What a week in MLS.
Nashville SC pulled off a comeback win at home and Inter Miami pulled off a comeback win on the road. It was truly a week unlike any other.
As always: The Power Rankings are voted on by, give or take, 15 people associated with MLSsoccer.com. The author does not decide the rankings, but he does get a little rush out of moving your team in particular down a few spots when the votes come in.
On Halloween weekend, Nashville had one more horror-movie monster moment. The Red Bulls took a 2-0 first-half lead, but Nashville came back to life and stole a 3-2 win thanks to two own goals and a stoppage-time winner from Sam Surridge.
The win ended the Red Bulls’ season and put Nashville equal on points with 2024 Inter Miami. If they get a draw on Decision Day, they’ll break the MLS points record.
Previous: 3-2 win vs. RBNY | Next: 11/7 at CIN
They aren’t quite the same juggernaut they were before the Sebastian Berhalter transfer, but they can still go punch for punch with anyone. And when they get a full head of steam, they can still bulldoze you.
Previous: 5-1 win vs. SEA | Next: 11/7 at MTL
Down 1-0 to second-place New England in the second half, Miami’s stars took over. Germán Berterame and Lionel Messi each scored to hand the Herons a 2-1 win and second place in the East.
They lead the Revs by a point heading into Decision Day.
Previous: 2-1 win at NE | Next: 11/7 vs. CLT
The Revs aren’t the first or last team to lose a second-half lead to Messi and Miami. Sometimes, there’s just not much you can do.
That loss ended a four-game winning streak and kept them from securing second place in the East. Still, there’s time to jump Inter Miami. They’re only a point behind.
Previous: 2-1 loss vs. MIA | Next: 11/7 at ORL
The Chicago Fire will face Charlotte FC in Round One of the playoffs. If the Fire beat Columbus on Decision Day (or if Charlotte fail to beat Miami), they’ll host the first and potential third game of that series.
If Saturday's 4-2 win over the Colorado Rapids is any indication of what’s to come, Chicago should be just fine against the Crew… even if that means bringing Robert Lewandowski off the bench.
Lewandowski came on in the 63rd minute and scored in the 74th to break an eight-match scoreless streak.
Previous: 4-2 win at COL | Next: 11/7 vs. CLB
FC Dallas need just a point to secure a second-place finish in the West. They could have locked that up last week, but messed around and lost 2-0 to Columbus and, shockingly, drew 1-1 with Sporting KC.
Their Decision Day matchup against Colorado gives them a chance to regain their footing before the playoffs.
Previous: 1-1 draw at SKC | Next: 11/7 vs. COL
The Union are veering dangerously close to being "Cold At The Wrong Time." Since their lengthy winning streak ended four games ago, Philly have gone winless.
That includes a scoreless draw with Nashville and a 1-0 loss to FC Cincinnati last week. A top-four spot is officially out of the question, but Decision Day offers a get-right game against Toronto.
Previous: 1-0 loss at CIN | Next: 11/7 vs. TOR
After two 4-0 wins last week, Charlotte know they’ll face Chicago in the first round of the playoffs. All they need to figure out now is whether they’ll host the first game of the series. Chicago hold a two-point lead heading into Decision Day.
Charlotte will need to beat Inter Miami and will need Chicago to lose or draw against Columbus. They’ll have to take down the Herons without Allan Saint-Maximin, who picked up a … creative red card against Orlando City.
Previous: 4-0 win vs. ORL | Next: 11/7 at MIA
The Quakes are a point away from sealing a top-four finish. They aren’t soaring as they did at the start of the year, but they’ve lost once in their last 12 matches, even though only four of those have actually been wins. San Jose would need to lose by 8+ goals to fall out of the top four on Decision Day.
Previous: 2-1 win vs. RSL | Next: 11/7 at MIN
We said in last week’s Power Rankings that St. Louis CITY would probably be fine and there would be little to worry about. We’re admittedly rethinking that one.
St. Louis have suddenly lost four in a row, including losses to Portland and San Diego last week. Sometimes good teams just run out of gas. St. Louis might be one of those good teams. They need a draw against the fifth-place Houston Dynamo to clinch a top-four spot.
Previous: 1-0 loss vs. SD | Next: 11/7 at HOU
The Crew, despite firing their head coach a few months into his first season, are officially a playoff team. They’ve found a late groove under interim Laurent Courtois.
After two wins last week, Columbus have won five in a row and seven of their last eight. They’re in a Wild Card spot for now, but have a chance to jump seventh-place Cincy on Decision Day.
Previous: 3-0 win vs. DC | Next: 11/7 at CHI
The Dynamo finally snapped a seven-game winless streak with a midweek win over Seattle, and then went right back to struggling.
They’ve been stumbling down the home stretch for weeks now. And yet, they still have a shot at a home playoff spot. They just need to beat St. Louis on Decision Day.
Previous: 3-1 loss at POR | Next: 11/7 vs. STL
They didn’t do it the easy way, but Cincinnati are officially a playoff team. They’ve also unofficially entered "Hot At The Right Time" consideration. Cincy have now won three of their last four. Yes, two of those were against D.C. United, but that stretch includes a 2-2 draw with Miami and a win over Philly last week.
