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Nashville SC continue to dominate MLS at 57 points, extending their lead over Vancouver Whitecaps (49) and Inter Miami (46). New England Revolution’s surge past Inter Miami puts them second in the East. Houston Dynamo, Saint Louis City and FC Dallas are all tied at 44 points and battling for Western seeding. And Sporting Kansas City at 18 points remain locked in as MLS’s worst team. Here’s the state of MLS with roughly six weeks until the playoffs.
Overall standings — Nashville commanding, three-way second race
Nashville SC at 57 points (17-3-6) hold an 8-point lead over Vancouver and an 11-point lead over Miami. Their Supporters’ Shield is now essentially locked in. Head coach BJ Callaghan’s tactical structure has been the season’s most consistent performance.
Vancouver Whitecaps at 49 points (15-6-4) hold the outright Western Conference lead. New England Revolution at 46 (14-8-4) sits third overall. Inter Miami at 46 (12-4-10) falls to fourth overall.
Western Conference — Vancouver leads, four-way battle for 2nd
- Vancouver Whitecaps — 49 pts (15-6-4)
- Houston Dynamo — 44 pts (13-8-5)
- Saint Louis City SC — 44 pts (12-6-8)
- FC Dallas — 44 pts (12-6-8)
- San Jose Earthquakes — 42 pts (12-8-6)
- LAFC — 41 pts (11-8-8)
Six Western teams within eight points of each other for playoff seeding. The wild-card race remains genuinely alive.
Eastern Conference — Nashville and New England lead
Nashville (57) and New England (46) top the East. Inter Miami at 46 sits third with the tiebreaker fight. Charlotte FC at 43 and Chicago Fire at 39 round out the top five.
Bottom of the table
Sporting Kansas City at 18 points (5-17-3) remain last in MLS. Five wins in 25 games. CF Montreal at 21 (5-15-6) sits second-last. Atlanta United at 26 (7-14-5) and Columbus Crew at 26 (7-14-5) round out the bottom.
This week’s must-watch
- Nashville SC — any match — MLS’s class continues to compel
- Vancouver at New England — 2nd overall matchup
- Any Messi match — appointment viewing
Every MLS match is on Apple TV — see our How to Watch MLS in Australia 2026 guide.
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Storylines to follow into October
Nashville locks up the Supporters’ Shield. An 8-point lead with six weeks to play is commanding.
Miami’s slip. The Miami side has slid from tied-second to fourth overall in a fortnight. Messi’s individual form remains elite but the team is struggling for consistency.
Western seeding scramble. Six teams within eight points — the playoff bracket will be decided in the final month.
What’s next?
Standings accurate as of Sunday 20 September 2026 US time. All times AEST. Mac Johannson covers US sports for Australian fans.