Decision Day will set the bracket on Nov. 7
NEW YORK, NY — MLS has mapped out its 2026 postseason, with the playoff race beginning Nov. 18 and running through the MLS Cup final on Dec. 18. Eighteen teams will qualify for the bracket, while the regular season ends two weeks earlier on Decision Day, Nov. 7.
All 30 clubs will complete a 34-match schedule that started the weekend of Feb. 21-22. Decision Day will bring simultaneous kickoff windows, with Eastern Conference matches starting at 4 p.m. ET and Western Conference matches following at 7 p.m. ET.
Nine teams from each conference make the field
The playoff structure stays conference-based, with nine teams from the East and nine from the West earning spots. The top seven in each conference move directly into the first round, while the No. 8 and No. 9 teams battle in a winner-take-all Wild Card game.
The bracket then pairs the first seed with the Wild Card winner, followed by No. 2 against No. 7, No. 3 against No. 6 and No. 4 against No. 5. The same setup will be used in both conferences.
Wild Card winners advance from one-game knockout matches
The Wild Card round will remain a single-match elimination stage hosted by the higher seed. If the teams are level after 90 minutes, the match goes straight to penalties, with no extra time.
That format gives the higher seed a clear advantage, especially in a round where one bad night ends the season. It also keeps the opening stage compact before the bracket expands into the league’s updated first-round format.
First round shifts to a best-of-three series
The biggest change for 2026 comes in the opening playoff round, which will be played as a best-of-three series rather than a single knockout game. The first team to win two matches moves on.
Game one will be played at the higher seed’s stadium, game two at the lower seed’s venue and, if needed, game three returns to the higher seed’s home field. Any tied match goes straight to penalties, and draws are not allowed.
Conference semifinals and finals go back to one-off matches
After the first round trims the bracket, the postseason returns to single-elimination for the Conference Semifinals on Dec. 5-6 and the Conference Finals on Dec. 11-12. In both rounds, the higher seed hosts.
If a match is tied after regulation, each game will go to two 15-minute extra-time periods before a penalty shootout. That keeps the later rounds in line with the league’s traditional do-or-die playoff pressure.
MLS Cup will be staged on Dec. 18
The Eastern and Western Conference champions will meet in MLS Cup on Dec. 18. The final will be hosted by the team with the better regular-season record, giving the top overall side home-field advantage.
As in the conference rounds, a tied final will be settled by extra time and, if necessary, penalties. For fans tracking the road to the title, the new format stretches the postseason across a full month and adds an extra layer of series drama at the start.
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