MLS Cup 2026 final scheduled for Dec. 18

Field Level Media|published: Mon 16th March, 12:37 2026

Dec 6, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA; Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) looks on with the Philip F. Anschutz trophy after winning the 2025 MLS Cup against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Chase Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The 2026 MLS Cup will take place on Friday, Dec. 18, the league announced Monday.

The game will be hosted by the team with the better regular-season record.

This is the final full season before MLS switches to a summer-spring calendar for 2027-28. The league also will have a short 14-game transition season from February to May next year.

The top nine teams from the Eastern and Western conferences will qualify for the playoffs, which will begin with wild-card matches on Nov. 18.

The Round One best-of-three series will take place from Nov. 20-Dec. 2, followed by the conference semifinals (Dec. 5-6) and conference finals (Dec. 11-12).

Every playoff match will be broadcast live on Apple TV. The MLS Cup and other select postseason games will also air on Fox Sports in the U.S. and TSN and RDS in Canada.

--Field Level Media

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