MLS Decision Day 2026 (on Saturday, Nov. 7) is just 24 shopping days away, and – at the moment – only two teams have clinched playoff berths: Nashville SC and the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Eight teams can clinch postseason berths on Wednesday, Oct. 14. Here is a look at those teams and what needs to go down to secure spots in the MLS Cup Playoffs, starting with Lionel Messi's defending league champions:
MLS playoff clinching scenarios on Oct. 14
Inter Miami
- Win
- Draw, and D.C. United draw
- Draw, Red Bull New York loss, and FC Cincinnati loss or draw
- Draw, Red Bull New York loss, and Orlando City SC loss
- Draw, D.C. United loss, and Toronto FC loss or draw
Chicago Fire FC
- Win
- Draw, Red Bull New York loss, FC Cincinnati loss or draw, and New York City FC loss or draw
- Draw, D.C. United loss or draw, New York City FC loss or draw, and Toronto FC loss or draw
- Draw, FC Cincinnati loss or draw, New York City FC loss or draw, and Toronto FC loss or draw
- D.C. United loss, New York City FC loss, and Toronto FC loss or draw
- D.C. United draw, FC Cincinnati loss, New York City FC loss, and Toronto FC loss or draw
New England Revolution
- Win, Red Bull New York loss or draw, and New York City FC loss or draw
- Win, New York City FC loss or draw, and Toronto FC loss or draw
Charlotte FC
- Win, Red Bull New York loss, FC Cincinnati loss or draw, New York City FC loss or draw
- Win, D.C. United loss or draw, New York City FC loss or draw, and Toronto FC loss or draw
St. Louis City SC
- Win
- Portland Timbers loss or draw, and Real Salt Lake loss or draw
- Portland Timbers loss or draw, and San Diego FC loss or draw
- Real Salt Lake loss or draw, and San Diego FC loss or draw
- Real Salt Lake loss or draw, and Colorado Rapids loss
- San Diego FC loss, and Colorado Rapids loss
FC Dallas
- Win, Portland Timbers loss or draw, Real Salt Lake loss or draw
- Win, Portland Timbers loss or draw, San Diego FC loss or draw
- Win, Colorado Rapids loss, and Real Salt Lake loss or draw
- Win, Colorado Rapids loss, and San Diego FC loss or draw
- Win, Real Salt Lake loss or draw, and San Diego FC loss or draw
San Jose Earthquakes
- Win, and Portland Timbers loss
- Win, and San Diego FC loss or draw
Houston Dynamo FC
- Win, LA Galaxy loss, Austin FC loss or draw, and Real Salt Lake loss
There are also scenarios for Nashville SC to clinch the No. 1 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference:
- Win, Chicago Fire loss or draw, and Inter Miami loss or draw
- Draw, Chicago Fire loss, Inter Miami loss, Charlotte FC loss or draw, and New England Revolution loss or draw
MLS Matchday 30: What are Wednesday's games?
(All games available on Apple TV.)
- FC Cincinnati vs. New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Columbus Crew vs. Charlotte FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
- D.C. United vs. Red Bull New York, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Inter Miami vs. New York City FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
- CF Montréal vs. Atlanta United, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Toronto FC vs. Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Chicago Fire FC vs. Philadelphia Union, 8:30 p.m. ET
- FC Dallas vs. Seattle Sounders, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Nashville SC vs. Sporting Kansas City, 8:30 p.m. ET
- St. Louis City SC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Colorado Rapids vs. Minnesota United, 9:30 p.m. ET
- Real Salt Lake vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 9:30 p.m. ET
- LA Galaxy vs. Portland Timbers, 10:30 p.m. ET
- Los Angeles FC vs. Austin FC, 10:30 p.m. ET
- San Diego FC vs. Houston Dynamo FC, 10:30 p.m. ET
Watch MLS games on Apple TV
What is the format and schedule for the 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs?
A total of 18 teams qualify for the 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs — the top nine finishers from each conference.
The eighth- and ninth-place finishers in each conference will play in wild-card matches.
The top seven seeds qualify for the Round 1 best-of-three series.
What is the MLS playoff schedule?
- Nov. 18: Wild-card matches (single-elimination matches)
- Nov. 20-Dec. 2: Round 1 (best-of-three series)
- Dec. 5-6: Conference semifinals (single-elimination matches)
- Dec. 11-12: Conference finals (single-elimination matches)
- Dec. 18: MLS Cup (single winner-take-all match)
MLS playoff picture: If the season ended today …
Heading into MLS Matchday 30, these would be the MLS playoff matchups through the first round:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Wild-card match:
- Red Bull New York (No. 8 seed) vs. FC Cincinnati (9)
Round 1 (best-of-three series):
- Nashville SC (1) vs. RBNY-Cincinnati winner
- Inter Miami (2) vs. Orlando City SC (7)
- Chicago Fire FC (3) vs. Philadelphia Union (6)
- New England Revolution (4) vs. Charlotte FC (5)
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Wild-card match:
- Colorado Rapids (No. 8 seed) vs. LA Galaxy (9)
Round 1 (best-of-three series):
- Vancouver Whitecaps (1) vs. Colorado-Galaxy winner
- St. Louis City SC (2) vs. Seattle Sounders (7)
- FC Dallas (3) vs. Los Angeles FC (6)
- San Jose Earthquakes (4) vs. Houston Dynamo FC (5)
MLS betting odds: Who is favorite to win championship?
According to BetMGM, here are the favorites to win MLS Cup in 2026 (as of Wednesday, Oct. 14):
- Vancouver Whitecaps (+450)
- Inter Miami (+500)
- Nashville SC (+500)
- Los Angeles FC (+1000)
- Chicago Fire FC (+1000)
- St. Louis City SC (+1000)
- Seattle Sounders (+1600)
- FC Dallas (+2000)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLS playoff clinching scenarios: Inter Miami among 8 teams that can clinch
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