Another week down, plenty more drama to unfold. Our table tracker is back for another update, and I think I’m starting to get the hang of this. We’ve got more teams officially in, a couple more officially out, and a handful just waiting on the bubble. Let’s dive straight into the state of the race!

Outta Sight

Once again, we’re starting with the bad news first. Following this past weekend’s results, there are now officially seven teams eliminated from the playoffs: five from the Eastern Conference and two from the Western Conference. With a postseason structure that eliminates just six teams from each conference, we’re close to knowing the playoff picture in the east, while a cluster of teams from 8th to 12th in the west are separated by just five points. For now, here’s the list of teams looking forward to the 2026 season:

• CF Montréal
• D.C. United
• Atlanta United
• Toronto FC
• New England Revolution
• LA Galaxy
• Sporting Kansas City

St. Louis hung on by a thread last weekend, winning their match against San Jose 3-1 and getting some help from LAFC, who beat RSL 4-1. CITY will be on thin ice from here on out, though, as they’ll essentially need every team from 12th to 9th in the Eastern Conference to drop points every week. They’re the only team on the bubble this week, so be sure to keep an eye on their match against a red-hot LAFC side.

Other than St. Louis, no one else can be officially eliminated this weekend. The battle between Chicago and the Red Bulls for ninth in the east looks like it’ll go down to the final day of the season, and the melee for the Wild Card spots in the west will likely do the same.

In! (Or Almost)

The list of clinched teams also grew last weekend, with teams from one shining sea to the other securing their spots. That’s right, NYCFC and LAFC are officially dancing in the 2025 postseason, and given the form that they find themselves in down this final stretch, they’re candidates to make some serious noise. Miami also joined the list, riding their impressive form into the postseason and using the magic of one Lionel Messi to mount a late charge at winning the Supporters’ Shield.

Columbus, Seattle, Orlando, and Nashville were all fighting for spots of their own as well, but all four will have to wait at least one more matchday before getting that precious “x” next to their name in the league standings. It’s theoretically possible that they all qualify this weekend, with a NYRB loss in the Hudson Derby — or a win of their own — enough to get each of the Eastern Conference hopefuls over the line. Seattle will have to rely on either beating Vancouver (easier said than done) or a Houston draw/loss.

Austin and Portland will also be paying attention to the Houston match against Nashville, as a loss or draw for La Naranja would push both of them through as well. Basically, if you’re a green team in the Western Conference, you’re rooting against Houston this weekend.

A Touch Of Loonification

It’s no secret that last week was a tough one for the Loons. Not only were they eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup, but they failed to capitalize on San Diego dropping points against Atlanta, a draw that could have seen MNUFC draw level with the conference leaders on 57 points. Instead, a 3-0 loss at home to the Chicago Fire all but assured that the Supporters’ Shield won’t be Black and Blue this season, opening a six-point gap between your Loons and leaders Philadelphia (60 points).

All is not lost, however, as there’s still a postseason to play for. Your Loons could finish anywhere from sixth to first in the Western Conference, leaving multiple avenues to qualify for a spot in next season’s Concacaf Champions Cup still open. They’ll finish the season with between 54 and 63 points, already making this the highest-point total in club history. If the regular season ended today, they’d finish in third, which, just like last week, would set up a first-round showdown against Austin.

The margins are getting tighter and tighter as we near ever closer to Decision Day 2025, meaning the focus of these trackers will likely need to shift to positioning rather than clinching next week. Mock brackets, theoretical matchups, and a little bit of daydreaming about the playoffs? Sounds good to me. I’ll see you next week.