For 2026, the top seven in each conference enter Round One and seeds eight and nine meet in a Wild Card match. All nine places count as playoff qualification here.
9 places
Eastern Conference
1FC Cincinnati76 pts0 remainingClinched by available mathCannot fall below this cutline on the supplied schedule.
2Columbus Crew72 pts0 remainingClinched by available mathCannot fall below this cutline on the supplied schedule.
3Orlando City69 pts0 remainingClinched by available mathCannot fall below this cutline on the supplied schedule.
4Philadelphia Union61 pts0 remainingClinched by available mathCannot fall below this cutline on the supplied schedule.
5New England Revolution55 pts0 remainingClinched by available mathCannot fall below this cutline on the supplied schedule.
6Atlanta United54 pts0 remainingClinched by available mathCannot fall below this cutline on the supplied schedule.
7Nashville SC49 pts0 remainingClinched by available mathCannot fall below this cutline on the supplied schedule.
8New York Red Bulls47 pts0 remainingClinched by available mathCannot fall below this cutline on the supplied schedule.
9Charlotte FC43 pts0 remainingClinched by available mathCannot fall below this cutline on the supplied schedule.
10New York City FC41 pts0 remainingEliminated by available mathMaximum possible: 41 pts.
11CF Montréal41 pts0 remainingEliminated by available mathMaximum possible: 41 pts.
12DC United40 pts0 remainingEliminated by available mathMaximum possible: 40 pts.
9 places
Western Conference
1Los Angeles FC64 pts0 remainingClinched by available mathCannot fall below this cutline on the supplied schedule.
2Houston Dynamo59 pts0 remainingClinched by available mathCannot fall below this cutline on the supplied schedule.
3Seattle Sounders59 pts0 remainingClinched by available mathCannot fall below this cutline on the supplied schedule.
4St. Louis City SC56 pts0 remainingClinched by available mathCannot fall below this cutline on the supplied schedule.
5Real Salt Lake52 pts0 remainingClinched by available mathCannot fall below this cutline on the supplied schedule.
6Sporting Kansas City51 pts0 remainingClinched by available mathCannot fall below this cutline on the supplied schedule.
7FC Dallas49 pts0 remainingClinched by available mathCannot fall below this cutline on the supplied schedule.
8Vancouver Whitecaps48 pts0 remainingClinched by available mathCannot fall below this cutline on the supplied schedule.
9San Jose Earthquakes45 pts0 remainingClinched by available mathCannot fall below this cutline on the supplied schedule.
10Portland Timbers43 pts0 remainingEliminated by available mathMaximum possible: 43 pts.
11Minnesota United41 pts0 remainingEliminated by available mathMaximum possible: 41 pts.
12Austin FC39 pts0 remainingEliminated by available mathMaximum possible: 39 pts.
How the line and tiebreakers work
MLS starts with total wins, then goal difference, goals scored and conference head-to-head measures, followed by disciplinary and home/away goal criteria. Points per game applies if clubs cannot complete equal schedules.
Cutline and guarantee math uses the current SportsDB table plus scheduled games remaining. Equal records still require the official tiebreaker; provider schedule gaps can change the estimate.
Competition profile
American Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is the top-flight league in the United States and Canada. In 2026, its 30 clubs each play 34 regular-season matches; the top seven in each conference enter Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs and seeds eight and nine meet in a Wild Card match.
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FC Cincinnati
Columbus Crew
Orlando City
Philadelphia Union
New England Revolution
Atlanta United
Nashville SC
New York Red Bulls
Charlotte FC
New York City FC
CF Montréal
DC United
Chicago Fire
Inter Miami
Toronto FC
