The 2026 MLS regular season has ended, leaving 12 teams eliminated and 18 teams set to return to action after the November international break. The 2026 MLS Cup playoff bracket and schedule are set, with the postseason marking the final MLS Cup playoffs played in winter.
Wild-card and first-round matchups
Orlando City will play FC Cincinnati in the Eastern Conference wild-card match, with Nashville SC awaiting the winner. In the Western Conference wild-card match, Seattle Sounders will host Real Salt Lake, while Vancouver Whitecaps are set to face the winner.
Inter Miami will play Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference first round, while New England Revolution will play Philadelphia Union. San Jose Earthquakes will play Houston Dynamo in the Western Conference first round. Round One is scheduled as a best-of-three format, with the higher-ranked side hosting the first match and the third match if necessary.
Postseason schedule and format change
The conference semifinals, conference finals and MLS Cup final are scheduled. The 2026 MLS Cup playoffs will be the final MLS Cup playoffs played in winter, with the league switching to a fall-to-spring format in 2027.
Inter Miami and Columbus Crew
Inter Miami have won the Leagues Cup in 2023, the Supporters’ Shield in 2024 and the MLS Cup 2025. They have conceded at least two goals in five of their last 10 matches.
Columbus Crew went from the bottom of the Eastern Conference to seventh in just over two months and have won six matches in a row, scoring at least three goals in four of them.
Other teams and players
Chicago Fire sold MLS top scorer Hugo Cuypers and acquired Robert Lewandowski midway through the season. After six goalless matches, Robert Lewandowski scored a goal and supplied an assist at Colorado Rapids before scoring two penalties against Columbus. Chicago Fire have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last eight matches and have conceded 10 goals in their last four. Charlotte FC have scored 11 goals in their last three outings.
Last season, Orlando City finished ninth in the Eastern Conference and lost 3–1 at Chicago in the wild-card match. FC Cincinnati have taken 10 points from their last five outings. Orlando City have won three, drawn four and lost 10 away matches, conceding 3.29 goals per away match. The last time Orlando City travelled to Cincinnati, it lost 6–2.
Petar Musa has scored 59 goals and supplied 16 assists in 100 appearances. Petar Musa has scored in three of his four meetings against Portland since joining from Benfica. Dallas have won six of their last seven home meetings against Portland.
LAFC sacked manager Marc Dos Santos and replaced him with Xavi Tamarit. LAFC took four points from four matches before losing to Minnesota and Seattle. St. Louis CITY had four defeats in a row before securing a last-second win in Houston on Decision Day.
