MLS Weighs Major Playoff Overhaul for 2028
AI-generated image · US National Wire
Proposed changes include a double-elimination format and the removal of conferences as the league shifts to a fall-to-spring calendar.
Major League Soccer is considering a significant restructuring of its postseason format starting in 2028, as The Guardian first reported. The proposed changes would coincide with the league's transition to a fall-to-spring schedule.
According to league and club sources cited by The Guardian, the plan would eliminate the current Eastern and Western Conference structure in favor of a five-division setup. Under this model, all teams would be ranked in a single combined table, with the top 20 teams qualifying for the postseason. The format would feature a play-in round involving eight teams to narrow the field to 16.
Notably, the top eight teams in the combined table would participate in a double-elimination round, a system designed to incentivize regular-season performance. A victory in this initial stage would grant a team direct entry into the quarter-finals. Additionally, teams would be re-seeded after every round to maintain competitive and hosting advantages for higher seeds. The Guardian reports that the proposed system mirrors the "double-chance" format used by the AFL, the elite level of Australian rules football, and that MLS has held discussions with the AFL regarding this approach.
While The Guardian viewed a potential schedule showing the playoffs starting in late April and concluding with the MLS Cup on May 21, 2028, the league has stated that no formal decisions have been made. In a statement, MLS noted it is evaluating adjustments as part of a broader review of the competition calendar starting with the 2027-28 season.
These potential shifts come during a period of leadership transition. Next year, Don Garber will be succeeded as commissioner by Larry Berg, a co-owner of Los Angeles FC.