Nashville SC continue their historic MLS season, extending their lead to 52 points — nine clear of the Vancouver Whitecaps. Inter Miami with Lionel Messi has closed the gap on Vancouver, now sitting just one point behind at 42. Houston Dynamo continue to press. And the bottom of the table sees Sporting Kansas City still the worst team in MLS with just four wins in the entire season. Playoff seedings are firming up as the regular season enters its final months.
Overall standings — Nashville extending, Miami closing on 2nd
Nashville SC at 52 points (16-2-4) added three more points this week to extend their MLS lead to nine. With 22 matches played and only two losses across the entire season, Nashville are on pace for one of the most impressive MLS regular seasons in league history. Their Supporters’ Shield candidacy is now genuinely commanding.
Vancouver Whitecaps at 43 points (13-4-4) remain second overall and lead the Western Conference. Their remarkable 2026 continues to unfold.
Inter Miami CF at 42 points (12-4-6) have closed on Vancouver — just one point separates the second and third-place teams overall. Messi continues to score. Any Miami match remains marquee viewing on Apple TV.
Western Conference — Vancouver leading, Houston pressing
The Western Conference top four:
- Vancouver Whitecaps — 43 pts (13-4-4)
- Houston Dynamo — 39 pts (12-7-3)
- LAFC — 36 pts (10-7-6)
- San Jose Earthquakes — 34 pts (10-8-4)
All four look firmly playoff-bound. Behind them, FC Dallas (34), Saint Louis City (34) and Colorado (31) remain competitive in the wild-card conversation. The West’s playoff picture is essentially decided; seeding is what’s at stake through September.
Eastern Conference — Nashville and Miami still dominate
After Nashville (52) and Miami (42), the East drops sharply. Chicago Fire at 37 points and New England Revolution at 37 points sit tied in the second tier — both firmly playoff-bound but a long way behind the top two. Charlotte FC at 35 points and FC Cincinnati at 31 points fill out the top six.
Bottom of the table — Sporting KC still worst in MLS
Sporting Kansas City at 15 points (4-15-3) remain the worst team in MLS. Only four wins in 22 games. Fifteen losses. It’s now firmly on track to be one of the worst seasons in franchise history. Atlanta United at 21 points (6-13-3), CF Montreal at 21 (5-11-6), and Columbus Crew at 20 (5-12-5) round out the basement. All four franchises face major offseason overhauls.
This week’s must-watch
MLS action continues on Apple TV. Marquee matchups:
- Nashville SC — any match — the league’s clear best team continues to compel
- Vancouver Whitecaps vs Inter Miami — 2nd vs 3rd overall in MLS
- Any Messi match — appointment viewing on Apple TV
Every MLS match is on Apple TV — see our How to Watch MLS in Australia 2026 guide for full details.
One email per day at 7:00pm AEST. Tomorrow’s schedule with confirmed Australian broadcasters and the pick of the day. Free.
Subscribe free →Storylines to follow into September
Nashville locking up the Supporters’ Shield. A nine-point lead with roughly two months remaining looks increasingly commanding. Nashville is on track to lift their first-ever Supporters’ Shield.
Miami vs Vancouver for second. Just one point separates the two overall. This will define playoff seeding for the second-highest seed.
Late-season Messi. Miami will manage his workload carefully as they need him fresh for October playoffs.
What’s next?
Standings accurate as of Sunday 30 August 2026 US time. All times AEST. Mac Johannson covers US sports for Australian fans.