Major League Soccer is the main professional football league in North America. As you would expect, the MLS has its own way of measuring the standings of each team throughout a season. Whether you come from European football or are completely new to soccer, the MLS standings are fairly easy to understand. With a bit of insight into the points system and the rules governing it, you will be able to follow your favorite teams and compare them to the rest of the pack. The following primer will bring you up to speed so you can readily enjoy MLS matchups.

What are MLS Standings?

Like most sports leagues, Major League Soccer tracks each team’s performance throughout the year. The MLS Standings are the official list of teams in each conference and how they stack up against the competition. The official list helps fans stay informed about their favorite teams and the rivalries brewing throughout a season. The MLS Standings also determine who advances to the playoffs and wins awards such as the Supporters’ Shield. Since the standings are so influential, the rules surrounding them must remain rational and fair.

The MLS Points System Explained

Each MLS match awards a number of points based on the results of that contest. The winning club receives three points, and the loser gets nothing. In the case of a draw, both teams walk away with a single point each. The weighted system ensures each club strives for victory, no matter how dire circumstances might look on the scoreboard. It is worth noting that MLS Preseason matches do not affect points or overall standings in the regular season.

When Tiebreakers Come Into Play

One potential drawback of the points system is the tendency for two teams to be tied with the same number of points. MLS has developed multiple tiebreaker criteria based on the inevitable possibility. The first tiebreaker is the total number of wins that season. If that’s deadlocked too, then the next stat to check is goal differential. This is defined as the difference between goals scored and goals conceded throughout the season. If necessary, the total number of goals may be looked at to determine the standings. The idea behind this structure is to incentivize offense and make each match as exciting as possible.

MLS Conferences Have Separate Standings

With 30 teams across the entire league, it makes sense from a logistical perspective to divide the MLS into two conferences. The Eastern Conference and the Western Conference each consist of fifteen clubs clustered relatively close together. Teams in the same conference play each other more often, which reduces travel times substantially. It also provides the perfect arena for intense rivalries to form that fans can easily follow.

How do MLS Standings Determine the Playoffs?

MLS Playoffs consist of a knockout elimination tournament to determine that year’s champion. The catch is that only a certain number of teams from each conference qualify for the big tourney. The top seven clubs from each conference make it in. The team with the best overall record in each conference gets a first-round bye in the tournament. This means they don’t have to fear elimination until the semifinals.

The Supporter’s Shield and International Qualification

The team with the most points across both conferences wins the coveted Supporters’ Shield. Not only does the award prove your team had the best seasonal performance, but it also grants access to the CONCACAF Champions League. Getting invited to this international competition is a huge honor for MLS players to work towards.

What Happens When MLS Expands With New Teams?

The MLS was founded in 1996 and featured just ten clubs at the start. As a relatively new league in the grand scheme of things, it is still expanding with new teams on a regular basis. Each new addition is a burst of excitement, but also poses unique challenges to the league structure. An example of this is when Atlanta United joined the MLS back in 2017. The balance of the Eastern Conference was completely shaken in the following seasons. Of course, the constantly changing nature of the narrative ensures there is always something new and interesting on the horizon.

Schedules Remain Balanced

No matter how much new arrivals skew the balance of power, one thing MLS maintains consistently is the schedule. The competition always remains balanced in this regard, as each team will always play the same number of games in a season. Each club also has the same distribution of conference and non-conference matchups, ensuring everyone a fair shot at the playoff rounds. The changing landscape keeps the league unpredictable from year to year, yet still quite fair on a per-season basis.

Why Points and Standings Matter to MLS Fans

MLS points, standings, and other stat metrics are a whole lot more than simple numbers. They craft the unique story of each season and how each team fares in the process. The details presented by scores and stats help make each match more exciting for viewers and commentators. Players, coaches, fans, and outsiders can all get an accurate picture of how the season is progressing. Now that you have the knowledge necessary to follow the league, the time is now to enjoy some peak MLS action.