MLS Decision Day 2026: The West's six-team playoff race, explained

The clearest routes belong to the Galaxy, Portland and Colorado: Each qualifies with a win, under the official scenarios published by MLSsoccer staff. Those are sufficient conditions, not their only paths into the playoffs.

For the Galaxy, victory brings an additional benefit. Ruderman's preview notes that beating Real Salt Lake guarantees direct entry to Round One, avoiding the Wild Card match.

The three teams below the playoff line need help:

• Seattle: A win over LAFC secures qualification if at least one of the Galaxy, Portland or Colorado loses or draws.
• Real Salt Lake: A win over the Galaxy secures qualification if at least one of Portland, Colorado or Seattle loses or draws.
• Minnesota: Beating San Jose is essential. One route then requires any two of Portland, Colorado and Seattle to lose. Other routes involve a Portland or Colorado loss, a Seattle draw and Minnesota winning the tiebreaker over Seattle.

The official qualification matrix also gives Seattle and Real Salt Lake conditional routes with draws. Neither can qualify on a draw alone. A Real Salt Lake defeat ends their playoff bid.

Nashville need a win or draw for the record

Nashville visit FC Cincinnati in the 4 p.m. ET window on Apple TV, tied with Inter Miami's 2024 single-season record of 74 points. A win or draw would give Nashville the record outright, Jaime Uribarri writes in MLSsoccer.com's match preview.

Nashville have already won the Supporters' Shield and secured the East's No. 1 seed. Cincinnati have a different objective: A win guarantees direct entry to Round One. Any other result leaves an opening for Columbus or Orlando to push Cincinnati into the Wild Card places, as Cal Meachem explains in MLSsoccer.com's Eastern Conference preview.

The East still has hosting rights to settle

All nine Eastern Conference playoff places are clinched, but the seeding races remain open. Inter Miami enter second with 59 points, one ahead of New England. A Miami win over Charlotte locks up second place; Miami can finish no lower than third.

Chicago and Charlotte already know they will face each other in Round One. What remains unsettled is home-field advantage in that best-of-three series. Chicago secure it by beating Columbus or if Charlotte lose or draw at Miami. Charlotte take it with a win and a Chicago loss or draw, under the league's hosting scenarios.

For viewers, Ruderman's Decision Day watch guide says all 30 teams are in action across two advertised match windows, 4 and 7 p.m. ET on Apple TV. Nashville's record attempt comes in the early window; all six Western playoff contenders play in the later one.