The MLS season is rounding the corner on the final few games and there is still a lot to play for after FC Dallas picked up a big win over the weekend over San Jose.
Western Conference Standings
FC Dallas has clinched a 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs berth. The club sits second in the Western Conference with 54 points through 31 matches, with three matches remaining.
The Big D Soccer Playoff Machine gives FC Dallas a 99.9% chance of finishing in the top four of the West and hosting a playoff series.
FC Dallas needs 3 more points to clinch a top-four finish.
Standings as of October 26, 2026. Here is the same data from the interactive Playoff Machine above, in table form.
View Western Conference standings as a table
| Rank | Club | Points | GP | Matches left | W-L-T | GD | Playoff status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vancouver | 55 | 31 | 3 | 16-8-7 | +31 | Clinched playoff berth |
| 2 | FC Dallas | 54 | 31 | 3 | 15-7-9 | +11 | Clinched playoff berth |
| 3 | St. Louis | 51 | 31 | 3 | 14-8-9 | +12 | Clinched playoff berth |
| 4 | San Jose | 48 | 31 | 3 | 13-9-9 | +7 | Clinched playoff berth |
| 5 | Houston | 48 | 31 | 3 | 13-9-9 | +2 | Clinched playoff berth |
| 6 | LAFC | 47 | 32 | 2 | 12-9-11 | +15 | Clinched playoff berth |
| 7 | Seattle | 43 | 31 | 3 | 11-10-10 | +2 | In the race |
| 8 | Colorado | 42 | 31 | 3 | 12-13-6 | +1 | In the race |
| 9 | LA Galaxy | 41 | 32 | 2 | 10-11-11 | -9 | In the race |
| 10 | Salt Lake | 39 | 31 | 3 | 11-14-6 | 0 | In the race |
| 11 | Portland | 37 | 31 | 3 | 10-14-7 | -4 | In the race |
| 12 | San Diego | 35 | 31 | 3 | 8-12-11 | -3 | In the race |
| 13 | Minnesota | 35 | 31 | 3 | 8-12-11 | -8 | In the race |
| 14 | Austin | 34 | 31 | 3 | 8-13-10 | -17 | In the race |
| 15 | Kansas City | 22 | 31 | 3 | 6-21-4 | -40 | Eliminated |
Rank follows the official MLS standings. W-L-T is wins, losses, ties. GD is goal difference. Playoff status reflects the official MLS clinch and elimination marks.
Let’s dive into what has happened in recent days and what FC Dallas needs coming up. Again, we're only going to discuss the clubs near or around FC Dallas. There is no need to stress over the clubs that are hovering at the playoff line any more. I’ve removed LAFC from this watch as they can no longer pass FC Dallas even if they win their final two games.
Vancouver Whitecaps - 55 points (1st Place)
Schedule (Matches remaining: 3): 10/28 vs San Diego, 11/1 vs Seattle, 11/7 at Montreal
Last week’s result: Lost 1-0 to Colorado
Maximum Point Finish: 64
Notes: Vancouver is giving Dallas a bit of life at the top of the Western Conference with a big upset loss at Colorado over the weekend. They have two home games coming up this week, one against rivals Seattle.
What FCD needs this week: Keep on dropping points, boys.
FC Dallas - 54 points (2nd Place)
Schedule (Matches remaining: 3): 10/28 vs Columbus, 10/31 at SKC, 11/7 vs Colorado
Last week’s result: 3-0 win over San Jose.
Maximum Point Finish: 63
Notes: A massive win late over San Jose now pushes Dallas into second with two out of the final three at home.
What FCD needs this week: Can’t drop points now, with this schedule. Win, baby, win.
St. Louis CITY SC - 51 points (3rd Place)
Schedule (Matches remaining: 3): 10/28 vs Portland, 10/31 vs San Diego, 11/7 at Houston
Last week’s result: Won the USOC on penalties before losing in Utah 3-0 over the weekend.
Maximum Point Finish: 60
Notes: I had to think this schedule was going to come back to haunt them in October. Three straight weeks going Saturday to Wednesday to Saturday. No one in this league has the depth for that right now. Saying that, their schedule is still super manageable given the talent this team has at the moment. The loss in Utah is going to be a mulligan.
What FCD needs this week: Continue dropping points would be excellent, the more distance between FCD and them would be excellent.
San Jose Earthquakes - 48 points (4th Place)
Schedule (Matches remaining: 3): 10/28 vs Colorado, 10/31 vs RSL, 11/7 at Minnesota
Last week’s result: A 3-0 loss at Dallas.
Maximum Point Finish: 57
Notes: Their streak of draws was clipped over the weekend as they fell apart late in Dallas. Honestly, I wasn’t overly impressed with their play in Dallas. But they do have a fairly easy schedule left to deal with.
What FCD needs this week: Keep on dropping points, please.
Houston Dynamo - 48 points (5th Place)
Schedule (Matches remaining: 3): 10/28 at Seattle, 11/1 at Portland, 11/7 vs St. Louis
Last week’s result: A scoreless draw against Minnesota.
Maximum Point Finish: 57
Notes: Another draw, this time against Minnesota. Nothing special about it. Two road games on the west coast this week before Decision Day will really determine how this group wraps up this season. I still think they’re out of gas. They have one win in their last 11 and look less like a playoff team by the day.
What FCD needs this week: We always root for a Houston loss. Always.
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Diving into the Odds
I’ve adjusted the playoff machine to reflect those who have clinched a playoff spot. We’re now also looking more at how many points FC Dallas will need to secure one of the top four spots in the West.
The Playoff Machine
Ten thousand simulated seasons, run right here in your browser. Every remaining Western Conference game played out on current form and home-field edge, over and over, to see where the chips fall.
playoff odds
Where FC Dallas finishes across every simulated season. Seeds 1–9 make the field; 1–4 host a first-round series.
A model, not a crystal ball. Odds are built from each club’s current points-per-game and home-field advantage, then simulated 10,000 times. It doesn’t know about injuries, suspensions, or a hot streak brewing — so treat it as a smart guess, not gospel. Numbers refresh weekly.
