Philadelphia Union clinch playoff berth as MLS sets single-season goals record

Philadelphia Union clinch 2026 playoff berth

The Philadelphia Union clinched a place in the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs on Wednesday, when the New England Revolution beat the New York Red Bulls. Former Union midfielder Dániel Gazdag scored the late winner for New England. Philadelphia also drew 0-0 with Supporters’ Shield winners Nashville SC, and sits sixth in the Eastern Conference with 47 points and two regular-season matches remaining.

The berth is Philadelphia’s 10th postseason appearance and eighth in the past nine seasons, according to the club. The Union travel to FC Cincinnati on October 31 and host Toronto FC on November 7 as they pursue a higher seed.

MLS sets single-season goals record

Major League Soccer set a single-season goals record on Wednesday, when Houston Dynamo defender Lucas Halter scored the season’s 1,553rd goal in a 1-0 win at Seattle Sounders FC. The previous record was 1,552, set in 2024, and two Matchdays remained. MLSsoccer.com and Yahoo Sports reported the mark.

Charlotte FC clinch playoff spot

Charlotte FC secured its fourth consecutive playoff berth with a 4-0 win over CF Montréal on Wednesday. The club is fifth in the Eastern Conference with 50 points, two behind fourth-place Chicago, and has two regular-season matches left to improve its position.

Christian Pulisic set to extend AC Milan contract through 2031

Christian Pulisic is set to sign a new AC Milan contract through 2031, ESPN reported, citing sources. His current deal was due to expire in June 2027; the reported extension would add four years.

Pulisic has 44 goals and 28 assists in 141 appearances for Milan since joining from Chelsea in 2023, ESPN reported. He has scored 33 goals in 90 appearances for the United States.

Three-year-old soccer player draws support and scrutiny after viral video

A viral video of Florida toddler Nevada Pierre playing soccer prompted public support from U.S. defender Alex Freeman, who offered to arrange gear and a possible meeting. Former U.S. striker Eddie Johnson also offered to train him, according to Bleacher Report.

The Guardian’s review of police dispatch records, 911 calls and body-camera footage described a more complicated dispute than the video suggested. The organizer told officers the boy had pushed other children and that his parents became argumentative after players were rotated; the parents offered a different account.

USL Championship playoffs begin with upset history in view

The 2026 USL Championship Playoffs begin after a 30-game regular season, with the Tampa Bay Rowdies winning the Players’ Shield and New Mexico United taking the Western Conference’s top spot. The postseason opens this weekend, and the final is scheduled for November 21.

USL All Access hosts Devon Kerr and Mike Watts previewed all eight conference quarterfinal matchups and offered predictions. They also recapped New Mexico’s win over El Paso Locomotive FC that secured the West’s top seed.

Detroit City FC targets another playoff run

Detroit City FC is in the USL Championship Playoffs for a fifth consecutive year and will host Hartford Athletic in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on October 30 at Keyworth Stadium, ClickOnDetroit reported. Detroit City also made league history in 2025 by upsetting top-seeded Louisville City FC by the largest point differential in the playoffs, according to USL.

MLS announces 2027 Sprint Season fixtures

Inter Miami will host FC Cincinnati on February 19, 2027, in the opening match of MLS’s one-time Sprint Season, which will bridge the league’s current calendar and its planned summer-to-spring schedule. The shortened regular season will give each club 14 intra-conference matches, followed by single-elimination playoffs in May.

MLS also announced that the LA Galaxy will host Los Angeles FC on April 10, and that Decision Day on May 8 will include the Hudson River Derby between New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls. Sprint Season results will help determine qualification for the 2028 Concacaf Champions Cup and Leagues Cup.

St. Louis City SC celebrates first championship banner

St. Louis City SC raised its first championship banner Wednesday, honoring its 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title. The club beat Columbus Crew in a penalty shootout after 120 scoreless minutes, with Daniel Edelman scoring the decisive kick in a 5-3 shootout.

The Open Cup title was the city’s first since 1988 and qualified St. Louis City for the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup, STLPR reported.

Portland Timbers beat St. Louis City to stay in playoff hunt

Kristoffer Velde scored twice and assisted on another goal as Portland beat St. Louis City 3-2 on Wednesday. The result moved Portland to within two points of the Western Conference’s final playoff place with two matches remaining.

Daniel Edelman and Rafael Navarro scored for St. Louis, which has lost three straight after a 19-match unbeaten run. Kamal Miller was sent off and will miss the Timbers’ next match.

Cavan Sullivan’s breakout season fuels MVP discussion

Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan, who turned 17 in late September, has recorded 21 goal contributions, breaking the MLS teenager record, ESPN reported. His rise has coincided with Philadelphia’s surge after the World Cup break and its playoff-clinching run.

ESPN noted that Sullivan was seventh in the league for post-break goal contributions according to TruMedia, while teammate Milan Iloski led the Union by that measure. Sullivan was nursing an ankle injury ahead of the team’s match against Cincinnati.

Columbus NWSL club breaks ground on training facility

Columbus’s NWSL expansion club has begun construction on the OhioHealth Training Grounds, a 45,000-square-foot facility scheduled to open in January 2028. The plans include three grass pitches, three turf fields, a weight room, cafe, content studio, childcare area and rehabilitation and meeting spaces.

The facility is also set to host Olympic and Paralympic soccer teams in 2028. Columbus is scheduled to host nine matches at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.

NWSL revises High Impact Player rule

The NWSL and its Players Association settled a grievance over the High Impact Player rule, according to The Guardian. Starting next season, the league’s initial eligibility criteria will no longer determine which players qualify for additional spending beyond the salary cap.

The former criteria included measures such as international recognition, national-team minutes and league awards. The Guardian reported that the union argued the initial rules violated federal labor law.

Tubi to stream two MLS Decision Day games for free

Tubi will simulcast two MLS Decision Day matches live and free in the United States on November 7, MLS announced. The schedule includes Inter Miami against Charlotte FC at 4 p.m. ET and Los Angeles FC against Seattle Sounders FC at 7 p.m. ET.

The games will also be available through MLS coverage on Apple TV. The 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs begin November 18, with the final scheduled for December 18.

Seattle Reign face playoff-deciding match and Jess Fishlock farewell

Seattle Reign will host Orlando Pride on November 1 in a match that could determine the final place in the 2026 NWSL Playoffs. A win guarantees Seattle a berth; other results bring the North Carolina Courage versus Denver Summit match into play.

The match is also the final regular-season appearance for club legend Jess Fishlock, who is set to retire at the end of the season after 14 years in the NWSL, the club said.

Lily Yohannes scores first goal of season for OL Lyonnes

Lily Yohannes scored her first goal of the 2026-27 season with a lob from 35 yards in OL Lyonnes’ 6-0 win over Inter Milan in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, Soccer America reported.

Yohannes and Korbin Shrader were among the U.S. players listed for the match by Diario AS, which also named Americans scheduled for Wednesday action with Chelsea, Arsenal, Roma and Oud-Heverlee Leuven.