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Why the New MLS Postseason Rules Make No Sense

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Aug 21, 2026
MLS: Columbus Crew SC at Toronto FC
Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The MLS introduced a new playoff format, and it makes things more complicated than they need to be.

The current playoff structure, which makes a little more sense, is that the top eight teams in each conference make the big dance, with the last two playing each other in a one-game playoff to determine the final playoff team. After that, every team plays a best-of-three series, with each team hosting at least one game. Then it transitions to a one-game series, with the higher seed hosting.

The new format would discard the conference standings in favor of the Supporter Shield standings. From those standings, the top twenty teams would make the playoffs. In essence, only 1/3 of all MLS teams currently would not make it to the playoffs. That is pretty standard in CONCACAF leagues, which have anywhere from four to about sixteen teams in their championship rounds.

Here is where the MLS differs from the rest of the region. Depending on where you are, there are different paths into the MLS Cup. If a team wins the Supporters’ Shield or is in the top eight, they’ll have a bye into the round of sixteen with double elimination (two losses and eliminated). If any of the top eight lose, they’ll play the winners of the round of thirty-two. Winners move on directly to the quarterfinals.

Seeds nine to twelve would be slotted into the round of thirty-two with a single life and would wait for the result of the preliminary round. In the preliminary round, seeds thirteen to twenty would play a single-elimination game against seeds nine to twelve.

At the end of every round, the seeds are reseeded so the higher-placed seed remaining plays the lowest-placed seed remaining, and so forth.

This would be implemented in the 2027-28 season, ending on May 21st if there are no weather delays.

In a graphical view, it would be like this:

Credit: @scottchurchson-Twitter/X

What Would It Look Like if It Were Implemented Today

This year, the seeds as of August 21st would be:

  1. Nashville SC
  2. Inter Miami
  3. Houston Dynamo
  4. Vancouver Whitecaps
  5. Chicago Fire
  6. LAFC
  7. San Jose Earthquakes
  8. New England Revolution

These would be slotted into the round of 16 and would have two lives in this tournament. The next would be

  1. FC Dallas
  2. FC Cincinnati
  3. Saint Louis CITY
  4. Charlotte FC

The preliminary round would have:

  1. Colorado Rapids
  2. Real Salt Lake City
  3. Portland Timbers
  4. NYCFC
  5. New York Red Bulls
  6. LA Galaxy
  7. Minnesota United
  8. Seattle Sounders

In this format, the preliminary round would include a Hudson River Derby, with NYCFC hosting for the right to advance to the next round based on its seed.

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