MLS table 2026

The MLS standings rank all 30 clubs in Major League Soccer by points, in an Eastern and a Western Conference of 15 clubs each, and a win is worth three points while a draw is worth one. The table above refreshes at full time of every match, showing played, wins, draws, losses, goal difference, points and recent form, with a combined overall view beside the two conference tables. MLS, founded on 17 December 1993, is the top football (soccer) league in the United States and Canada. Its MLS table (the MLS log, if you are reading in Johannesburg) works much like the ones you already follow, with a few differences this guide explains in plain words.

If you came for the Inter Miami standings, find the club in the Eastern Conference table and again in the combined view. The club joined MLS in 2020 and won its first MLS Cup in 2025, so its history is short but already carries silverware. For African connections in the league, start with Ghana's Abu Danladi and South Africa's Bongokuhle Hlongwane, who played for Minnesota United from 2017 and from 2021 respectively, and then check the club squad list for Inter Miami. The wider story of the competition, its clubs and its records sits on the MLS hub.

How Does the MLS Table Work Across Two Conferences?

Each club plays 34 regular season matches. The conference tables decide playoff places, while the combined table decides the Supporters' Shield. The real difference from a single league is the split, because instead of one combined table, readers see two tables of 15. A club can sit high in the West and still rank below an Eastern rival overall, so read the conference table for the playoff race and the combined table for the best record.

Where Is the Playoff Line, and How Do Clubs Qualify?

Eighteen clubs reach the MLS Cup playoffs, and the line drawn on each conference table marks the cut. In the closing weeks, clubs on both sides of that line compete for the last playoff places, and every result can move the cut. The 2026 regular season, played from 21 February to 7 November, paused for six weeks from 25 May to 16 July for the FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

How Are MLS Standings Decided When Clubs Are Level?

When clubs finish level on points, MLS applies a set order of tiebreakers, and the league publishes its tiebreaker order. In the 2026 season the first tiebreaker is the number of wins, followed by goal difference. In practice, read the wins and goal difference columns on the table first to see why one club sits above another, and then check the published order if the two are still level.

Supporters' Shield or MLS Cup: Which Trophy Is the Title?

The Supporters' Shield goes to the club with the best regular season record across the whole league, and the MLS Cup goes to the playoff winner, so one season can crown two different champions. D.C. United and LA Galaxy have each won the Shield four times, and LA Galaxy hold the record for MLS Cups with six. Nashville SC won the 2026 Shield, their first, with a league record 77 points.

What Time Do MLS Matches Kick Off in WAT, SAST and EAT?

Every kick-off on the fixture list shows WAT, EAT, SAST and GMT together, so nobody has to do the sum. Ghana runs on GMT, Nigeria on WAT one hour ahead, South Africa on SAST two hours ahead, and Kenya and Uganda on EAT three hours ahead, so an evening game on the US east coast usually lands after midnight in Nairobi and Kampala. Many will still check the table and highlights the next morning, which is why the standings load light on a phone. The MLS fixtures page carries every upcoming match.

Where Do African Readers and Players Fit in the MLS Table?

Standings and table mean the same thing, the ranked list of clubs by points. The club squad lists name each player from Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya and Uganda in the league. Ghana's Abu Danladi played for Minnesota United from 2017 and South Africa's Bongokuhle Hlongwane from 2021, so the Western Conference table is a natural place to follow African careers.

The format changes from the 2027-28 season. MLS announced in November 2025 that it will move to a summer to spring calendar from 2027-28, which lines it up with the European leagues African fans already follow. Open the MLS results page for every finished score and the MLS stats page for top scorers and assists.