Summary
Major League Soccer (USA1) is currently comprised of 30 clubs, 27 from the United States and 3 from Canada (Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver). At the end of the 2026 regular season, the USA1 teams listed below qualify for the following non-league play:
- 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup (CNCFCL) Round of 16:
- 2026 USA1 MLS Cup champion
- 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup (CNCFCL) Round 1:
- 2026 USA1 MLS Eastern/Western Conference champion with the most points
- 2026 USA1 Supporter's Shield (Aggregate Table) champion (or USA1 non-MLS Cup champion with the most points)
- best and 2nd best 2026 USA1 Supporter's Shield (Aggregate Table) non-champions with the most points)
If one of the USA1 teams listed above wins the 2026 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup (USACUP1), the next best USA1 team without a 2026 CNCFCL berth will receive a Round 1 2026 CNCFCL berth.
Leagues Pyramid - United States
| Abbrev | League | # of Teams |
|---|---|---|
| USA1 | Major League Soccer | 30 |
| USA2 | USL Championship | 24 |
| USA3A | MLS Next Pro | 29 |
| USA3B | USL League One | 14 |
| USA3C | National Independent Soccer Assocation (NISA) | 9 |
Competition Structure
Season | # of Teams | ||
| Regular 21 Feb 2026 - 7 Nov 2026 | Playoffs 21 October 2026 - 6 Dec 2026 | 30: United States (27), Canada (3) | |
Season Format
Each team currently plays an "unbalanced" schedule of 34 regular season matches, with 28 Conference matches and 6 Nonconference matches. With the United States and Canada being very large countries, the current USA1 schedule cuts down on travel time and puts a premium on building regional rivalries. Conference standings and play-offs also nullifies any advantages/disadvantages that teams in one conference might have over another. Table ranking ties are broken by (1) total wins, (2) goal difference, (3) total goals scored, (4) disciplinary points, (5) away goals difference, (6) away goals scored, (7) home goals scored, (8) home goals difference, then (9) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or a draw (3 or more clubs tied).
Playoffs
The 2026 USA1 Playoffs start immediately after the 2026 USA1 Regular season. The Top 9 teams in each conference qualify for the Playoffs. In the Wild Card Round, the 8th and 9th place teams in each conference have a 1 match knockout match at the 8th place team's home venue. In Round One, from each conference the the 1st place team plays the Wild Card Round winner, the 2nd place team plays the 7th place team, the 3rd place team plays the 6th place team, and the 4th place team plays the 5th place team in "best of 3" matches. In the Conference Semifinals, the highest remaining seed hosts the lowest remaining seed, and the 2nd highest remaining seed host the 3rd highest remaining seed in Knockout matches. In each match, if it is still tied after regular time, two 15 minute overtime periods are played. If still tied after the overtime periods, penalty kicks are taken. The 2026 USA1 Cup Final is a single Championship match played at the Home field of the championship finalist with the most points acquired during the 2026 USA1 Regular season.
Relegation
There is no Promotion/Relegation between the USA1 and the USA2.
More Info...
