Last updated: 25 October 2026 · standings refreshed after round 31; playoff dates follow the league's published schedule.
MLS has the most confusing playoff bracket in North American sport, and the confusion is not your fault. Eighteen teams qualify, two of them play a one-off match that goes straight to penalties with no extra time, the next round is a best-of-three in which a draw is impossible, and every round after that is single elimination. Four different formats in four rounds.
It also has a clear calendar, which is the useful part: Decision Day is Saturday 7 November, the playoffs open on Wednesday 18 November, and the final is on Friday 18 December — the last December MLS Cup before the league moves to a summer–spring calendar.
The dates that matter
| When | What | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Sat 7 November | Decision Day | All 30 clubs play their 34th and final regular-season match. East kicks off at 4pm ET, West at 7pm ET. The bracket is set that night. |
| Wed 18 November | Wild Card | Two matches — East No. 9 at No. 8, West No. 9 at No. 8. Single game, hosted by the higher seed. Level after 90 minutes goes straight to penalties, with no extra time. |
| 20 Nov – 2 Dec | Round One | Best-of-three in each conference. The higher seed hosts Game 1 and, if needed, Game 3; the lower seed hosts Game 2. Every match is decided on the night — draws go to penalties. |
| 5–6 December | Conference Semifinals | Single elimination, four matches, all hosted by the higher seed. |
| 11–12 December | Conference Finals | Single elimination, hosted by the club with the better regular-season record. |
| Fri 18 December | MLS Cup | The final, hosted by whichever finalist finished higher in the overall table. |
Where the race stands with three rounds left
Current standings after 31 of 34 rounds, with three matchdays left before Decision Day on 7 November. Positions and points still move every matchday, so treat this as the shape of the race rather than a final table — but the shape is what matters for a jersey.
| Seed | Eastern Conference | Pts | Western Conference | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nashville SC | 70 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 55 |
| 2 | New England Revolution | 55 | FC Dallas | 54 |
| 3 | Inter Miami CF | 55 | St. Louis City SC | 51 |
| 4 | Chicago Fire | 51 | San Jose Earthquakes | 48 |
| 5 | Charlotte FC | 47 | Houston Dynamo | 48 |
| 6 | Philadelphia Union | 46 | LAFC | 46 |
| 7 | Orlando City SC | 42 | Seattle Sounders FC | 43 |
| 8 | FC Cincinnati | 42 | Colorado Rapids | 42 |
| 9 | Red Bull New York | 39 | LA Galaxy | 40 |
Two things stand out. Nashville SC is running away with the East on 70 points — 21 wins in 31 games and fifteen points clear of second — and leads the overall table, which is the tiebreaker that decides who hosts MLS Cup. In the West it is far tighter: twelve points cover first to seventh, two points separate fourth from sixth, and the last playoff place is a three-way scramble.
How MLS jerseys fit — the question we get most
This is the single most common sizing surprise in our vault, and it applies doubly to MLS. An MLS shirt is a football shirt: cut slim, built for a player's torso rather than a fan's sofa. If you are used to NFL or NBA sizing, the number on the label will mislead you.
| League | How it is cut | What that means when you order |
|---|---|---|
| MLS / soccer | Slim, close to the body, short in the sleeve | Runs small for US buyers. If you are between sizes, go up |
| NFL | Roomy, built to sit over shoulder pads | Your normal t-shirt size usually works |
| NBA | Long and lean, sleeveless | Long in the body; between sizes, go down |
| NHL | Boxy, sized to layer over a hoodie | Never size down |
Three rules that solve it:
- Measure a shirt they already wear, then match the chart. Our six-league sizing guide gives the flat measurements in inches and centimetres for every league we stock, including the football cuts.
- Between sizes, take the larger one for MLS. A slim shirt that is half a size tight gets left in the drawer; a slightly relaxed one gets worn.
- If it is a gift and you are unsure, go a size up and keep the receipt. Size exchanges are covered, and returns are free for 30 days.
What we stock for the playoff clubs
Every club below is on the shelf, and the range runs from current-season replica shirts to archive and goalkeeper kits. A short steer on the ones with the deepest rails — worth knowing if you want a specific size rather than just a specific club.
- Deepest rails: St. Louis City, Philadelphia Union, LA Galaxy, Charlotte FC, Atlanta United, Inter Miami and Austin FC all carry 65 or more styles.
- The conference leaders: Nashville SC and Vancouver Whitecaps are both stocked, though Vancouver's rail is the thinnest of the playoff clubs — check the size before you commit.
- Thinner rails: Chicago Fire and CF Montréal carry the fewest styles, and we do not currently stock Red Bull New York at all. If you follow one of those clubs, tell us and we will point you at the nearest alternative rather than leave you guessing.
- Beyond the playoffs: the full football range, including national teams and retro, is on the soccer hub.
Three from the playoff picture
The last December final
One piece of context worth knowing before you buy: 2026 is the last MLS Cup played in December. The league is moving to a summer–spring calendar, so this is the final edition of the autumn-to-Christmas season that has defined the league since its first kick in 1996. The run from Decision Day to a December final is, for now, the end of an era.
It also means the two-month stretch from November to December is the last time the playoff run will overlap with the football-shirt buying season in quite this way — Decision Day, a Thanksgiving-weekend round of playoff games, and a final ten days before Christmas.
Bottom line
MLS playoffs in one paragraph: the top seven in each conference go through, seeds 8 and 9 play a one-off Wild Card match on 18 November, Round One is a best-of-three and everything from the semifinals on is single elimination — wrapped up with MLS Cup on 18 December, hosted by the higher-ranked finalist. Nashville SC leads the overall race; the West is a genuine scramble. And if you are buying an MLS shirt rather than an NFL one, size up: a football shirt is cut slim, and that is the one rule that catches everyone.
Frequently asked
How many teams make the MLS playoffs in 2026?
Eighteen — the top nine from each conference. Seeds 1–7 go directly to Round One; seeds 8 and 9 play a single Wild Card match to decide who takes the last spot.
When is MLS Cup 2026?
Friday 18 December 2026. The playoffs begin with the Wild Card matches on 18 November, following Decision Day on 7 November. It is the last December MLS Cup before the league switches to a summer–spring calendar.
How do MLS jerseys fit compared to NFL or NBA jerseys?
Much slimmer. An MLS shirt is a football shirt, cut close to the body for a player's torso, while an NFL jersey is built to sit over shoulder pads and an NBA jersey is long and lean. For US buyers, MLS sizing is the most common surprise in the vault — if you are between sizes, take the larger one.
Do MLS playoff matches go to extra time?
It depends on the round. The Wild Card match and every game of the Round One best-of-three go straight to penalties if the score is level after 90 minutes — there is no extra time and no aggregate score. From the Conference Semifinals onward, level matches play two 15-minute periods of extra time before penalties.
Who hosts MLS Cup?
The finalist with the better regular-season record. Nashville SC led the overall table in mid-October, which would give them home advantage if they reach the final.
Do you stock every MLS club?
Most of them — 29 of the 30 clubs had stock at the time of writing. Two clubs have very thin rails and one is not currently stocked at all; the club-by-club notes above say which.
Can I get an MLS shirt with a name and number on it?
Yes. Custom name and number printing is included in the listed price, and made-to-order shirts are produced in 3–7 days before dispatch. Check the spelling and the size before you pay — personalised items cannot be returned unless they arrive damaged or not as ordered.
