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What every Eastern Conference team is playing for on Decision Day
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- What every Eastern Conference team is playing for on Decision Day
What every Eastern Conference team is playing for on Decision Day
By Cal Meachem
Decision Day is here.
Although the Eastern Conference's nine Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs spots are already clinched, Saturday's jam-packed slate brings plenty of consequential matches .
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Who will claim the No. 2 seed? What about the No. 4 seed? Which teams will meet in the Wild Card round?
Before those questions and more get answered, here's a rundown – sorted by the current standings – for what every Eastern Conference team has to play for.
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READ MORE: Decision Day scenarios
Nashville SC
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Decision Day: Saturday at FC Cincinnati (4 pm ET | Apple TV)
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Standings: 1st place, 74 points
Nashville SC have already claimed the Supporters' Shield and locked up the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Now, with a win or a draw at Cincy , they will break the MLS single-season points record of 74, set by Inter Miami in 2024.
Inter Miami CF
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Decision Day: Saturday vs. Charlotte FC (4 pm ET | Apple TV)
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Standings: 2nd place, 59 points
With the New England Revolution hot on their heels, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are looking to secure the East's No. 2 seed.
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If they defeat Charlotte FC , the defending MLS Cup presented by Audi champions will lock in second place. They can finish no lower than third.
Even more, Messi enters the final matchday with a league-best 42 goal contributions (26g/16a) and can win his second straight Golden Boot presented by Audi award.
New England Revolution
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Decision Day: Saturday at Orlando City (4 pm ET | Apple TV)
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Standings: 3rd place, 58 points
New England enter Decision Day just one point behind Inter Miami, sitting third in the East before a trip to Orlando City .
The Revs can finish no worse than third, but will aim for a win over Orlando, combined with Miami losing or drawing vs. Charlotte, which would vault them into second.
Chicago Fire FC
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Decision Day: Saturday vs. Columbus Crew (4 pm ET | Apple TV)
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Standings: 4th place, 55 points
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Chicago Fire FC will attempt to fend off Charlotte FC for the No. 4 seed, which would guarantee home-field advantage in their Round One Best-of-3 Series (coincidentally against Charlotte).
A victory over the Columbus Crew would ensure a top-four finish for Robert Lewandowski & Co. Anything else would leave the door open for Charlotte to sneak past them with a win over Miami.
Charlotte FC
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Decision Day: Saturday at Inter Miami (4 pm ET | Apple TV)
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Standings: 5th place, 53 points
Charlotte are locked into a Round One matchup with Chicago.
With a win at Miami, combined with Chicago not defeating Columbus, they'll leapfrog the Fire for hosting rights in that Best-of-3 Series. Lose or draw against Miami, and they'll stay in fifth place.
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Notably, Charlotte will be without star winger Allan Saint-Maximin due to a red-card suspension.
Philadelphia Union
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Decision Day: Saturday vs. Toronto FC (4 pm ET | Apple TV)
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Standings: 6th place, 47 points
A win over Toronto FC would confirm a sixth-place finish for the Philadelphia Union and passage into Round One.
However, with a loss against Toronto and wins from Cincinnati and Columbus, they could get leapfrogged and drop into the Wild Card match by finishing eighth.
FC Cincinnati
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Decision Day: Saturday vs. Nashville SC (4 pm ET | Apple TV)
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Standings: 7th place, 46 points
Thanks to a flurry of late-season wins, FC Cincinnati have climbed out of the Wild Card places and into seventh place.
Now, up against Supporters' Shield winners Nashville, they'll need a win to guarantee a Round One spot – and potentially climb to sixth place.
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Any other result would leave the door open for Orlando and Hell is Real rivals Columbus to bypass Cincy, pushing them into the Wild Card match.
Columbus Crew
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Decision Day: Saturday at Chicago Fire FC (4 pm ET | Apple TV)
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Standings: 8th place, 44 points
Columbus are slated to host the Wild Card match, thanks to a one-point lead on ninth-place Orlando.
A win at Chicago, combined with a Cincy loss or draw, would see the Crew jump into seventh and go straight to Round One. Meanwhile, dropped points and an Orlando win would drop them to ninth (travel for Wild Card).
Orlando City
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Decision Day: Saturday vs. New England Revolution (4 pm ET | Apple TV)
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Standings: 9th place, 43 points
Orlando could finish anywhere from seventh to ninth, depending on other results.
To move up to seventh and book a Round One ticket, they'll need to defeat New England and have both Columbus and Cincinnati lose.
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Any other combination of results, and Antoine Griezmann & Co. will play in the Wild Card match. An Orlando win and a Columbus draw would make them Wild Card hosts; otherwise they'll be the visitors.
Red Bull New York
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Decision Day: Saturday vs. Atlanta United (4 pm ET | Apple TV)
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Standings: 10th place, 39 points
Red Bull New York were eliminated one match before Decision Day and now host Atlanta United . They can finish anywhere from 10th to 12th.
New York City Football Club
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Decision Day: Saturday at D.C. United (4 pm ET | Apple TV)
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Standings: 11th place, 39 points
New York City FC were eliminated from playoff contention last weekend. They'll now visit D.C. United and can finish anywhere from 10th to 12th.
Toronto FC
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Decision Day: Saturday at Philadelphia Union (4 pm ET | Apple TV)
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Standings: 12th place, 39 points
Toronto will try to spoil Philadelphia's night and keep them from finishing sixth. The Reds can finish no higher than 10th and no lower than 12th.
Atlanta United
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Decision Day: Saturday at Red Bull New York (4 pm ET | Apple TV)
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Standings: 13th place, 33 points
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Atlanta's 2026 campaign concludes with a Decision Day trip to Red Bull New York. The Five Stripes will finish in either 13th or 14th place.
D.C. United
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Decision Day: Saturday vs. New York City FC (4 pm ET | Apple TV)
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Standings: 14th place, 33 points
D.C. United's first full season under head coach René Weiler will end with a Decision Day contest vs. NYCFC. The Black-and-Red will finish in 13th or 14th place.
CF Montréal
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Decision Day: Saturday vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (4 pm ET | Apple TV)
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Standings: 15th place, 26 points
CF Montréal host Canadian rivals and Western Conference leaders Vancouver Whitecaps FC .
They need a point or Sporting Kansas City to drop points to avoid finishing last in the Supporters' Shield table and "winning" the Wooden Spoon.
