Orlando City Clinches Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs Spot
Orlando City secured its place in the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs on Sunday, locking down a postseason berth with one match remaining in the regular season. The Lions sit ninth in the Eastern Conference standings with 43 points, holding a 12W-14L-7D record.
That position extends the longest active playoff streak in Major League Soccer. Orlando has qualified for the postseason in every campaign since 2020, marking seven straight playoff appearances. Yet the club enters this postseason carrying a different weight than in previous years, having parted ways with longtime manager Oscar Pareja back in March. Interim head coach Martín Perelman now guides the squad as it chases its first appearance in the MLS Cup.
Roster Turnaround and Star Power Fuel the Stretch Run
The path to this year’s postseason looks vastly different from the early months of the calendar year. A sluggish start prompted the coaching change, but the summer arrival of marquee signing Antoine Griezmann completely altered the team’s trajectory. The FIFA World Cup-winning Frenchman arrived from LaLiga’s Atlético Madrid and immediately transformed Orlando into a dark-horse contender, leading the team with 14g/8a to emerge as a Newcomer of the Year candidate.
It’s hunting season 😈Following today’s results around the league, we’ve officially clinched our spot in the Audi 2026 @MLS Cup Playoffs for the seventh consecutive season, the longest active streak in MLS 🦁 pic.twitter.com/yeDqzelSKa
Supporting Griezmann is club all-time leading scorer Martín Ojeda, who has contributed 21 goal contributions this season behind 16g/5a. Homegrown forward Justin Ellis turned his breakout 2026 campaign into a memorable US men’s national team debut last month, while goalkeeper Máxime Crépeau ranks third in MLS with 135 saves following a starting run for Canada at the 2026 World Cup.
Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs Begin on Nov. 18
With the regular season drawing to a close, the postseason calendar is firmly set. The Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs kick off on Nov. 18 with Wild Card matches, reserved for teams finishing eighth and ninth in each conference. Seeds 1-7 in each conference qualify for the Round One Best-of-3 Series, while teams finishing 10-15 in each conference do not qualify for the postseason. The championship match itself, the MLS Cup presented by Audi, is scheduled for Dec. 18. Every postseason fixture will be broadcast live on Apple TV.
