What a year in MLS.
A team set a new points record, Lionel Messi won the Golden Boot and big spenders like Toronto and Atlanta struggled. It was truly a year unlike any other.
As always: The Power Rankings are voted on by, give or take, 15 people associated with MLSsoccer.com. The author does not decide the rankings, but he does get a little rush out of getting to move your team in particular down a few spots when the votes come in.
The new record holders for points in a season lost just three (3!) whole times this season. Three.
We’re running out of nice things to say about Nashville SC, who enter the postseason as MLS Cup favorites, so we’ll make sure the Cristian Espinoza signing this offseason gets its flowers. Nashville’s front office saw a need, went out and grabbed what they hoped would be a surefire hit, and watched as Espinoza put up 4g/15a. Espinoza has now delivered a double-digit assist total in five straight MLS seasons. He’s three away from 100 assists in his MLS career. Maybe more teams will try Nashville’s cutting-edge “adding good MLS players at a position of need” strategy down the line?
Anyway, beyond Espinoza and Nashville’s excellent attack, it’s worth pointing out again that they were indestructible defensively in 2026. Nashville allowed just 25 goals all season. Since MLS moved to a 34-game schedule in 2012, no team has allowed fewer goals. Did we mention they’re the MLS Cup favorites?
Previous: 2-0 win at CIN | Next: 11/22 vs. TBD, Round One, Game 1
The Whitecaps' post-World Cup performance has felt like a small step backward, but only because they were absolutely dominant in the first half of the season. They still finished with 32 points over 20 games after the World Cup. Only St. Louis and Dallas picked up more points in the West.
Even with a small drop-off, it’s worth noting that the underlying numbers still love the ‘Caps. Per American Soccer Analysis’ expected points metric, only 2019 LAFC, the 2014 Galaxy, and 2018 Atlanta United have had better underlyings over a full season since 2013. Their expected goal differential per game is the second-best of any team in that span.
“Nearly 2019 LAFC” is a heckuva thing to be. They’re still the favorite in the West.
Previous: 2-0 win at MTL | Next: 11/22 vs. TBD, Round One, Game 1
On Decision Day, Inter Miami showed exactly why they could win it all again and why they could come away with nothing.
They flew out to a 3-0 first-half lead against Charlotte... then completely threw it away in the second half, ending in a 3-3 draw. In the second half of the season, the Herons finished with fewer points than six other Eastern Conference teams.
Now they have to deal with red-hot Columbus in Round One.
Previous: 3-3 draw vs. CLT | Next: 11/21 vs. CLB, Round One, Game 1
Regardless of what happens in the playoffs, 2026 has been a tremendous success for FC Dallas. In the club’s 30-year history, only two Dallas teams have finished with more points than this year’s side. The 2015 and 2016 teams finished with 60 points and led the conference.
Those teams came up short in the playoffs, though. As has every other Dallas team that made the playoffs. With striker Petar Musa (22g/5a) leading the way, this year could be different. They’ll take on Portland in Round One.
Previous: 3-1 win vs. COL | Next: 11/21 vs. POR, Round One, Game 1
No one has had a better points-per-game rate since the World Cup. No one has had better underlying numbers post-World Cup. And no one has ever been quite so dangerous as a six-seed. Cavan Sullivan and company have been overwhelming over the last few months.
Still, some concerns remain. They earned just five points from their last five matches, including a 2-1 loss to their Round One opponent, New England. On top of their form hitting a wall, they’ll be living on the road for most of the playoffs.
Still, very few teams have been able to slow them down in the last few months.
Previous: 4-1 win vs. TOR | Next: 11/21 at NE, Round One, Game 1
The Revs don’t have the firepower of the other playoff teams in the East, but they do have Matt Turner. That’s been enough in 2026 to make them feel a whole lot less malleable than most of their peers. Among the playoff teams in the East, Only Nashville allowed fewer goals. They’ll need Turner and their defense at their very best as they host Philadelphia in Round One.
Previous: 1-0 loss at ORL | Next: 11/21 vs. PHI, Round One, Game 1
If The Crown had just a few more minutes, they might have taken the lead on Miami for good and leapt into fourth place. Instead, they settled for a 3-3 draw after storming back from a 3-0 first-half deficit.
