We’re back with another edition of the table tracker, and after a busy week of action, we’re changing up the format and keeping things fresh. Yeah, you’re welcome. With the playoff picture getting increasingly clear after every result, I’m breaking this week’s tracker into conferences, giving us a chance to check in on the state of each side of the league as everything begins to take shape. Enjoy!
Completing the East
The race to make the postseason in the Eastern Conference is officially over, with all nine positions spoken for. Now, all that’s left to decide is who plays who, who’s in the Wild Card, and who’s got home-field advantage. With just three points separating the Columbus Crew in ninth (50) from Charlotte FC in fifth (53) — and NYCFC and Miami sitting on 56 points in third and fourth, respectively — it’s entirely possible that we see the current standings flip on their head before the regular season is said and done.
The only thing we know for sure in the east is that Philly will finish in the top four, as their 63 points from 32 games give them the standout lead in the Supporters’ Shield race. The only team with any hope of catching them is Cincinnati, but they’ll have to rely on both NYCFC and Charlotte stealing points from this dominant Union side. I’m no fortune-teller, but I’ll venture to say that I think the east is spoken for: Congrats, Philly.
Here’s the current state of the table itself. Take a good look, then I’ll let you know which games you need to be aware of on this side of the league this weekend:
- Philadelphia Union - 63 points
- FC Cincinnati - 59 points
- NYCFC - 56 points
- Inter Miami - 56 points
- Charlotte FC - 53
- Nashville SC - 53
- Orlando City SC - 52
- Chicago Fire - 51
- Columbus Crew - 50
Everyone else is out. A Hudson River Derby loss for NYRB, paired with a huge week of wins from the Chicago Fire, officially eliminated Jurgen Klopp’s favorite MLS team, officially giving me permission to stop paying attention to at least six Eastern Conference teams for the remainder of the season. That said, I’m sure several of them will beat a team or two to screw up the postseason seeding, because nothing is ever simple in this league.
Now, with all of that confirmed, you can narrow your focus as well. This weekend, I’ve only got two Eastern Conference matchups for you to watch, and while they won’t be the only games that impact the standings, they’re the only ones guaranteed to shake things up:
- Philadelphia Union vs. NYCFC on Saturday, October 4, at 6:30 p.m. CT
- Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew on Saturday October 4, at 6:30 p.m. CT
How will you watch both at the same time AND catch the whole Loons game at 7:30? Very carefully, my friend, very carefully.
The Wild West
While the focus in the Eastern Conference has shifted purely to positioning, the Western Conference is still wide open. Everyone from Houston in twelfth to Austin in sixth is still waiting to see what their postseason will look like, with all seven clubs fighting for the four remaining spots. Here’s what we know right now: San Diego, Vancouver, MNUFC, LAFC, and Seattle are all going to be in the postseason. St. Louis, SKC, and the Galaxy will not be.
Everything else requires a lot of math. Let’s start at the bottom and work our way up, shall we? It gets easier as we eliminate a team or two. Houston and RSL could be eliminated from contention this weekend, but not based solely on their own results. Dallas, San Jose, and Colorado can neither clinch, nor be eliminated, leaving just Austin and Portland as the only teams that can secure postseason soccer in their next match. A draw or win for either side would guarantee their spot in the playoffs.
For the Loons specifically, the focus is firmly on seeding at this point, and they’re in a good position. At the moment, the Black and Blue are guaranteed at least a top-five finish. A single point from the remaining two matches of the year (or a single point dropped by Seattle in their three remaining games) would guarantee them a top-four spot, giving them hosting priority in the first round of the playoffs. They could still finish first in the conference, sitting just two points behind Vancouver and San Diego, but given the form and games in hand of both the Whitecaps and LAFC, it’s going to be a real battle to claim that top spot.
With all of that in mind, here’s your slate of Western Conference matchups to keep an eye on this weekend:
- Houston Dynamo vs. San Diego on Saturday, October 4, at 7:30 p.m. CT
- Real Salt Lake vs. Colorado Rapids on Saturday, October 4, at 8:30 p.m. CT
- Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers on Saturday, October 4, at 9:30 p.m. CT
For most teams in the league, just two games remain, but keep an eye out for those pesky games in hand that throw off my math. It’s shaping up to be one of the most exciting regular season finales in MLS history, so keep your eyes peeled for the action ahead!
