red Bulls on Sept. 30 stretched its unbeaten run in MLS to 17 matches, according to ESPN. The Whitecaps visit St. Louis on Wednesday, Oct. 14, a game that could reshape the top of the table.
Only six points separate second-place St. Louis from sixth-place LAFC, and positions 2 through 5 decide who hosts in Round One. Lower down, the Galaxy hold ninth on 36 points but have already played 28 games, while Portland, Real Salt Lake and San Diego FC sit four points behind on 32.
What to watch next
The next full slate is this weekend, Oct. 10-11. Vancouver plays at LAFC on Saturday night, Chicago hosts New York City FC, and Nashville travels to Austin. After that, every result shifts a table where, in both conferences, a handful of points cover four or five teams.
New York City FC
Nashville SC
Chicago Fire FC
FC Dallas
Vancouver Whitecaps
St. Louis CITY SC
