MLS Decision Day Sets Final Playoff Picture
Eight MLS games kick off simultaneously Saturday, with three Western Conference playoff spots still undecided among six teams.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Soccer
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MLS Decision Day is scheduled for Saturday, with the 18-team MLS Cup Playoffs bracket to be finalized after the final regular-season matches. The NWSL quarterfinals run across the weekend beginning Friday, with the NWSL Championship set for Nov. 21 at Audi Field.
Why it matters
The final regular-season results will determine seeding and which teams qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs, which begin Nov. 19 with the Wild Card matches. For U.S. soccer fans, the weekend closes out the MLS regular season and opens the NWSL postseason.
Six Western Conference contenders sit within three points of each other, so the final seeding depends entirely on Saturday's results. Nashville SC has already secured the Supporters' Shield and the No. 1 Eastern Conference seed, while all nine Eastern playoff teams are set.
The players
Major League Soccer (MLS)
Major League Soccer is the top professional men's soccer league in the United States and Canada, founded in 1993 and comprising teams across both countries.
National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
The National Women's Soccer League is the premier professional women's soccer league in the United States, which began play in 2013.
Nashville SC
Nashville SC is an MLS club based in Nashville, Tennessee, which joined the league in 2020.
Gotham FC
Gotham FC is an NWSL club based in the New York and New Jersey area that has won multiple NWSL championships.
The details
The last seven MLS regular-season games kick off at 7 p.m. ET Saturday, following the eight simultaneous 4 p.m. ET matches. The Los Angeles Galaxy, Portland Timbers and Colorado Rapids each need a win to secure a playoff berth. The NWSL postseason opens Friday with San Diego Wave FC hosting Utah Royals at 10 p.m. ET, and Gotham FC hosts Seattle Reign at 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday.
Timeline
Friday: NWSL quarterfinals begin with San Diego Wave FC vs. Utah Royals at 10 p.m. ET.
Saturday: MLS Decision Day, with eight games at 4 p.m. ET and seven at 7 p.m. ET.
Sunday: Gotham FC vs. Seattle Reign at 12:30 p.m. ET concludes the NWSL quarterfinals.
Nov. 19: MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card matches begin.
Nov. 21: NWSL Championship game at Audi Field.
Season Trajectory
Under the MLS Cup Playoffs format, regular-season points decide seeding, so Decision Day's tight Western Conference race carries direct consequences for postseason matchups. The 18-team bracket means the final weekend determines which clubs reach the playoffs at all.
Fantasy and bracket players should note that the final Western Conference seeds will not be set until Saturday's results are in, and the three open spots remain uncertain. The 3 p.m. ET and 7 p.m. ET kickoffs give viewers a full day of matches to follow.
The takeaway
Watch the Western Conference standings closely on Saturday, since a single result can shift multiple playoff seeds at once. The NWSL quarterfinals also run through Sunday, so weekend viewers have both leagues to follow.
What happens next
The MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card matches begin Nov. 19, and the NWSL Championship is scheduled for Nov. 21 at Audi Field.
Further reading
Find more coverage of the league races in our Soccer section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NBC4i.
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