Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs: Round One & Wild Card matchups

By Jonathan Sigal The Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs field is set! After Decision Day's pulsating drama, 18 teams – nine apiece in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference – have qualified for the postseason and will start the journey to MLS Cup presented by Audi on December 18. The single-elimination Wild Card games (No. 8 vs. No. 9) are set for Thursday, November 19. The Round One Best-of-3 Series will begin on Friday, November 20. Every match will air on Apple TV . Eastern Conference: Wild Card (8) Orlando City vs. (9) FC Cincinnati WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 19 | 7:30 pm ET WATCH: Apple TV WHERE: Inter.co Stadium Orlando City are in the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season, largely thanks to Antoine Griezmann 's midseason arrival from LaLiga side Atlético Madrid. The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner has tallied 14g/8a in 18 games, reigniting the club alongside Martín Ojeda and USMNT youngster Justin Ellis . Behind the one-two punch of Evander (14g/17a) and Kévin Denkey (17g/5a), Cincinnati secured the East's final playoff spot. The Designated Players scored nearly half of the club's goals, helping outduel opponents amid a slew of injuries along the back line. Western Conference: Wild Card (8) Seattle Sounders FC vs. (9) Real Salt Lake WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 19 | 10 pm ET WATCH: Apple TV WHERE: Lumen Field Thanks to a 2-1 win over LAFC on Decision Day, Seattle earned hosting privileges for the West's Wild Card match and booked a playoff spot for the 17th time in their 18 MLS seasons. Striker Dejan Joveljić and midfielder Cristian Roldan offer veteran know-how, and Brian Schmetzer is one of the league's most experienced head coaches. RSL also got in on Decision Day, starting fast and holding on for a 2-1 victory over the LA Galaxy . Despite losing Diego Luna (injury) and Zavier Gozo (transfer), head coach Pablo Mastroeni's side has found solutions and gotten key contributions from rookie striker Sergi Solans (15g/4a) alongside forward Morgan Guilavogui . Eastern Conference: Round One Best-of-3 Series (1) Nashville SC vs. (8/9) Orlando or Cincinnati Game 1: Day/time to be announced Game 2: Day/time to be announced Game 3: If needed; Day/time to be announced Nashville have checked off major milestones in 2026, clinching their first-ever Supporters' Shield and setting a new single-season points record (77). Now, focus shifts to winning MLS Cup and strengthening their case as one of the league's best-ever sides. The club's Designated Player trio – Hany Mukhtar , Sam Surridge and Cristian Espinoza – draws headlines and has combined for 42g/25a. But Nashville's team-first approach under head coach B.J. Callaghan deserves plenty of credit, as does their historic defense (25 goals allowed) anchored by USMNT goalkeeper Brian Schwake . (2) Inter Miami CF vs. (7) Columbus Crew Game 1: Day/time to be announced Game 2: Day/time to be announced Game 3: If needed; Day/time to be announced Inter Miami enter as defending MLS Cup champions and hope to become the first back-to-back title winners since the 2011-12 LA Galaxy . Lionel Messi (26g/17a) secured a second straight Golden Boot presented by Audi award , leading a star-studded squad featuring Casemiro , Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suárez . The Crew are no pushover, though, winning eight of their last nine games to surge into the playoffs. Summertime DP signings  Brais Méndez and Santiago Rodríguez have combined for 9g/12a, helping Laurent Courtois' side reinvent itself after Diego Rossi and Max Arfsten exited via midseason transfers.   (3) New England Revolution vs. (6) Philadelphia Union Game 1: Day/time to be announced Game 2: Day/time to be announced Game 3: If needed; Day/time to be announced New England are back in the playoffs under first-year head coach Marko Mitrović, who's leaned heavily on USMNT youngsters Peyton Miller and Brooklyn Raines . But make no mistake: club captain Carles Gil remains the Revs' main man, contributing 13g/13a to remind everyone he's a former Landon Donovan MLS MVP. Rising USMNT star Cavan Sullivan sparked an incredible second-half turnaround for Philadelphia , setting the league's single-season record for most goal contributions (23; 9g/14a) by a teenager. Ryan Richter oversaw the Union's transformation after the 2026 World Cup break, and was elevated to interim head coach following Bradley Carnell's dismissal. (4) Chicago Fire FC vs. (5) Charlotte FC Game 1: Day/time to be announced Game 2: Day/time to be announced Game 3: If needed; Day/time to be announced Polish striker Robert Lewandowski will get his first taste of MLS playoff soccer, having contributed 9g/5a in 19 games upon joining  Chicago midseason from FC Barcelona. The Fire have made back-to-back postseason trips under Gregg Berhalter, who's transformed the "sleeping giant" into a contender via shrewd signings. Charlotte will make a third straight playoff trip under head coach Dean Smith, whose squad added winger Allan Saint-Maximin in the summer transfer market after Wilfried Zaha's loan expired. The former Newcastle star has brought flair alongside Pep Biel (13g/18a) and Idan Toklomati (15g/6a), while Ashley Westwood carries the midfield. Western Conference: Round One Best-of-3 Series (1) Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. (8/9) Seattle or RSL Game 1: Day/time to be announced Game 2: Day/time to be announced Game 3: If needed; Day/time to be announced Vancouver earned the West's top seed, continuing their progression after making the MLS Cup and Concacaf Champions Cup finals in 2025. Head coach Jesper Sørensen's side posted an incredible +40 goal differential and 74 goals, both second-most in MLS. Brian White scored a career-best 20 goals, leading the attack alongside German superstar Thomas Müller (9g/8a) and playmaker Ryan Gauld (6g/5a). The club also kept humming after USMNT midfielder Sebastian Berhalter's midseason transfer to EFL Championship side Middlesbrough. (2) FC Dallas vs. (7) Portland Timbers Game 1: Day/time to be announced Game 2: Day/time to be announced Game 3: If needed; Day/time to be announced Dallas defied preseason expectations, as head coach Eric Quill's side rose to No. 2 in the West behind stellar play from Petar Musa . The Croatian international striker tallied 22g/6a, finishing second in the Golden Boot race with support from Logan Farrington and Joaquín Valiente . Portland won four straight games to end the regular season, led by sensational play from Kristoffer Velde (12g/10a) when it counted most. David Da Costa and summer signing Vincent Janssen are other key attackers under Timbers head coach Martí Cifuentes, who took over in mid-August.   (3) St. Louis CITY SC vs. (6) LAFC Game 1: Day/time to be announced Game 2: Day/time to be announced Game 3: If needed; Day/time to be announced St. Louis won their first-ever trophy this season, becoming US Open Cup champions last month. Is MLS Cup next for first-year head coach Yoann Damet's side? They'll draw confidence from this year's record 21-match unbeaten streak (all competitions) and hope for key contributions from summertime additions Rafael Navarro and Carlo Holse . Will LAFC rediscover winning ways under the playoff spotlight? The Black & Gold faithful sure hope so, as the perennial contenders have won just one of nine games entering the postseason. Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga , who have combined for 25g/24a this season, will need to provide a spark. (4) San Jose Earthquakes vs. (5) Houston Dynamo FC Game 1: Day/time to be announced Game 2: Day/time to be announced Game 3: If needed; Day/time to be announced San Jose 's historic opening stretch gave them runway to secure home-field advantage in Round One, continuing their turnaround under legendary head coach Bruce Arena. German forward Timo Werner added star power as a winter signing, while Preston Judd (17g/4a) and Niko Tsakiris (3g/13a) have enjoyed career years. Houston 's veteran-heavy squad could have the makeup for playoff soccer, with Guilherme leading the way. The Newcomer of the Year hopeful has a team-high 26 goal contributions (16g/10a), with Mateusz Bogusz and Lyle Foster offering further threats in the final third.