It also includes two exceedingly rare clean sheets for one of the league's worst defenses. A Decision Day win against a Nashville side looking to secure the regular-season points record would keep them out of the Wild Card round and potentially push them as high as sixth.
Previous: 1-0 win vs. PHI | Next: 11/7 vs. NSH
A 3-1 loss to Minnesota United ended LAFC’s hopes of finishing in the top four. The seventh-place LA Galaxy could still technically catch them on Decision Day if they’re not at their best and, well, they haven’t been anywhere close to their best for a while.
Even after parting ways with head coach Marc Dos Santos in late September, the team has kept struggling.
Previous: 3-1 loss vs. MIN | Next: 11/7 at SEA
Of the six teams competing for the final three spots in the West, Portland have the easiest remaining task. All the Timbers need to do is take care of business against Austin FC and they’re in.
Previous: 3-1 win vs. HOU | Next: 11/7 at ATX
A 4-1 win over Austin has LA in seventh. They’re not out of the clear yet, though. Twelfth-place Minnesota are just three points behind. Eleventh-place Real Salt Lake — their Decision Day competition — are just two points away.
Previous: 4-1 win vs. ATX | Next: 11/7 at RSL
Other than their 1-0 win over Vancouver a couple of weeks ago, the Rapids have stumbled down the home stretch. They’ve won just once in their last eight matches. That’s put them in ninth place heading into Decision Day, but three teams — Seattle, RSL and Minnesota — can pass them in the standings on Saturday.
Previous: 4-2 loss vs. CHI | Next: 11/7 at DAL
In the end, they avoided the doomsday scenario, but they definitely flirted with it for a while. A 4-0 loss to Charlotte could have left them needing a playoff-deciding win on Decision Day. Fortunately for the Lions, everyone behind them threw up on themselves.
Now, Orlando have to worry about going on the road for the Wild Card round. Both Columbus and Cincy are within reach.
Previous: 4-0 loss at CLT | Next: 11/7 vs. NE
A win on Decision Day may be enough. Eleventh-place RSL host seventh-place LA with just two points separating them. Three points wouldn’t guarantee a spot, but they’re the only chasing team with the added benefit of playing a six-pointer.
Previous: 2-1 loss at SJ | Next: 11/7 vs. LA
Minnesota aren't ready to die. The Loons have gone undefeated over their last six and have a chance, a small chance, at sneaking over the line. They’ll have to beat San Jose and hope two of the five teams above them help by dropping points.
It’s not probable, but it is possible.
Previous: 3-1 win at LAFC | Next: 11/7 vs. SJ
Uhhhh … oh no.
Just when things seemed to be settling down and the Sounders were primed to cruise into the postseason, last week went as poorly as it could have. A close loss to Houston and a not-so-close loss to Vancouver saw Seattle drop to 10th. Anything less than a win (and some help elsewhere!) against LAFC will keep them out of the playoffs.
Previous: 5-1 loss at VAN | Next: 11/7 vs. LAFC
Blowing a 2-0 lead to end your playoff hopes isn’t how anyone wants to go out, even if there’s no shame in losing to Nashville.
Red Bull fans can at least take solace in how well this team is set up for the future. If — and these are admittedly big “Ifs” — they can retain their young talent and commit to adding talent around them, they should be well prepared to take a step forward in the 2027 Sprint Season. New York took some growing pains on this year as they developed a young group. That could pay off in the long term.
Previous: 3-2 loss at NSH | Next: 11/7 vs. ATL
Few teams had a more disappointing year than San Diego. Matching the highs of their inaugural year in 2025 was always a long shot, but few, if any, expected them to miss the playoffs entirely, let alone be eliminated by Decision Day. It’s back to the drawing board for the league’s newest team.
Previous: 1-0 win at STL | Next: 11/7 vs. SKC
New York City's painful 2026 season will officially end without a playoff appearance. As soon as August hit, this team’s production dropped off significantly. It feels appropriate that a draw with lowly CF Montréal sealed the deal. Changes could be coming in NYC.
Previous: 1-1 draw vs. MTL | Next: 11/7 at DC
Toronto FC improved this year, but only marginally. With their playoff hopes on the line in Atlanta United, they sleepwalked through an ugly 3-1 loss. The Reds haven’t made the playoffs since 2020.
Previous: 3-1 loss at ATL | Next: 11/7 at PHI
Atlanta fans will be hesitant to celebrate much after a dominant 3-1 win over Toronto on Sunday and an undeserved 2-1 midweek loss to NYCFC. They put in decent performances, though.
At the very least, new Designated Player striker Breel Embolo seems like the genuine product. He just needs a little more help around him.
Previous: 3-1 win vs. TOR | Next: 11/7 at RBNY
Austin’s slim playoff hopes officially ended last week. No one will be too upset about a long year coming to an end. The Jim Curtin era will officially begin soon, and Austin fans can allow themselves a little optimism about the future.
Previous: 4-1 loss at LA | Next: 11/7 vs. POR
The season is almost over and there could be big changes on the horizon. Again. D.C. have missed the playoffs for seven straight years.
Previous: 3-0 loss at CLB | Next: 11/7 vs. NYC
One game left and it at least looks like they’re going to avoid the Wooden Spoon.
Previous: 1-1 draw at NYC | Next: 11/7 vs. VAN
One more week.
Previous: 1-1 draw vs. DAL | Next: 11/7 at SD
