MLS plans major playoff overhaul: double-elimination, reseeding and 20 teams
According to The Guardian, MLS is weighing a sweeping restructuring of its postseason format. The proposed changes would see the playoff field grow to 20 teams and introduce a double-elimination structure in the early rounds, giving lower-seeded clubs a second chance after a loss. Reseeding would also be added, allowing matchups to be reconfigured after each round rather than maintaining a fixed bracket. The moves reflect MLS's continued growth and its effort to keep more clubs meaningfully engaged deep into the season.
Read the full story at theguardian.comExpanding the postseason to 20 teams and adopting a double-elimination format would mark the most significant structural shift in MLS playoff history. The change rewards regular-season depth over a narrow bracket and gives second chances to clubs that stumble early, which tends to keep fan bases engaged deeper into the autumn. Reseeding further tilts the format toward meritocracy, ensuring the bracket rewards form rather than early-round luck. For players and coaches, the practical consequence is a longer, more grueling postseason where squad depth becomes as important as star quality.
Context added by Socc360, not by theguardian.com.
Data source: theguardian.com (via Socc360). Last updated .
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