The 2026 MLS season may be winding down, but the intensity is only growing as the playoffs quickly approach.
It’s an odd time to be an MLS fan. It’s the final time the league will play in October, and these upcoming playoffs will mark the end of a three-decade era of fall and winter soccer, with the MLS Cup set to be awarded on Dec. 18. Next year, it's a shortened spring season, which will be followed by the new-look 2027–28 season.
