2026 MLS season playoff races and streaks

Portland seeks playoff berth at Austin on MLS Decision Day

Portland Timbers visited Austin on MLS Decision Day seeking to secure a Western Conference playoff berth, with a win also potentially lifting them out of the wild-card play-in. Portland entered on a three-game winning streak, while struggling Austin aimed to end its season on a high note; a live update reported Portland leading 1-0 at halftime.

Philadelphia Union beat Toronto 4-1, clinch playoff berth

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Sounders Host LAFC Needing Win to Reach Playoffs

Seattle Sounders face a must-win Decision Day match against already-qualified LAFC, but likely need favorable results elsewhere to reach the MLS playoffs. Seattle enters on a five-game winless streak after a 5-1 loss to Vancouver, while LAFC has also struggled recently.

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Nashville SC Sets MLS Points Record With 77

Nashville SC finished the regular season with a record 77 points after Sam Surridge scored twice in a 2-0 win at FC Cincinnati, earning the Supporters’ Shield and top playoff seed. The club also set several defensive and home-field records and will host its playoff series as it pursues its first MLS Cup.

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Orlando City Hosts New England on Decision Day

Orlando City hosted New England on MLS Decision Day with Eastern Conference playoff positioning at stake; the Lions had clinched a playoff berth and could finish seventh through ninth. New England arrived in strong form, while Orlando made two changes to its starting lineup, including the return of David Brekalo and Eduard Atuesta.

FC Dallas Hosts Colorado Rapids on MLS Decision Day

FC Dallas hosts the Colorado Rapids on Decision Day, with Colorado needing a win to secure a playoff spot and Dallas aiming to preserve its place near the top of the Western Conference. The match is Saturday at Toyota Stadium and will be available on Apple TV.

5 sources

Union Captain Bedoya Plans Retirement After 2026 Season

Philadelphia Union captain Alejandro Bedoya will retire after the 2026 MLS season, ending a 17-year professional career. Since joining the club in 2016, he helped lead Philadelphia to two Supporters’ Shields and its first MLS Cup final, while earning 66 caps for the U.S. national team.

Toronto FC faces must-win match in Atlanta

Toronto FC must beat Atlanta United on Sunday to keep its slim playoff hopes alive after a 2-1 win over D.C. United; other results could also affect its chances. Atlanta has been eliminated, but Toronto has yet to win a regular-season match at Atlanta’s stadium.

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Messi winner lifts Miami to second

Lionel Messi scored the 83rd-minute winner and assisted Germán Berterame’s equalizer as Inter Miami rallied for a 2-1 victory over New England, moving one point ahead of the Revolution into second place in the Eastern Conference with one regular-season match left. Miami also secured a place in next year’s CONCACAF Champions Cup; New England’s late apparent equalizer was overturned for offside.

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Minnesota United rallies past Kansas City 3-1

Minnesota United rallied from a goal down to beat Sporting Kansas City 3-1, with Anthony Markanich and Mauricio González scoring before Kelvin Yeboah sealed the win with his team-leading 18th goal. The victory kept Minnesota’s slim playoff hopes alive ahead of its match against playoff-bound LAFC, while Kansas City extended its winless run.

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Orlando Seeks Playoff Berth Against Charlotte

Charlotte FC, already assured of a playoff spot, hosts Orlando City, which can clinch a postseason berth with a win and may qualify with a draw or loss depending on other results.

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NYCFC, Atlanta United Set for Playoff-Stakes Match

New York City FC hosts Atlanta United in a crucial MLS matchup, with both teams’ playoff hopes in danger after poor recent form. Atlanta faces possible elimination, while NYCFC also risks missing the postseason; the teams drew 2-2 in their previous meeting.

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Chicago Fire beat Colorado Rapids 4-2

Chicago Fire beat the Colorado Rapids 4-2 in a back-and-forth MLS match, with Jonathan Bamba scoring twice and Robert Lewandowski also helping secure the win. The three points boosted Chicago’s push for a top-four finish, while Colorado’s playoff hopes took a hit.

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Columbus Crew win 3-0, keep playoff hopes alive with one game left

Columbus Crew beat D.C. United 3-0, with Sean Zawadzki and Anass Zaroury scoring in the first half and a second-half own goal completing the score. The win extended Columbus’ strong late-season run and moved the Crew into playoff position with one regular-season match remaining.

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Whitecaps rout San Diego 4-1, White hits 100th

The Vancouver Whitecaps beat San Diego FC 4-1 to strengthen their grip on first place in the Western Conference and move within reach of clinching the top seed. Brian White scored his 100th MLS goal, while Aleksa Cvetković, Ryan Gauld and Bruno Caicedo also scored; San Diego’s loss eliminated it from the playoff race.

Griezmann hits 12-game MLS streak in Fire-Orlando draw

Chicago rallied from a 2-0 deficit to draw Orlando City 2-2, with Jonathan Bamba assisting Maren Haile-Selassie’s equalizer. Antoine Griezmann scored and assisted for Orlando, extending his MLS record-tying run of goal contributions to 12 consecutive regular-season matches; the draw left Chicago fourth and Orlando seventh in the Eastern Conference.

