MLS NEXT Pro News

Decision Day playoff clinching scenarios

Scenarios 2025_Dday

In MLS NEXT Pro Decision Day:

Five Eastern Conference teams vie for the final two available playoff positions. Three clubs battle for the final Pick Your Opponent position and two home-field advantage spots.

In the West, three clubs battle for the final playoff position.

Follow along below to keep track of your club's playoff status!

Eastern Conference

NEW YORK RED BULLS II clinch Northeast Division title and best record in East:

1) RBNY win
OR
2) RBNY SOW + PHI 2 or fewer pts
OR
3) RBNY SOL + PHI 1 or fewer pts

PHILADELPHIA UNION II clinches Northeast Division title and best record in East:
1) PHI win + RBNY 2 or fewer pts
OR
2) PHI SOW + RBNY 1 or fewer pts
OR
3) PHI SOL + RBNY loss

CHATTANOOGA FC clinches Southeast Division title:
1) CFC 2 or more pts
OR
2) CFC SOL + HNT 2 or fewer pts
OR
3) HNT 1 or fewer pts

CHATTANOOGA FC clinches top four seed:
1) CFC 2 or more pts
OR
2) CFC SOL + NE loss
OR
3) CFC SOL + HNT 2 or fewer pts
OR
4) NER loss + CFC wins tiebreaker over NER
OR
5) HNT 1 or fewer pts

HUNTSVILLE CITY FC clinches Southeast Division title:
1) HNT win + CFC 1 or fewer pts
OR
2) HNT SOW + CFC loss

HUNTSVILLE CITY FC clinches top four seed:
1) HNT win + NER 1 or fewer pts
OR
2) HNT win + CFC 1 or fewer pts
OR
3) HNT SOW + NER loss
OR
4) HNT SOW + CFC loss

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION II clinches top four seed:
1) NER 2 or more pts
OR
2) NER SOL + CFC 1 or fewer pts
OR
3) NER SOL + HNT 2 or fewer pts
OR
4) CFC loss + NER wins tiebreaker over CFC
OR
5) HNT 1 or fewer pts

CAROLINA CORE FC clinches a playoff spot:
1) CCFC win
OR
2) CCFC SOW + TOR 2 or fewer pts
OR
3) CCFC SOW + CIN 2 or fewer pts
OR
4) CCFC SOL + TOR 1 or fewer pts + ATL 2 or fewer pts
OR
5) CCFC SOL + TOR 1 or fewer pts + ORL SOW
OR
6) CCFC SOL + ATL 2 or fewer pts + ORL SOW
OR
7) CCFC SOL + TOR 1 or fewer pts + CIN SOW
OR
8) CCFC SOL + ATL 2 or fewer pts + CIN SOW
OR
9) TOR loss + ATL 1 or fewer pts + CIN loss
OR
10) TOR loss + ATL 1 or fewer pts + ORL 1 or fewer pts
OR
11) TOR loss + ATL 1 or fewer pts + CCFC wins tiebreaker over CIN

TORONTO FC II clinches a playoff spot:
1) TOR win
OR
2) TOR SOW + CCFC 1 or less pts + ATL 2 or less pts
OR
3) TOR SOW + CCFC 1 or less pts + ORL SOW
OR
4) TOR SOW + CCFC 1 or less pts + CIN SOW
OR
5) TOR SOW + CCFC 1 or less pts + CIN loss + TOR wins tiebreaker over ORL
OR
6) TOR SOW + ATL 2 or less pts + ORL SOW
OR
7) TOR SOW + ATL 2 or less pts + CIN SOW
OR
8) TOR SOW + ATL 2 or less pts + CIN loss + TOR wins tiebreaker over ORL
OR
9) TOR SOL + CCFC loss + ATL 2 or loss
OR
10) TOR SOL + CCFC loss + ORL SOW
OR
11) TOR SOL + ATL 2 or less pts + ORL SOW

FC CINCINNATI 2 clinches a playoff spot:
1) CIN win + CCFC 2 or fewer pts
OR
2) CIN win + TOR 2 or fewer pts
OR
3) CIN SOW + CCFC loss + TOR 1 or fewer pts
OR
4) CIN SOW + CCFC loss + ATL 2 or fewer pts
OR
5) CIN SOW + TOR 1 or fewer pts + ATL 2 or fewer pts
OR
6) CIN SOL + TOR loss + ATL 1 of fewer pts + CCF loss + CIN wins tiebreaker over CCFC

ATLANTA UNITED 2 clinches a playoff spot:
1) ATL win + CCFC 1 or fewer pts + TOR 2 or fewer pts
OR
2) ATL win + CCFC 1 or fewer pts + CIN SOW
OR
3) ATL win + CCFC 1 or fewer pts + ORL SOW
OR
4) ATL win + CCFC 1 or fewer pts + CIN loss + ATL wins tiebreaker over ORL
OR
5) ATL win + TOR 2 or fewer pts + CIN SOW
OR
6) ATL win + TOR 2 or fewer pts + ORL SOW
OR
7) ATL win + TOR 2 or fewer pts + CIN loss + ATL wins tiebreaker over ORL
OR
8) ATL SOW + CAR loss + TOR loss
OR
9) ATL SOW + CAR loss + ORL SOW
OR
10) ATL SOW + TOR loss + ORL SOW

ORLANDO CITY B clinches a playoff spot:
1) ORL win + CCFC 1 or fewer pts + TOR 1 or fewer pts
OR
2) ORL win + CCFC 1 or fewer pts + TOR SOW + ORL wins tiebreaker over TOR
OR
3) ORL win + CCFC 1 or fewer pts + ATL 2 or fewer pts
OR
4) ORL win + CCFC 1 or fewer pts + ORL wins tiebreaker over ATL
OR
5) ORL win + TOR 1 or fewer pts + ATL 2 or fewer pts
OR
6) ORL win + TOR 1 or fewer pts + ORL wins tiebreaker over ATL
OR
7) ORL win + TOR SOW + ATL 2 or fewer pts + ORL wins tiebreak over TOR
OR
8) ORL win + TOR SOW + ORl wins tiebreaker over TOR and ATL
OR
9) ORL SOW + CCFC loss + TOR loss
OR
10) ORL SOW + CCFC loss + ATL 1 or fewer pts
OR
11) ORL SOW + TOR loss + ATL 1 or fewer pts

Western Conference

NORTH TEXAS SC clinches a playoff spot:
1) NTX 2 or more pts
OR
2) NTX SOL + ATX 2 or fewer pts
OR
3) ATX 2 or fewer pts + HOU 2 or fewer pts

AUSTIN FC II clinches a playoff spot:
1) ATX win + NTX 1 or fewer pts

HOUSTON DYNAMO 2 clinches a playoff spot:
1) HOU win + NTX loss + ATX 2 or fewer pts

Tiebreakers
 1.⁠ ⁠Total Number of Wins (in regulation)
 2.⁠ ⁠Goal Differential
 3.⁠ ⁠Goals For
 4.⁠ ⁠Shootout Wins
 5.⁠ ⁠Away Goals Differential
 6.⁠ ⁠Away Goals For
 7.⁠ ⁠Home Goals Differential
 8.⁠ ⁠Home Goals For
 9.⁠ ⁠Fewest Disciplinary Points
10.⁠ ⁠Coin Toss (tie of two Clubs) or Drawing of Lots (tie of three or more Clubs)