NYCFC vs Philly Union: The Stats That Decide the Winner
MLS Eastern Conference Standings: A Simple Guide to Who’s Winning (and Who’s Not)
Everything you need to know about the current table — explained like you’re 5 years old.
What Is This Table Anyway?
Imagine a big scoreboard for a soccer league. This table shows all 15 teams in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS) — that’s the top pro soccer league in the US and Canada.
Each row is a team. The columns tell you:
- How many games they’ve played
- How many they won, tied, or lost
- How many goals they scored vs. let in
- Most importantly: how many points they have
Key Point: Points decide the ranking.
Win = 3 points · Tie (Draw) = 1 point · Loss = 0 points
The Standings — Top to Bottom
| Rank | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Diff. | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nashville SC | 19 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 39 | 15 | +24 | 43 |
| 2 | Inter Miami | 19 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 46 | 36 | +10 | 38 |
| 3 | New England Revolution | 19 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 29 | 25 | +4 | 30 |
| 4 | Chicago Fire | 17 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 32 | 23 | +9 | 29 |
| 5 | Charlotte FC | 19 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 32 | 28 | +4 | 28 |
| 6 | FC Cincinnati | 19 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 46 | 45 | +1 | 27 |
| 7 | New York City FC | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 31 | 24 | +7 | 26 |
| 8 | New York Red Bulls | 19 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 30 | 41 | -11 | 25 |
| 9 | DC United | 19 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 27 | 30 | -3 | 24 |
| 10 | Orlando City | 19 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 31 | 48 | -17 | 21 |
| 11 | Columbus Crew | 19 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 27 | 31 | -4 | 20 |
| 12 | Toronto FC | 19 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 26 | 33 | -7 | 20 |
| 13 | CF Montréal | 19 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 25 | 36 | -11 | 17 |
| 14 | Philadelphia Union | 18 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 25 | 33 | -8 | 16 |
| 15 | Atlanta United | 19 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 21 | 34 | -13 | 15 |
What Do the Columns Mean? (ELI5 Version)
1. Played (Pld)
How many games the team has played so far. Most have played 19, but a couple have 17 or 18 — they have a game or two "in hand" (still to play).
2. Won / Drawn / Lost
- Won = They scored more goals than the other team.
- Drawn = Both teams scored the same.
- Lost = The other team scored more.
3. Goals For (GF) / Goals Against (GA)
- GF = Total goals the team scored.
- GA = Total goals they let in.
4. Goal Difference (GD)
GF minus GA.
- Positive = they score more than they concede (good!).
- Negative = they concede more than they score (not so good).
Why GD matters: If two teams have the same points, the one with the better Goal Difference ranks higher.
5. Points (Pts)
The big number that decides the table order.
- Win = 3 pts
- Draw = 1 pt
- Loss = 0 pts
Quick Stories from the Table
Nashville SC — The Leaders
- Best record: 13 wins, only 2 losses.
- Stingy defense: Only 15 goals allowed in 19 games (less than 1 per game!).
- Biggest goal difference: +24. They dominate.
Inter Miami — The Entertainers
- Most goals scored: 46! (Tied with Cincinnati).
- But they also let in 36 — games are wild when they play.
- 5 points behind Nashville with a game in hand? Still in the hunt.
FC Cincinnati — The Rollercoaster
- 46 goals for, 46 against. Every game is a shootout.
- GD of just +1 — they win high-scoring games, lose high-scoring games.
Atlanta United — The Strugglers
- Only 4 wins all season.
- -13 goal difference — they’re leaking goals and not scoring enough.
- Bottom of the table, but season’s not over!
How to Read the Table Like a Pro (In 3 Steps)
- Look at Points first. That’s the ranking.
- Check Goal Difference if points are tied.
- Notice "Games Played." A team with fewer games played could catch up if they win their remaining games.
Summary
- Nashville SC is clearly the best team so far — great defense, efficient offense.
- Inter Miami scores for fun but defends poorly — exciting but risky.
- The middle of the table (3rd–9th) is tight — only 6 points separate 3rd from 9th.
- Bottom four teams (Montréal, Philly, Atlanta) are struggling, but with ~15 games left, anything can happen.
- Goal Difference is the tiebreaker — so every goal counts, even in a 5-0 win or a 4-1 loss.
FAQ
Why do some teams have fewer games played?
MLS schedules aren’t perfectly even every week. Teams might have had bye weeks, postponed games (weather, travel), or international breaks. They’ll play those games later.
What happens at the end of the season?
The top teams (usually top 7–9) make the playoffs — a knockout tournament to decide the conference champion. The conference champs then play for the MLS Cup (league title).
Can a team with fewer points finish higher?
No — points always decide final position. But a team with games in hand can overtake others by winning those extra games.
Why is Goal Difference used as a tiebreaker?
It rewards teams that win convincingly and don’t collapse when losing. It encourages attacking soccer and punishes "parking the bus" (defending only).
Where’s the Western Conference?
This table is only the Eastern Conference (15 teams). There’s a separate Western Conference table with 14 teams. The two conference champs meet in the MLS Cup final.
Table data sourced from BBC Sport. Standings reflect games played through the current matchweek.