Regular
| League | Home | Road | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
| EASTERN | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Nashville SC | 23 | 16 -5-2 | 53 | - | 47 | 17 | 30 | 12 | 11 -1-0 | 34 | 36 | 12 | 24 | 11 | 5 -4-2 | 19 | 11 | 5 | 6 |
| 2 | Inter Miami CF | 23 | 12 -7-4 | 43 | - | 58 | 43 | 15 | 11 | 4 -5-2 | 17 | 31 | 22 | 9 | 12 | 8 -2-2 | 26 | 27 | 21 | 6 |
| 3 | Chicago Fire | 22 | 11 -5-6 | 38 | - | 43 | 32 | 11 | 10 | 7 -0-3 | 21 | 20 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 4 -5-3 | 17 | 23 | 21 | 2 |
| 4 | New England | 23 | 11 -4-8 | 37 | - | 37 | 29 | 8 | 12 | 8 -2-2 | 26 | 22 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 3 -2-6 | 11 | 15 | 18 | -3 |
| 5 | Charlotte FC | 23 | 10 -6-7 | 36 | - | 40 | 32 | 8 | 13 | 7 -4-2 | 25 | 26 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 3 -2-5 | 11 | 14 | 19 | -5 |
| 6 | FC Cincinnati | 22 | 8 -7-7 | 31 | - | 49 | 51 | -2 | 11 | 7 -2-2 | 23 | 31 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 1 -5-5 | 8 | 18 | 30 | -12 |
| 7 | New York City FC | 23 | 7 -8-8 | 29 | - | 36 | 31 | 5 | 12 | 4 -4-4 | 16 | 25 | 18 | 7 | 11 | 3 -4-4 | 13 | 11 | 13 | -2 |
| 8 | Orlando City SC | 23 | 8 -4-11 | 28 | - | 38 | 54 | -16 | 12 | 6 -2-4 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 3 | 11 | 2 -2-7 | 8 | 18 | 37 | -19 |
| 9 | Philadelphia Union | 23 | 7 -6-10 | 27 | - | 36 | 39 | -3 | 11 | 4 -4-3 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 12 | 3 -2-7 | 11 | 22 | 28 | -6 |
| 10 | New York Red Bull | 23 | 7 -6-10 | 27 | - | 32 | 46 | -14 | 12 | 4 -3-5 | 15 | 18 | 23 | -5 | 11 | 3 -3-5 | 12 | 14 | 23 | -9 |
| 11 | Toronto FC | 23 | 5 -11-7 | 26 | - | 36 | 42 | -6 | 13 | 3 -8-2 | 17 | 27 | 27 | 0 | 10 | 2 -3-5 | 9 | 9 | 15 | -6 |
| 12 | DC United | 22 | 5 -10-7 | 25 | - | 28 | 36 | -8 | 11 | 3 -4-4 | 13 | 15 | 22 | -7 | 11 | 2 -6-3 | 12 | 13 | 14 | -1 |
| 13 | Columbus Crew | 23 | 6 -5-12 | 23 | - | 34 | 39 | -5 | 12 | 5 -2-5 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 3 | 11 | 1 -3-7 | 6 | 17 | 25 | -8 |
| 14 | Atlanta United | 23 | 6 -4-13 | 22 | - | 27 | 40 | -13 | 11 | 4 -1-6 | 13 | 15 | 18 | -3 | 12 | 2 -3-7 | 9 | 12 | 22 | -10 |
| 15 | CF Montréal | 23 | 5 -6-12 | 21 | - | 30 | 48 | -18 | 11 | 3 -5-3 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 12 | 2 -1-9 | 7 | 15 | 35 | -20 |
| WESTERN | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 22 | 13 -4-5 | 43 | - | 49 | 21 | 28 | 12 | 8 -1-3 | 25 | 28 | 9 | 19 | 10 | 5 -3-2 | 18 | 21 | 12 | 9 |
| 2 | Houston Dynamo | 23 | 12 -4-7 | 40 | - | 30 | 26 | 4 | 11 | 7 -2-2 | 23 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 5 -2-5 | 17 | 17 | 19 | -2 |
| 3 | Los Angeles FC | 24 | 10 -7-7 | 37 | - | 38 | 24 | 14 | 12 | 7 -2-3 | 23 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 3 -5-4 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 2 |
| 4 | FC Dallas | 23 | 10 -7-6 | 37 | - | 45 | 40 | 5 | 10 | 4 -4-2 | 16 | 22 | 19 | 3 | 13 | 6 -3-4 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 2 |
| 5 | St Louis City SC | 23 | 10 -7-6 | 37 | - | 36 | 31 | 5 | 11 | 6 -3-2 | 21 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 12 | 4 -4-4 | 16 | 15 | 17 | -2 |