They’ll be on the road to start their Round One series against the Chicago Fire. The attack is dynamic enough to make a run, but can they find control against teams with equal firepower?
Previous: 3-3 draw at MIA | Next: 11/22 at CHI, Round One, Game 1
St. Louis have been throwing up some red flags lately, but they picked up a 1-0 win over the Houston Dynamo on Decision Day to end a four-match losing streak. Even with that streak, they earned five more points than any other Western Conference side after the World Cup.
Maybe the Houston win and a couple of weeks off before they take on LAFC in Round One will give them a chance to find their form again. If that happens, very few teams will be able to slow them down.
Previous: 1-0 win at HOU | Next: 11/23 vs. LAFC, Round One, Game 1
They (barely) held onto fourth place and will have home-field advantage against Charlotte in Round One. Like nearly every other playoff team in the East, if we’re being honest, control will be the biggest question.
As their 4-3 loss to Columbus on Decision Day illustrated, we know they can score. We don’t know if they can hold it together defensively. The aggregate score of their final four games heading into the playoffs was 12-10.
Previous: 4-3 loss vs. CLB | Next: 11/22 vs. CLT, Round One, Game 1
On May 17, Columbus parted ways with first-year head coach Henrik Rydstrom after 16 matches and 19 points.
On Saturday, interim coach Laurent Courtois and the Crew earned their eighth win in nine matches and a Round One meeting vs. Inter Miami. That may seem like an unwelcome reward, but in 19 post-World Cup matches, the Crew collected 31 points. Miami had 29.
Previous: 4-3 win at CHI | Next: 11/21 at MIA, Round One, Game 1
The Quakes leveled the plane out down the stretch, even if they didn’t get back above the clouds.
After losing five of their first six matches post-World Cup, San Jose went a respectable 4W-7D-2L. If they turn decent form into great form in the playoffs, it will be because 21-year-old No. 10 Niko Tsakiris (3g/13a in 20 starts) powers them there.
Previous: 3-1 loss at MIN | Next: 11/24 vs. HOU, Round One, Game 1
The Portland Timbers quietly put together an outstanding second half under new head coach Marti Cifuentes. Only two teams in the West – Dallas and St. Louis – earned more points per game. A bumpy start to the season (that led to the departure of Phil Neville) kept them from climbing too high in the standings, but, in the end, they avoided the Wild Card round and finished as the seventh seed.
Even though they’ll have their hands full with Dallas in Round One, there’s reason for optimism going forward.
Previous: 2-0 win at ATX | Next: 11/21 at DAL, Round One, Game 1
They finished the race, but they slid across the finish line missing a couple of tires and the steering wheel came off around the final turn. The fifth-place Dynamo are heading into their matchup with San Jose with just two wins in their last 14 matches.
Previous: 1-0 loss vs. STL | Next: 11/24 at SJ, Round One, Game 1
They may have tied the previous MLS record for goals allowed in a season, but Orlando City had too much attacking talent to miss the playoffs. Antoine Griezmann registered 14g/8a in 18 matches to push them over the line.
Now the Lions will somehow be hosting maybe the only team in MLS history as volatile as they are when they face FC Cincinnati in the Wild Card round. Between the two: 130 goals scored and 153 goals allowed. No playoff matchup has ever featured two defenses quite like this. That match will either end 5-4 or, inexplicably, go to penalties after finishing 0-0.
Previous: 1-0 win vs. NE | Next: 11/19 vs. CIN, Wild Card
Ok, see the Houston blurb? Do that, but imagine they looked like an F1 car at the start of the year and now look even more beat up than Houston’s. LAFC are a playoff side, but you wouldn’t know it by their performance over the last few months.
A Decision Day loss to the Seattle Sounders meant the Black & Gold ended the year with just two wins over their final 16 matches. They’ll need a lot to suddenly fall into place against St. Louis in Round One.
Previous: 2-1 loss at SEA | Next: 11/23 at STL, Round One, Game 1
Evander's (14g/17a) match-winning ability makes him exactly the kind of player you need to make a surprise run in a small-sample-size elimination tournament. But ninth-place Cincy finished ninth for a reason. The only Eastern Conference team that allowed more goals this year is their Wild Card opponent, Orlando City.
Previous: 2-0 loss vs. NSH | Next: 11/19 at ORL, Wild Card
Real Salt Lake didn’t take an optimal route to the playoffs, but they made it nonetheless. Their Decision Day win over the LA Galaxy secured a ninth-place finish and a Wild Card meeting with Seattle.
Four wins in their final five matches rescued them from a difficult finish to the year. Before that run, they went 1W-4D-10L since the World Cup break.
Previous: 2-1 win vs. LA | Next: 11/19 at SEA, Wild Card
They made the playoffs. And they are still the Sounders. That makes them dangerous…even if they earned as many points as Atlanta United after the World Cup break. They’ll face RSL in the Wild Card round.
Previous: 2-1 win vs. LAFC | Next: 11/19 vs. RSL, Wild Card
The Loons came up a point short on Decision Day despite a 3-1 win over San Jose and despite earning 15 points across their final seven matches. Before that run, they had just one win in 18 matches.
Procrastinators everywhere will tell you it was an admirable attempt to start and finish the project the night before it’s due. Maybe the final few games offer some hope for the future?
Previous: 3-1 win vs. SJ | Next: Season complete
A 3-1 loss to Dallas on Decision Day and just one win in their final nine matches doomed the Rapids. They showed bursts of capability in year one under head coach Matt Wells. But with a playoff spot on the line, they fell to 12th place on Saturday while Real Salt Lake took the final Wild Card spot.
Previous: 3-1 loss at DAL | Next: Season complete
The kids did all they could in head coach Michael Bradley’s first year in charge, but the Baby Bulls fell short of the playoffs. Still, players like 17-year-old midfielder Adri Mehmeti and 18-year-old striker Julian Hall got critical minutes this year and took massive leaps forward in their development.
If the club can get their young stars a little more help at the top end of the roster, the Red Bulls' growing pains of 2026 could end up being well worth it.
Previous: 3-0 win vs. ATL | Next: Season complete
In a do-or-die match with RSL, the Galaxy decided to head to the light a little early. RSL scored twice in the first 13 minutes, and it could have gotten much worse. A respectable 2-1 final scoreline kept things from getting out of hand, but it didn’t keep them in a playoff spot. It’s back to the drawing board and back to praying Riqui Puig is back and healthy soon.
Previous: 2-1 loss at RSL | Next: Season complete
A disappointing season ended with New York City FC missing the playoffs and head coach Pascal Jansen being dismissed. It’s just the third season in club history without a playoff berth.
Previous: 1-0 win at DC | Next: Season complete
Year two couldn't rival the highs of their inaugural season. The Chucky Lozano saga lowered their ceiling, and the floor didn’t stay nearly as high as expected.
Other than Anders Dreyer (15g/13a) still being Best XI-caliber, it’s tough to find positives from 2026.
Previous: 1-0 loss vs. SKC | Next: Season complete
Toronto FC have missed the playoffs every year since 2020. Considering who they were in the back half of the 2010s and their general spending power, that feels almost impossible. But here we are.
The optimistic view is that they at least earned more points this year than last. On the flip side, they've finished 12th in the East both years.
Maybe a new coach can help make the difference? They parted ways with Robin Fraser on Monday morning.
Previous: 4-1 loss at PHI | Next: Season complete
The second Tata Martino era has, by his own admission, been less than ideal. It’s not clear when they’ll come out on the other side. Even with multiple changes to the starting XI over the summer, Atlanta earned just 22 points from 20 matches after the World Cup break.
New DP striker Breel Embolo has looked the part. The rest of the group has a lot of questions.
Previous: 3-0 loss at RBNY | Next: Season complete
New head coach Jim Curtin and company have plenty of work to do this offseason. Austin finished with just one point per game and a -23 goal differential. Among Western Conference teams, only Sporting KC scored fewer goals and allowed more.
Previous: 2-0 loss vs. POR | Next: Season complete
If they miss the playoffs next season, they’ll tie Toronto’s eight-year run from 2007 to 2014 for the longest playoff-less streak in MLS history.
Previous: 1-0 loss vs. NYC | Next: Season complete
Did not "win" the Wooden Spoon. And new DP André Luiz scored eight times in 12 starts. That’s basically a successful second half of the season, considering...well, everything else about 2026.
Previous: 1-0 win at SD | Next: Season complete
CF Montréal are your 2026 Wooden Spoon winners, folks.
Previous: 2-0 loss vs. VAN | Next: Season complete
