Following Sunday's Decision Day, Seeding for 2026 MLS Next Pro Playoffs to be Finalized Through First-Ever Play-In Round
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Following Sunday's Decision Day, Seeding for 2026 MLS Next Pro Playoffs to be Finalized Through First-Ever Play-In Round

Published on September 20, 2026 under MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro) News Release


NEW YORK, NEW YORK - The 2026 MLS NEXT Pro regular season ended in a photo finish on Sunday with an intense, drama-filled Decision Day, as the final standings were set after 420 regular season matches. Seeding for the upcoming 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs will be finalized following the League's first-ever Play-in Round, to take place the weekend of October 9. The No. 8 and No. 9 teams in each conference will face off to determine which teams earn the final seeds in the Playoffs. Additionally, the fan-favorite Pick-Your-Opponent process returns for the fourth straight year in 2026, with higher seeded teams choosing their opponents from lower seeds in the first two rounds.

Seven teams from each conference automatically qualify for the postseason (14 total): the two Division Champions plus the next five teams with the most points. The winner of the two Play-in Round matches will assume the No. 8 seed in its conference, rounding out the playoff field at eight teams per conference (16 total).

In the Eastern Conference, No. 8 Red Bull New York will host No. 9 Huntsville City FC, while No. 8 San Jose Earthquakes II will host No. 9 Tacoma Defiance in the Western Conference. Both matches will be played on the weekend of October 9, and will air live on OneFootball.com and MLSNEXTPro.com.

PICK-YOUR-OPPONENT RETURNS

Fans can watch live as clubs choose their postseason fate during the Conference Quarterfinals Pick-Your-Opponent Selection Shows on Wednesday, September 23 (Eastern Conference, 1 p.m. ET; Western Conference, 4 p.m. ET). The Shows will stream live on MLSNEXTPro.com and will feature representatives from the No. 1 - No. 9 seeds in each conference.

For the first two rounds of the Playoffs, the Conference Quarterfinals and Semifinals, higher seeded teams will select and host their opponents from lower seeds. For the Conference Quarterfinal selections on September 23, No. 1 - No. 3 seeds will choose from No. 5 - No. 8/9, with the winners of the Play-in Round becoming the No. 8 seeds entering the Playoffs. The No. 4 seed in each conference will host the remaining team from No. 5 - No. 8/9.

The complete Quarterfinals schedule and matchups will be announced following the Selection Shows on September 23.

Following the Play-in Round the weekend of October 9, the Playoffs will run four consecutive weeks, culminating with MLS NEXT Pro Cup the weekend of November 6. All matches will air live on OneFootball.com and MLSNEXTPro.com.

FINAL 2026 REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS: WESTERN CONFERENCE:

Austin FC II (65 points, 19-3-6)

Portland Timbers2 (57 points, 14-4-10)

Ventura County FC (53 points, 14-7-7)

Houston Dynamo 2 (52 points, 14-8-6)

MNUFC2 (45 points, 12-10-6)

LAFC 2 (45 points, 11-8-9)

St Louis CITY2 (44 points, 10-8-10)

San Jose Earthquakes II (42 points, 11-11-6)

Tacoma Defiance (41 points, 11-12-5)

North Texas SC (40 points, 8-10-10)

Real Monarchs (33 points, 8-15-5)

Vancouver Whitecaps (27 points, 6-17-5)

Sporting Kansas City II (23 points, 6-18-4)

Colorado Rapids 2 (21 points, 4-17-7)

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

Crown Legacy FC (58 points, 15-5-8)

Chattanooga FC (56 points, 15-6-7)

Atlanta United 2 (48 points, 14-9-5)

Columbus Crew 2 (48 points, 12-9-7)

New England Revolution II (48 points, 12-8-8)

New York City FC II (47 points, 13-10-5)

CT United FC (46 points, 14-12-2)

Red Bull New York II (46 points, 13-10-5)

Huntsville City FC (44 points, 12-10-6)

Orlando City B (44 points, 11-10-7)

Philadelphia Union II (43 points, 12-11-5)

Toronto FC II (39 points, 11-13-4)

Chicago Fire FC II (39 points, 10-12-6)

Carolina Core FC (31 points, 5-12-11)

FC Cincinnati 2 (20 points, 5-20-3)

Inter Miami CF II (15 points, 3-20-5)

DECISION DAY DETAILS:

Entering Decision Day, only three of the nine postseason spots remained open in the Western Conference, with the four teams in contention separated by just a single point. By the conclusion of Decision Day, MNUFC2, San Jose Earthquakes II and Tacoma Defiance claimed the last three positions, edging out 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Cup Champions, North Texas SC.

The Eastern Conference also went down to the wire, with five positions available going into Sunday. Seven teams separated by only four points fought to advance, with Atlanta United 2, New England Revolution II, New York City FC II, CT United FC, and Huntsville City FC booking trips to the postseason; Atlanta United 2 and CT United FC make their debuts in the postseason.

The No. 1 overall seed (best regular season record) was determined prior to Decision Day, with Austin FC II (65 points, 19-3-6) clinching the position before the season's end. The 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Cup Champions, Austin FC II triumphantly returns to the postseason after narrowly missing the cutoff in 2024 and 2025. The team's staunch defense saw the Texas club concede the fewest goals in the 2026 regular season (21 goals) and resulted in a League-best Goal Differential (+33). Austin FC II was just one of two clubs in MLS NEXT Pro to record double-digit victories at home (10 wins, tied with Chattanooga FC), while also registering the most victories of the 2026 season (19 wins).

In the Eastern Conference, the No. 1 seed was determined on Decision Day in a closely contested race between Crown Legacy FC (58 points, 15-5-8) and Chattanooga FC (56 points, 15-6-7). With both teams earning victories on Decision Day, Crown Legacy FC emerged as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference as well as the Southeast Division champions. Crown Legacy FC set the standard for attacking play in the 2026 season, leading the League with 67 goals scored and recording the second-highest Goal Differential (+28) after Austin FC II. In other Eastern Conference action, Atlanta United 2's attacking duo Arif Kovac and Cameron Dunbar secured the 2026 Golden Boot and Playmaker of the Year awards, respectively, on Sunday with a 4-2 victory over Orlando City B; Dunbar provided two assists to bring his season tally to 13, while Kovac added another goal to bring his final haul to 20 goals.

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