MLS Considers Bold Playoff Shake-Up With Double-Elimination Format, Reseeding And 20-Team Field
Major League Soccer is exploring a significant overhaul of its playoff structure, with proposals that could dramatically reshape how the postseason is contested each season.
Among the changes being considered is a double-elimination format, which would give teams a second chance after an early postseason defeat rather than facing immediate elimination.
The current MLS Cup playoff structure has long been a single-elimination competition, meaning one bad performance can end a club’s entire season without any opportunity to recover.
Reseeding is another element under discussion, a process that would re-rank remaining teams after each round based on regular season standing rather than locking in brackets from the start.
Reseeding is viewed by many in the sport as a fairer system, ensuring that the best remaining teams are rewarded for their regular season form throughout the entire postseason journey.
Expanding the playoff field to 20 teams is also part of the proposed changes, broadening the competition and allowing more clubs a legitimate path to the championship.
A larger playoff field would benefit teams from smaller markets and those that finish just outside the traditional cutoff, giving them meaningful games deep into the autumn schedule.
MLS has been one of the more progressive major American sports leagues in terms of structural experimentation, having adjusted its playoff format multiple times since the league launched in 1996.
The league’s growing profile, expanded to 30 clubs in recent years, has created fresh urgency to reconsider whether the existing postseason model still serves the competition at its best.
Any formal changes would need to be approved and carefully structured to ensure the schedule remains viable across a season that already balances league play, cup competitions, and international fixtures.
Officials and club representatives are expected to continue discussions throughout 2026, with any new format most likely targeting implementation for a future playoff cycle.
Supporters across the league have reacted with considerable interest to the reported proposals, with many welcoming the idea of a more expansive and forgiving postseason competition.
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