> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.bigdsoccer.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Playoff Watch: What FC Dallas needs from other teams this week - URL: https://www.bigdsoccer.com/playoff-watch-fc-matchday-27-2026/ - Published: 2026-09-23T12:33:56.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-23T12:33:55.000Z - Description: The final week of September is upon us as the playoff race heats up. - Author: Drew Epperley - Tags: Major League Soccer, 2026 Season The playoff race continues to get tighter and tighter in the Western Conference. After last past weekend, we’re starting to see different groupings up and down the standings. Just as a reminder, we’re only going to focus on the teams around FC Dallas in the standings right now. There are teams near the bottom that the Burn have a decent enough lead on in terms of points that I don’t feel like we need to stress over at the moment. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/9b/a4/9ba413bd-9ade-4977-b9cf-1a1e2ef6de5c/content/images/2026/09/image-12.png) I opted to drop Portland from this week’s watch and not bring in LA, who jumped them in the standings this past week. A 11-to-12 point gap feels decent enough to not stress over them at the moment. But man, only four points separating 8th place to 14th place? Geez. --- ## Vancouver Whitecaps - 49 points (1st Place) **Schedule (Matches remaining: 9):** 9/26 vs DCU, 10/6 at Chicago, 10/10 at LAFC, 10/14 at St. Louis, 10/17 at Austin, 10/24 at Colorado, 10/28 vs San Diego, 11/1 vs Seattle, 11/7 at Montreal **Last week’s result**: Lost in the midweek in the Canadian Championship to Montreal before a blowout win over RSL. **Notes**: Losing out in the Canadian Championship for the first time since the start of the decade is a bit of a change for this group. But that does lighten the load a bit as the season goes on. That five-point lead feels small but I think it is going to be tough to catch up to. **What FCD needs this week**: Yeah, they’re probably not losing at home to D.C. United. A draw would be fine, though. ## Houston Dynamo - 44 points (2nd Place) **Schedule (Matches remaining: 8):** 9/26 vs SKC, 10/10 at Minnesota, 10/14 at San Diego, 10/17 vs Dallas, 10/24 vs Minnesota, 10/28 at Seattle, 11/1 at Portland, 11/7 vs St. Louis **Last week’s result**: 2-2 draw vs Cincinnati. **Notes**: They had the lead early over Cincy but failed to hold on to it and settled for a draw. **What FCD needs this week**: I’ll continue to say it, we want Houston to lose no matter what. SKC is a tricky team right now, so anything is possible. ## St. Louis CITY SC - 44 points (3rd Place) **Schedule (Matches remaining: 9 + USOC final):** 9/26 at NY, 10/11 vs LA Galaxy, 10/14 vs Vancouver, 10/17 at Minnesota, 10/24 at RSL, 10/28 vs Portland, 10/31 vs San Diego, 11/7 at Houston **Last week’s result**: 3-0 win at Colorado in the USOC semifinal, followed by a 3-1 win over TFC. **Notes**: I mean, at some point this streak has to come to an end. But, they’re white hot at the moment. **What FCD needs this week**: I want to see how they do coming out of the international break next month. That may be the thing that finally cools the off. For this weekend, I don’t see them dropping points in New York, even if we need them to do so. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/9b/a4/9ba413bd-9ade-4977-b9cf-1a1e2ef6de5c/content/images/2026/05/Big_D_Soccer_minimal.svg)](#/portal/signup/free) Stay on top of every FC Dallas move this season. Free subscribers get breaking news straight to their inbox — no algorithm, no noise. [Subscribe today -> ](#/portal/signup/free) ## FC Dallas - 44 points (4th Place) **Schedule (Matches remaining: 8):** 9/26 vs LAFC, 10/10 at Charlotte, 10/14 vs Seattle, 10/17 at Houston, 10/24 vs San Jose, 10/28 vs Columbus, 10/31 at SKC, 11/7 vs Colorado **Last week’s result**: 0-0 draw against Austin. **Notes**: Not getting the full three points over the weekend against Austin is going to sting, but it beats losing to Austin. With an international break coming up, Dallas has to find a way to close out this current homestand on a positive note. **What FCD needs this week**: Extend the five-game unbeaten streak to another week/month and start to add some distance to some other clubs below them. ## San Jose Earthquakes - 42 points (5th Place) **Schedule (Matches remaining: 8):** 9/26 vs Portland, 10/10 at Colorado, 10/14 at RSL, 10/17 vs Nashville, 10/24 at Dallas, 10/28 vs Colorado, 10/31 vs RSL, 11/7 at Minnesota **Last week’s result**: 2-2 draw vs LAFC **Notes**: Another team that had a lead and then squandered it late. I’m all for them picking up draws. **What FCD needs this week**: We start to see them play some six-pointers coming up and hosting Portland after a disappointing draw with LAFC will be a big test. I want them to drop points, but I don’t think they will at home against the Timbers. ## LAFC - 41 points (6th Place) **Schedule (Matches remaining: 7):** 9/26 at Dallas, 10/10 vs Vancouver, 10/14 vs Austin, 10/25 vs LA Galaxy, 11/1 vs Minnesota, 11/4 at NYCFC, 11/7 at Seattle **Last week’s result**: 2-2 draw at San Jose. **Notes**: They lack the games in hand right now to do anything of note, but they’re going to be one of those teams that is never truly out of it. **What FCD needs this week**: LAFC has one win in their last nine now. Dallas needs to extend that run a bit more. Support Big D soccer without a subscription This story is available for free to everyone, no subscription required. If you’d like to support us but don’t want to commit to a full subscription, you can leave us a tip of any amount (this helps keep our coffee/beer mugs full). [Show Your Support ](#/portal/support) ## Colorado Rapids - 36 points (7th Place) **Schedule (Matches remaining: 9):** 9/26 at LA Galaxy, 10/10 vs San Jose, 10/14 vs Minnesota, 10/17 at Portland, 10/24 vs Vancouver, 10/28 at San Jose, 10/31 vs Chicago, 11/7 at Dallas **Last week’s result**: 3-0 loss in the USOC against St. Louis, then a 3-3 draw vs Seattle **Notes**: The last week kind of tells us what we needed to know about Colorado. They are a massive work-in-progress. The USOC loss was probably a blessing more than anything, as they can now focus only on the MLS slate. **What FCD needs this week**: I’m still not too worried about the Rapids. At least in terms of catching FC Dallas. But I’d be okay with another draw this weekend against LA. --- ## Diving into the Odds I debuted the playoff odds machine last week and I’ve added a couple of tweaks to it this week based on some great feedback from folks. If you have any suggestions on how to improve it, please comment below and I’ll try my best to work them in to it. --- Western Conference · Updated Sep 20, 2026 ## 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. — FC Dallas playoff odds — most likely seed — projected points — odds of a home series (top 4) Conference odds Dallas seeding Where FC Dallas finishes across every simulated season. Seeds 1–9 make the field; 1–4 host a first-round series. Run it again 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.