Major League Soccer (MLS) is growing faster than ever — from new teams and stadiums to global icons like Lionel Messi gracing the pitch. With all this momentum, more and more fans (new and old) are tuning in and asking a very fundamental question:
“How many games are in the MLS standings?”
It might seem like a simple question, but there’s more to it than just a number. The structure of the MLS season is designed to balance fairness, competition, and regional rivalry — and it evolves as the league expands.
Let’s take a deeper look into how the MLS schedule works, how many games each team plays, and how those games impact the standings we follow all season long.
📅 The Quick Answer: 34 Regular Season Games
Each MLS team plays 34 regular season games — that’s the baseline.
These games are the heart of the MLS season, and they determine the standings we see on the leaderboard. Every point earned (or dropped) in those 34 games can mean the difference between making the playoffs or heading into an early offseason.
But how are those 34 games structured? Why that number? And what happens after those games are played?
Let’s break it down step by step.
🌎 The League Structure: Two Conferences
MLS is divided into two conferences:
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
As of the 2025 season, there are 29 teams total in MLS:
15 teams in the Eastern Conference
14 teams in the Western Conference
(With San Diego FC joining in 2025, the balance may change slightly in upcoming seasons, but the format generally remains consistent.)
🏟️ Regular Season Format: The 34-Game Breakdown
So how do we get to those 34 games? Here’s how the scheduling works:
🏠 17 Home Games + 17 Away Games = 34 Total Games
MLS ensures that every team plays half of its games at home and the other half on the road — a fair and balanced approach that gives fans in every city a chance to cheer on their team.
📊 Conference vs. Non-Conference Games
A majority of the 34 games are played against teams within the same conference. This is intentional, since playoff races and rivalries often develop regionally.
Here’s a typical breakdown:
Conference Opponents: Each team plays most of the other teams in their own conference at least twice (once home, once away).
Non-Conference Opponents: Each team plays a smaller selection of clubs from the opposite conference — typically 6 to 8 matches.
The exact matchups vary year to year and are influenced by rivalries, travel distances, and broadcasting schedules.
🧮 How the MLS Standings Work
In MLS, like in most global soccer leagues, standings are determined by a point system:
Win = 3 points
Draw = 1 point
Loss = 0 points
Standings are then ranked by total points, and if two or more teams have the same points, tiebreakers include:
Goal differential
Goals scored
Head-to-head results
Every single game in that 34-match campaign matters — even a single point from a last-minute equalizer could tip the playoff scale.
🏆 What Comes After the Regular Season? The Playoffs!
Now that we know how many games are in the standings, it’s worth asking: what do those standings actually lead to?
Welcome to the MLS Cup Playoffs — the post-season tournament that crowns the league champion.
💡 18 Teams Make the Playoffs:
Top 9 teams from each conference qualify.
The 8th and 9th seeds face off in a Wild Card match, which acts as a play-in to the First Round.
From there, the playoffs use a combination of best-of-three series and single-elimination rounds until the MLS Cup Final.
So even though there are 34 regular season games, a team hoping to lift the cup could end up playing up to 40+ games when you include playoff matches and cup competitions like Leagues Cup or U.S. Open Cup.
🔄 Changes Over Time
The 34-game regular season format has remained consistent since 2012, even as the number of teams in the league has grown. However, MLS is known for evolving, and future expansions (like the potential 30th team in 2026) could bring about changes.
There’s even talk of increasing the season length or introducing new mid-season tournaments as MLS continues to mirror the global game.
🌟 Why It Matters
Understanding the structure of MLS standings isn’t just about numbers — it gives fans context. When a team is in 8th place with 5 games to go, you now know that every remaining match is crucial.
It also helps fans appreciate scheduling quirks. For example, why does your team only play Messi’s Inter Miami once this season? Because those inter-conference matchups are limited!
Or why does your team play the same opponent three times? It might be a regional rivalry — like Seattle vs. Portland or LAFC vs. LA Galaxy — where extra matchups are built in for fan excitement.
🤔 FAQs: Common Questions About MLS Games
❓ Why don’t all teams play each other?
With 29 teams, it’s logistically impossible to play every team home and away in a single season. The schedule balances fairness with regional focus and player health (avoiding excessive travel).
❓ Do other tournaments affect the standings?
No. Only MLS regular season games count toward the official league standings. Competitions like:
U.S. Open Cup
Leagues Cup
CONCACAF Champions Cup
…are separate, but they can impact scheduling and player availability.
❓ Will the number of games change in the future?
Most likely, yes. With MLS expected to expand to 30+ teams, league officials may tweak the format to accommodate the growth. But for now, 34 is the magic number.
🏁 Final Whistle: It’s More Than Just 34 Games
So there you have it — 34 regular season games make up the MLS standings, but each of those matches is loaded with implications, excitement, and passion. Whether it’s a top-of-the-table clash or a desperate playoff push, every fixture shapes the landscape of the league.
As MLS continues to grow in popularity and prestige, expect more tweaks, drama, and memorable moments. But one thing remains the same: every game counts.
Now that you know how the season works, grab your scarf, check the schedule, and get ready to cheer your team on — 34 times (at least!).
