The MLS Regular Season is quite the thrill in its own right, but at the end of the day, the league is really just building up to the playoffs. These pivotal matches feature the top teams of that year vying for the championship crown. In 2025, Inter Miami CF beat the Vancouver Whitecaps to claim the title. Qualification for the MLS Cup Playoffs is based on MLS standings at the end of the regular season. To learn more about the most exciting time in US Soccer, read on to have the MLS playoff format explained in full detail.

How Team Standings Result in Playoff Seeds

The regular season standings are determined by a point system. Winning teams get three points, and losers get nothing for that particular match. Ties result in both teams adding one point to their tally. At the end of the season, the top seven clubs in each conference automatically qualify for the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs Round One Best-of-3 Series. The eighth and ninth teams from each conference go on to compete in single-elimination Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card matches that determine who qualifies for the proper postseason contest. It is worth noting that MLS preseason matches do not count for overall standings.

What if Regular Season Matches Get Cancelled?

In the rare event that a club does not get to play all 34 scheduled regular-season matches, the seeds are determined by the average number of points scored per game in that season. This is an effort to keep the competition as balanced as possible despite unforeseen circumstances.

Tiebreaking Protocol

When two or more MLS clubs finish a season with the same number of points, ten different tiebreaking metrics may be used.

1. Total number of wins
2. Goal Differential (GD)
3. Goals For (GF)
4. Head-to-Head (Intraconference Only) – Points then goal differential
5. Fewest Disciplinary Points
6. Away Goals Differential
7. Away Goals
8. Home Goals Differential
9. Home Goals For
10. Coin Toss (for a tie of two clubs)
11. Drawing Lots (for a tie of three or more clubs)

If two or more clubs are also tied in one of the categories above, you keep going down the list until a winner is determined.

Read more: The MLS Regular Season Format Explained

Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs Format

Nine clubs from both the Eastern and Western MLS conferences compete in elimination rounds for a chance at the coveted MLS Cup. Here is a breakdown of each leg of the tournament.

Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card Matches (2 games)

The eight-seeded teams of each respective conference will host single-elimination matches. A key difference with wildcard matchups is the lack of extra time at the end. After the 90 minutes are up, clubs compete in a penalty shootout to see who moves on.

Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs Round One Best-of-3 Series (16-24 games)

The team that wins two matches against their rival gets to move on to the later rounds. As with wildcard games, penalty shootouts are used to decide the winner if there is a tie at 90 minutes of play. The four winning teams from each MLS conference advance to the Conference Semifinals.

Best-of-3 Match List

These interconference matchups always feature the higher seed hosting the lower seed. This serves as a nice incentive to play as well as possible in the regular season.

Eastern Conference:
No. 1 vs. No. 8 or No. 9
No. 2 vs. No. 7
No. 3 vs. No. 6
No. 4 vs. No. 5

Western Conference:
No. 1 vs. No. 8 or No. 9
No. 2 vs. No. 7
No. 3 vs. No. 6
No. 4 vs. No. 5

Read more: MLS Roster Rules and the Hidden Mechanisms Behind Transfers, Contracts, and Squad Building

Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs Conference Semifinals (4 games)

This set of single-elimination games is hosted by the higher seed. To break ties at the end of regulation play, two 15-minute extra periods will be conducted in full. Should the score still be tied after the extra periods, a penalty shootout determines the victor.

Conference Semifinals Match List

Eastern Conference:
Winner of No. 1 vs. No. 8/No. 9 series vs. winner of No. 4 vs. No. 5 series
Winner of No. 3 vs. No. 6 series vs. winner of No. 2 vs. No. 7 series

Western Conference:
Winner of No. 1 vs. No. 8/No. 9 series vs. winner of No. 4 vs. No. 5 series
Winner of No. 3 vs. No. 6 series vs. winner of No. 2 vs. No. 7 series

Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs Conference Finals (2 games)

Two more single-elimination matches, once again hosted by the higher seed. Since the games must declare a winner, two extra periods are used to break ties at the end of regulation. If both 15-minute periods fail to break the tie, the penalty shootout begins.

MLS Cup presented by Audi (1 game)

The match we have all been waiting for is hosted by the winner of the Supporters’ Shield, an award given to the team with the best MLS regular season standings that year. As always, ties at the end of regulation result in a pair of 15-minute extra periods. Any remaining ties are broken with a penalty shootout that determines it all.

Read more: The Biggest Stars and Best Players in MLS Right Now

Video Reviews

Due to the intense and highly sensitive nature of MLS Playoffs matches, video review will be enabled for all contestable calls made by officials. The same is true of the MLS Cup match.

What is the Procedure for Disciplinary Actions?

Sanctions from the MLS Disciplinary Committee are applied to the next match in which a player or team official is eligible. This can spill over into the 2027 MLS Season if the relevant team is penalized during their final playoff match.