| 6 | San Jose Earthquakes | 23 | 10 -5-8 | 35 | - | 40 | 34 | 6 | 11 | 4 -2-5 | 14 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 12 | 6 -3-3 | 21 | 21 | 15 | 6 |
| 7 | Portland Timbers | 23 | 9 -4-10 | 31 | - | 44 | 43 | 1 | 12 | 7 -2-3 | 23 | 29 | 22 | 7 | 11 | 2 -2-7 | 8 | 15 | 21 | -6 |
| 8 | Colorado Rapids | 23 | 10 -1-12 | 31 | - | 31 | 31 | 0 | 11 | 8 -0-3 | 24 | 21 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 2 -1-9 | 7 | 10 | 22 | -12 |
| 9 | San Diego | 23 | 8 -6-9 | 30 | - | 40 | 34 | 6 | 12 | 6 -3-3 | 21 | 30 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 2 -3-6 | 9 | 10 | 18 | -8 |
| 10 | Real Salt Lake | 22 | 8 -5-9 | 29 | - | 36 | 35 | 1 | 11 | 7 -2-2 | 23 | 24 | 15 | 9 | 11 | 1 -3-7 | 6 | 12 | 20 | -8 |
| 11 | Minnesota United | 23 | 7 -8-8 | 29 | - | 34 | 37 | -3 | 11 | 2 -6-3 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 12 | 5 -2-5 | 17 | 23 | 26 | -3 |
| 12 | LA Galaxy | 24 | 7 -8-9 | 29 | - | 30 | 36 | -6 | 12 | 4 -4-4 | 16 | 14 | 15 | -1 | 12 | 3 -4-5 | 13 | 16 | 21 | -5 |
| 13 | Seattle Sounders | 22 | 7 -6-9 | 27 | - | 24 | 29 | -5 | 11 | 4 -3-4 | 15 | 16 | 18 | -2 | 11 | 3 -3-5 | 12 | 8 | 11 | -3 |
| 14 | Austin FC | 23 | 6 -7-10 | 25 | - | 29 | 42 | -13 | 11 | 4 -4-3 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 4 | 12 | 2 -3-7 | 9 | 14 | 31 | -17 |
| 15 | Sporting KC | 23 | 4 -3-16 | 15 | - | 23 | 58 | -35 | 11 | 2 -3-6 | 9 | 12 | 21 | -9 | 12 | 2 -0-10 | 6 | 11 | 37 | -26 |
CNCFCL & Playoffs - Round One Playoffs - Round One Wild Card Round | ||||||||||||||||||||
Fixtures
 | FC Cincinnati | Subaru Park |
 | Orlando City SC | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
 | Nashville SC | BMO Field |
 | Columbus Crew | Audi Field (DC) |
 | New England | Yankee Stadium |
 | Charlotte FC | Stade Saputo |
 | Inter Miami CF | Soldier Field |
 | FC Dallas | Alliannz Field (MN) |
 | Colorado Rapids | Q2 Stadium |
 | Real Salt Lake | Shell Energy Stadium |
 | New York Red Bull | BMO Stadium (LA) |
 | LA Galaxy | BC Place Stadium |
 | San Jose Earthquakes | Snapdragon Stadium |
 | St Louis City SC | Providence Park |
| Nashville SC | Nu Stadium |
| New York Red Bull | ScottsMiracle-Gro Field |
| Charlotte FC | TQL Stadium |
| Toronto FC | Inter&Co Stadium |
| Atlanta United | Audi Field (DC) |
 | Los Angeles FC | Children's Mercy Park |
Results
| 54 | Minnesota United | Providence Park |
| 13 | St Louis City SC | BC Place Stadium |
| 21 | New England | Dignity Health Sports Park |
| 22 | Los Angeles FC | America First Field |
| 11 | San Jose Earthquakes | Q2 Stadium |
| 43 | Sporting KC | Toyota Stadium (Frisco) |
 | 00 | New York Red Bull | Lumen Field |
| 00 | Houston Dynamo | Bank of America Stadium |
| 44 | Chicago Fire | BMO Field |
| 30 | Colorado Rapids | ScottsMiracle-Gro Field |
| 10 | San Diego | Inter&Co Stadium |
| 0 PSPD 0 | DC United | TQL Stadium |
| 20 | CF Montréal | Subaru Park |
| 22 | Atlanta United | Nu Stadium |
| 00 | Nashville SC | Yankee Stadium |
| 33 | FC Dallas | Energizer Park |
| 13 | New England | ScottsMiracle-Gro Field |
| 12 | Austin FC | Providence Park |
| 10 | Real Salt Lake | Dick's Sporting Goods Park |