Overview
- This week, reporting led by The Guardian outlined a concrete proposal that would expand the postseason to as many as 20 clubs and add a double-elimination stage for top seeds.
- Under the reported plan teams would be scheduled in five geographic divisions but placed in a single overall table for qualification, with seeds 17–20 entering an eight-team play-in to trim the field to 16.
- The highest eight seeds would get a ‘double-chance’—losers drop into a secondary bracket while winners advance—teams would be reseeded after each round and the format is modeled on systems used by Australia’s AFL.
- MLS has confirmed it is evaluating postseason changes but stressed no decisions are final, with the league targeting the 2027–28 calendar shift and a potential MLS Cup date of May 21, 2028 if adopted.
- Supporters say the overhaul would reward regular-season performance and create sellable playoff inventory for broadcasters, while critics warn the larger field, play-ins, losers’ bracket and reseeding could make the postseason harder for casual fans to follow.