MLS Announces Official 2026 Playoffs Schedule

MLS released the official schedule for the Audi 2026 MLS Cup playoffs on Monday, a month of competition that begins annually in November.

This year marks the 30th for the MLS playoffs, beginning in the league’s inaugural season in 1996. The tournament will kick off with Wild Card play on Nov. 18 and culminate in the MLS Cup on Dec. 18.

Every playoff match will air on Apple TV in the U.S. and internationally, with select games—including the final—to also air on FOX, TSN and RDS.

2026 MLS Cup Playoffs Schedule

Inter Miami - MLS Cup — Lionel Messi (center) will look to lead Inter Miami back to MLS Cup glory in 2026. | Rich Storry/Getty Images

MLS’s Decision Day—the final day of the regular season and the last determinant of playoff seeding and qualification—will be on Nov. 7, followed by an 11-day pause for the month’s FIFA international window.

MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card Matches

The wild card matches, featuring one single-elimination game between the No. 8 and No. 9 seed of each conference, both take place on Nov. 18 and are hosted by the higher seed. The two winners advance to the Round One Best-of-3 Series to clash their conference’s No. 1 seed.

MLS Cup Playoffs Round One Best-of-3 Series

The Round One Best-of-3 Series, taking place between Nov. 20 and Dec. 2, includes 16 total teams: the top seven from each conference as well as the two wild card winners.

MLS Cup Playoffs Conference Semifinals

The four, single-elimination conference semifinals are staged on Dec. 5 and Dec. 6.

MLS Cup Conference Finals

The single-elimination conference finals take place on Dec. 11 and Dec. 12, determining which team will represent their conference in the MLS Cup.

2026 MLS Cup

The primetime championship, won last year by Lionel Messi and Inter Miami, will be on Dec. 18, hosted by the opponent with the better regular season record.

In addition to hoisting the Cup, the champion will receive a bye into the round of 16 of the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup.