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 | 5 | 4 -1-0 | 13 | - | 13 | 2 | 11 | 3 | 3 -0-0 | 9 | 12 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 1 -1-0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | New York City FC | 5 | 3 -1-1 | 10 | - | 13 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 2 -0-1 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 1 -1-0 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 3 | Inter Miami CF | 5 | 3 -1-1 | 10 | - | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 -1-1 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 1 |
| 4 | Charlotte FC | 5 | 2 -2-1 | 8 | - | 10 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 -1-0 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 0 -1-1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -3 |
| 5 | Chicago Fire | 5 | 2 -1-2 | 7 | - | 7 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 -0-1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 -1-1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 6 | DC United | 5 | 2 -1-2 | 7 | - | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 -0-1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 -1-1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 7 | Toronto FC | 5 | 2 -1-2 | 7 | - | 6 | 8 | -2 | 2 | 1 -1-0 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 -0-2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | -3 |
| 8 | New York Red Bull | 5 | 2 -1-2 | 7 | - | 5 | 11 | -6 | 2 | 1 -0-1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 3 | 1 -1-1 | 4 | 4 | 8 | -4 |
| 9 | FC Cincinnati | 5 | 2 -0-3 | 6 | - | 7 | 11 | -4 | 3 | 2 -0-1 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 -0-2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | -6 |
| 10 | Atlanta United | 5 | 1 -1-3 | 4 | - | 5 | 8 | -3 | 3 | 1 -1-1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 -0-2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -4 |
| 11 | New England | 4 | 1 -0-3 | 3 | - | 8 | 9 | -1 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 0 -0-3 | 0 | 2 | 8 | -6 |
| 12 | CF Montréal | 5 | 1 -0-4 | 3 | - | 7 | 14 | -7 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 -0-4 | 3 | 7 | 14 | -7 |
| 13 | Orlando City SC | 5 | 1 -0-4 | 3 | - | 5 | 17 | -12 | 3 | 1 -0-2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | -2 | 2 | 0 -0-2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | -10 |
| 14 | Columbus Crew | 5 | 0 -2-3 | 2 | - | 5 | 8 | -3 | 2 | 0 -1-1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 3 | 0 -1-2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | -2 |
| 15 | Philadelphia Union | 5 | 0 -0-5 | 0 | - | 3 | 9 | -6 | 3 | 0 -0-3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 2 | 0 -0-2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | -3 |
| WESTERN | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Los Angeles FC | 5 | 4 -1-0 | 13 | - | 8 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 3 -0-0 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 1 -1-0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 5 | 4 -0-1 | 12 | - | 14 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 3 -0-1 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | San Jose Earthquakes | 5 | 4 -0-1 | 12 | - | 7 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 2 -0-1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 -0-0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | San Diego | 4 | 3 -1-0 | 10 | - | 11 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 2 -0-0 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 1 -1-0 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 5 | Colorado Rapids | 5 | 3 -0-2 | 9 | - | 11 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 -0-0 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 -0-2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | -1 |
| 6 | Seattle Sounders | 4 | 3 -0-1 | 9 | - | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 -0-1 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 7 | Real Salt Lake | 4 | 3 -0-1 | 9 | - | 7 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 -0-0 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 -0-1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 8 | FC Dallas | 5 | 2 -2-1 | 8 | - | 10 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 2 -2-0 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| 9 | Houston Dynamo | 4 | 2 -0-2 | 6 | - | 8 | 9 | -1 | 3 | 2 -0-1 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | -1 |
| 10 | Austin FC | 5 | 1 -2-2 | 5 | - | 5 | 7 | -2 | 3 | 1 -2-0 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 -0-2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | -3 |
| 11 | LA Galaxy | 4 | 1 -1-2 | 4 | - | 6 | 7 | -1 | 3 | 1 -1-1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | -3 |
| 12 | St Louis City SC | 5 | 1 -1-3 | 4 | - | 4 | 7 | -3 | 3 | 1 -1-1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 -0-2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -4 |
| 13 | Sporting KC | 5 | 1 -1-3 | 4 | - | 5 | 11 | -6 | 3 | 0 -1-2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | -4 | 2 | 1 -0-1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | -2 |
| 14 | Minnesota United | 4 | 1 -1-2 | 4 | - | 4 | 11 | -7 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 -1-2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | -8 |
| 15 | Portland Timbers | 4 | 1 -0-3 | 3 | - | 6 | 11 | -5 | 2 | 1 -0-1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 2 | 0 -0-2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | -3 |
CNCFCL & Playoffs - Round One Playoffs - Round One Wild Card Round | ||||||||||||||||||||
Fixtures
 | 0 52' 0 | Seattle Sounders | Alliannz Field (MN) |
 | LA Galaxy | Providence Park |
 | Real Salt Lake | Snapdragon Stadium |
 | Colorado Rapids | BMO Field |
| Sporting KC | America First Field |
 | CF Montréal | Gillette Stadium |
 | Austin FC | Chase Stadium (FL) |
 | Columbus Crew | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
 | St Louis City SC | Yankee Stadium |
 | FC Cincinnati | Sports Illustrated Stadium |
 | Philadelphia Union | Bank of America Stadium |
 | Seattle Sounders | Shell Energy Stadium |
 | Nashville SC | Soldier Field |
 | Orlando City SC | BMO Stadium (LA) |
| Minnesota United | Dignity Health Sports Park |
 | Portland Timbers | BC Place Stadium |
 | San Diego | PayPal Park |
| FC Cincinnati | BMO Field |
Results
| 23 | Inter Miami CF | Yankee Stadium |
| 43 | CF Montréal | TQL Stadium |
| 01 | San Jose Earthquakes | BC Place Stadium |
| 00 | Los Angeles FC | Q2 Stadium |
 | 43 | Houston Dynamo | Toyota Stadium (Frisco) |
| 31 | New England | Energizer Park |
| 14 | Colorado Rapids | Children's Mercy Park |
| 00 | DC United | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
| 61 | New York Red Bull | Bank of America Stadium |
| 50 | Orlando City SC | GEODIS Park |
| 12 | Chicago Fire | Subaru Park |
| 21 | Columbus Crew | BMO Field |
| 01 | Seattle Sounders | PayPal Park |
| 60 | Minnesota United | BC Place Stadium |
| 61 | FC Cincinnati | Gillette Stadium |
| 20 | St Louis City SC | BMO Stadium (LA) |
| 21 | Austin FC | America First Field |
| 12 | Sporting KC | Dignity Health Sports Park |
| 32 | Portland Timbers | Shell Energy Stadium |
| 12 | DC United | Soldier Field |