NEW YORK, NEW YORK (October 20, 2026) – MLS NEXT Pro announced today the matchups and schedule for the second round of the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs. All four matches of the Conference Semifinals will take place Sunday, October 25. Following the recent Conference Quarterfinals, the eight remaining clubs learned who they will face in the semifinal round through the League’s Pick-Your-Opponent format on Tuesday, which allowed the top seed in each conference to select its opponent for the next round.
No. 1 in the Western Conference and overall, Austin FC II, selected the lowest seed available in No. 6 LAFC 2, while No. 1 Crown Legacy FC opted to face the higher of the two remaining teams in the Eastern Conference, No. 4 Columbus Crew 2. The next highest remaining seeds in each conference, No. 2 Portland Timbers2 (West) and No. 2 Chattanooga FC (East), will host No. 3 Ventura County FC and No. 7 CT United FC, respectively, to round out the Conference Semifinals schedule.
The Conference Semifinals schedule is as follows, with all matches airing on OneFootball.com and MLSNEXTPro.com.
Eastern Conference
Sunday, October 25
Chattanooga FC (No. 2) vs CT United FC (No. 7) – Finley Stadium (5 p.m. ET)
Crown Legacy FC (No. 1) vs Columbus Crew 2 (No. 4) – Sportsplex at Matthews (7 p.m. ET)
Western Conference
Sunday, October 25
Austin FC II (No. 1) vs LAFC 2 (No. 6) – Parmer Field (8:30 p.m. ET)
Portland Timbers2 (No. 2) vs Ventura County FC (No. 3) – Providence Park (10 p.m. ET)
Semifinal Matchups
No. 1 overall Austin FC II faces No. 6 LAFC 2 on Sunday at Parmer Field. Austin FC II set the standard for defensive play during the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro regular season, conceding the fewest goals across the League (21) over the span of 28 matches. The Texas club’s stability in the defensive third helped the club record the best goal differential (+33) during the regular season, while being just one of two teams to record double-digit wins at home (tied with No. 2 Chattanooga FC). Austin FC II holds the regular season advantage, defeating LAFC 2 in the sole match between the clubs during the 2026 season. In the other Western Conference Semifinal, No. 2 Portland Timbers2 hosts No. 3 Ventura County FC. Timbers2 also relied on a stifling defensive record to climb the standings and secure the club’s first-ever playoff berth in 2026, recording the second-fewest goals allowed (29). Timbers2 and Ventura County FC shared the spoils during the regular season, with both clubs posting 1-1-1 records against each other. Â
In the Eastern Conference, No. 1 Crown Legacy FC hosts No. 4 Columbus Crew 2 in a match featuring the League’s highest scoring offense; Crown Legacy FC led all teams in scoring (67 goals) in 2026. Crown Legacy FC also recorded the second-best goal differential in 2026 (+28). The Conference Semifinal match will be the first fixture between Crown Legacy FC and Columbus Crew 2 this year, as the clubs did not face each other in the regular season. Rounding out the Conference Semifinals, No. 2 Chattanooga FC marches on in the 2026 Playoffs, this time hosting fellow independent club CT United FC in the Scenic City. Chattanooga FC scored the fifth-most goals during the 2026 season (56), and matched Austin FC II’s league-best home record of 10-2-2. The independent clubs faced each other once during the regular season, with Chattanooga FC earning the victory at home.
How They Got Here – Conference Quarterfinal Results
The Conference Quarterfinals took place October 16-18, with two upsets shaking up the playoff field.
In the Western Conference, the No. 1-3 seeds defended home field advantage to advance out of the Conference Quarterfinals. Austin FC II orchestrated a comeback, defeating No. 8 San Jose Earthquakes II 2-1 thanks to Patrick Gryczewski’s sensational effort in the 88th minute. No. 2 Portland Timbers2 kept a clean sheet to earn a 2-0 victory against No. 7 St Louis CITY2. No. 3 Ventura County FC won a five-goal thriller against No. 5 MNUFC2, with Arnau Vilamitjana netting the game winner in the first half of extra time (96’). No. 6 LAFC 2 secured the lone upset in the Western Conference, going on the road to defeat No. 4 Houston Dynamo 2, 2(4)-2(3), in a penalty shootout.
In the Eastern Conference, three of the top four seeds earned victories to continue their postseason campaigns. No. 1 Crown Legacy FC ousted defending champions, No. 8 Red Bull New York II, 2-1, thanks to a pair of first half goals. No. 2 Chattanooga FC earned a 3-1 victory at home against No. 6 New York City FC II, while No. 4 Columbus Crew 2 defeated New England Revolution II, 2-1. No. 7 CT United FC provided the only upset in the Eastern Conference, defeating No. 3 Atlanta United, 1-0, on the road through Barnabás Tanyi’s 5th minute strike.
Up Next
After two rounds of Pick-Your-Opponent, the Conference Finals (weekend of October 30) and MLS NEXT Pro Cup (weekend of November 6) will follow a traditional bracket style. As the No. 1 overall seed (best regular season record), Austin FC II is guaranteed home field throughout the Playoffs – the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Cup Champions made a triumphant return to the postseason after missing the 2024 and 2025 editions.
Complete details on the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs are available at MLSNEXTPro.com.