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Charlotte FC Seeks Playoff Berth Against Montreal

Charlotte FC can clinch an MLS playoff berth with at least a draw against CF Montréal, or if playoff rivals fail to win, as it looks to shore up a defense that has conceded eight goals in its past three matches. Montréal, eliminated from contention and winless in four games, plans to emphasize younger players; it won 4-1 on its most recent visit to Charlotte.

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Orlando City Earns 2-2 Draw, Maintains Playoff Position

Orlando City squandered a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw with Chicago, continuing a run of dropped points that has kept its playoff position in jeopardy. The Lions remain seventh in the Eastern Conference and can secure a postseason berth with a win at Charlotte, while victories in their final two matches would help them avoid the play-in round.

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Inter Miami rallies late for 2-2 draw with FC Cincinnati in playoff race

Inter Miami host FC Cincinnati in a pivotal late-season MLS match, with Miami aiming to strengthen its position near the top of the Eastern Conference after a loss and Cincinnati seeking to climb into a direct playoff spot. Lionel Messi is expected to start for Miami, while Cincinnati will rely on Kévin Denkey and Evander.

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Philadelphia Union Clinch 2026 MLS Playoff Berth

The Philadelphia Union clinched a berth in the 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs after New England’s win over the New York Red Bulls, then drew 0-0 with Supporters’ Shield winners Nashville SC. Philadelphia has two regular-season games left to improve its Eastern Conference position and potential home-field advantage.

Dynamo earn first road win over Sounders with 1-0 victory

Houston beat Seattle 1-0 for its first road win over the Sounders, as Lucas Halter scored and goalkeeper Jonathan Bond made six saves. The victory moved the Dynamo into fourth in the Western Conference, while Seattle fell to eighth with two matches left in its push for a playoff spot.

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Cincinnati beats D.C. United 2-0, boosts playoff hopes

FC Cincinnati beat D.C. United 2-0 in Washington, sweeping the teams’ two-game series in four days as Evander scored and assisted on Tom Barlow’s goal. The win and a rare clean sheet strengthened Cincinnati’s playoff push, while D.C. suffered a third straight loss.

LAFC, LA Galaxy set for playoff derby

LAFC and the LA Galaxy meet in El Tráfico with Western Conference playoff positioning at stake and the regular season nearing its end. LAFC won their first meeting of the season 3-0, while the Galaxy will seek a response after recent mixed results.

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Messi brace leads Inter Miami past Atlanta 3-1

Lionel Messi scored twice in four minutes and assisted Inter Miami’s opener in a 3-1 win over Atlanta United, extending Miami’s winning streak to three games. The league-leading 25-goal scorer also reached 15 assists for the season, becoming the first MLS player to record at least 15 assists in three consecutive seasons.

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Whitecaps rally past Austin 2-1, extend West lead

The Vancouver Whitecaps came from behind to beat Austin FC 2-1, ending a four-match winless streak and strengthening their hold on first place in the MLS Western Conference. Ryan Gauld equalized early in the second half, and substitute Yadaly Diaby scored the winner with a curling shot from outside the box.

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Chicago Fire Clinch Second Straight Playoff Berth

Chicago Fire clinched a second consecutive MLS playoff berth despite losing 1-0 to the New England Revolution, as Orlando City’s win over D.C. United secured their place with four regular-season games remaining. New England’s Matt Polster scored the lone goal, and goalkeeper Matt Turner made six saves.

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Minnesota United ends St. Louis' 19-match unbeaten streak

St. Louis City SC carried a record 21-match unbeaten streak across all competitions into its October 17 match against Minnesota United, after securing a playoff berth. A win or draw would extend the run and set an MLS regular-season unbeaten record, while Minnesota entered the matchup amid an eight-game winless stretch.

Inter Miami Clinches Playoff Berth With Win

With the 2026 MLS playoffs approaching, Wednesday’s results could send several teams into the postseason, while Nashville also has a chance to clinch the Eastern Conference’s top seed. Inter Miami can secure a playoff place with a win over New York City FC, which needs points to strengthen its own postseason hopes.

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Real Salt Lake Ends Road Skid by Eliminating Sporting Kansas City

Morgan Guilavogui scored twice and Sergi Solans added a goal as Real Salt Lake beat Sporting Kansas City 3-1, snapping a five-match road losing streak and keeping RSL’s playoff hopes alive with four games remaining. Sporting, winless in four matches, was officially eliminated from the Western Conference playoff race.

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Charlotte ends Union win streak but unbeaten run reaches 15

Charlotte FC and the Philadelphia Union drew 2-2, ending Philadelphia’s eight-game winning streak while extending its club-record unbeaten run to 15 matches. Idan Toklomati scored and assisted for Charlotte, and Bruno Damiani’s second-half goal earned the Union a point.

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San Diego, Houston Face MLS Playoff Race

San Diego FC hosts Houston Dynamo in a pivotal Western Conference matchup, with San Diego outside the playoff places and desperate to halt a steep slide marked by heavy defeats. Houston is also seeking to reverse poor form but remains in the playoff picture; both teams need points to steady their season.

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No. 19 Kansas scores in 87th minute to beat Iowa State 1-0

No. 19 Kansas beat Iowa State 1-0 on Marit McLaughlin’s 87th-minute goal off a Livvy Moore corner, extending the Jayhawks’ winning streak to three. Iowa State remained winless in Big 12 play.