PalpiGol News · AMERICAN SOCCER
MLS Decision Day: Nashville chase points record, West race goes to wire
Major League Soccer closes its regular season today with Decision Day: all 15 games on one Saturday, with the Eastern Conference kicking off together at 4pm ET and the West at 7pm ET. Nashville SC, already Supporters' Shield winners, need only a draw to set a new league points record, and six Western clubs are chasing the last three playoff places.
In 30 seconds: Nashville SC (74 pts) need a draw at FC Cincinnati to break the MLS single-season points record · Six West teams, separated by three points, fight for three playoff spots · Lionel Messi (26 goals) closes in on back-to-back Golden Boots · Real Madrid visit Valencia without Vinícius Júnior · In Brazil, Atlético-MG need a three-goal win over Grêmio to reach the Copa do Brasil final
Decision Day: what's at stake
By the numbers: 74 · points for Nashville SC, level with Inter Miami's 2024 record
By the numbers: 26 · league goals for Lionel Messi, four ahead of FC Dallas' Petar Musa
By the numbers: 3 · points separating six Western clubs chasing three places
Nashville (22-3-8) have already locked up the Supporters' Shield, the trophy for the best regular-season record. A draw at FC Cincinnati breaks the 74-point mark Inter Miami set in 2024. MLS also lists other records within reach, including the fewest goals conceded in a 34-game season. Cincinnati (46 pts) have their own reason to push: a win sends them straight to Round One and keeps them out of the Wild Card game.
In the East, all nine playoff places are settled, so the fight is about seeding and home-field advantage in the best-of-three first round. Inter Miami (59) host Charlotte knowing a win secures second place ahead of New England (58), who visit Orlando. Chicago (55) host Columbus with fourth place in sight, and Philadelphia (47) need only a draw against Toronto to avoid the Wild Card round.
Messi, meanwhile, would become the first player to win the Golden Boot in consecutive seasons, according to the league.
Highlight: A single point tonight gives Nashville the best regular season in MLS history.
| # | Team | Pts | GP | W |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | LA Galaxy | 44 | 33 | 11 |
| 8 | Portland Timbers | 43 | 33 | 12 |
| 9 | Colorado Rapids | 43 | 33 | 12 |
| 10 | Seattle Sounders | 43 | 33 | 11 |
| 11 | Real Salt Lake | 42 | 33 | 12 |
| 12 | Minnesota United | 41 | 33 | 10 |
Seventh place goes straight to Round One; eighth and ninth play the Wild Card matches on Thursday, Nov 19. The Galaxy clinch with a win at Real Salt Lake, and Colorado (at FC Dallas) and Portland (at Austin FC) are in if they win. Seattle, who host LAFC, and Minnesota, who host San Jose, need help from elsewhere.
Around Europe
Real Madrid visit Valencia at 3pm ET (9pm in Spain) in LaLiga matchday 12. José Mourinho's side are third with 27 points and chasing an eighth straight win in all competitions. Valencia sit 19th with 9 points but come off a win at Elche. Vinícius Júnior is serving the last game of a four-match league ban and should return against Celta Vigo after the international break; Arda Güler and Aurélien Tchouaméni, rested in the Champions League, are back in the squad.
Fixture: Sat (Nov 7), 3pm · Valencia vs Real Madrid · LaLiga · matchday 12
Stateside
NFL Week 10 arrives on Sunday with the Bears and Broncos, both 6-2, on their bye along with the Eagles and Buccaneers. The slate includes an international game between the Patriots and Lions, 49ers-Cowboys, Steelers-Bengals on Sunday night and Chargers-Ravens on Monday night. Our full Week 10 review lands on Tuesday.
Brazil corner
Atlético-MG host Grêmio at 4pm ET in the second leg of the Copa do Brasil semifinals, Brazil's national knockout cup. Grêmio won the first leg 2-0, so Atlético need a three-goal win to go through; a two-goal win sends it to penalties. The winner meets Vasco or Palmeiras, who play on Sunday, in the competition's first single-game final, on Dec 6 in Brasília. In the Brasileirão, Brazil's top-flight league, Fluminense won 3-0 at Vitória on Friday and moved within three points of third-placed Cruzeiro.
Chase the dream
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Coming up
Fixture: Sat (Nov 7), 4pm · FC Cincinnati vs Nashville SC · MLS · Decision Day
Fixture: Sat (Nov 7), 4pm · Inter Miami vs Charlotte FC · MLS · Decision Day
Fixture: Sat (Nov 7), 4pm · Atlético-MG vs Grêmio · Copa do Brasil · semifinal, 2nd leg (1st leg: Grêmio 2 x 0)
Fixture: Sat (Nov 7), 7pm · Real Salt Lake vs LA Galaxy · MLS · Decision Day
Fixture: Sat (Nov 7), 7pm · Seattle Sounders vs LAFC · MLS · Decision Day
Fixture: Sun (Nov 8), 3pm · Vasco vs Palmeiras · Copa do Brasil · semifinal, 2nd leg (1st leg: Palmeiras 1 x 0)
Fixture: Thu (Nov 19) · Wild Card matches · MLS Cup Playoffs
PalpiGol prediction: FC Cincinnati 1 x 1 Nashville SC · Cincinnati need the win to skip the Wild Card round, but Nashville have lost only three times all season and a draw is all they need for the record.
All times ET. Will Nashville make history tonight? Make your prediction.
Sources: MLS (mlssoccer.com); NFL (nfl.com); Real Madrid (realmadrid.com); CBF (cbf.com.br); Sports Illustrated; The Sports Encounter; O Tempo; Gazeta Esportiva; 7 Televalència; VAVEL; Bolavip.