The Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs are here, with eye-catching matchups across the Eastern Conference and Western Conference.

We’ve heard all season about clubs that have established themselves as favorites, and about superstar players who can lead their teams to glory.

But instead of focusing on those squads, today we’re diving into three dark horse candidates who could make a deep run during the 2026 playoffs.

The Columbus Crew are the most in-form team in MLS. They’re red-hot at the right time, with six straight wins to end the regular season, and Laurent Courtois has implemented a similar style of play that made the Crew a consistent contender under Wilfried Nancy.

But what’s truly made the difference in Columbus’ incredible run is the players they signed during the summer transfer window. Brais Méndez (6g/4a) has been elite in midfield, Santi Rodríguez (3g/8a) offers another strong creative outlet, and Gonzalo Tapia has been a goalscoring machine with 6g/2a in just six starts.

Full credit to the front office for bringing in the right pieces and not giving up on the season when a shot at reaching the playoffs looked unlikely at best earlier this year.

I also want to shout out Taha Habroune and Dylan Chambost. Habroune, for me, is the best young player in MLS that no one talks about. He is so underappreciated and brings tactical flexibility that makes him lethal. Chambost has given the Crew a creative element deeper in midfield. He’s good technically and in possession and has upgraded his final product this year, especially lately, with five assists in his last four games. With all these pieces clicking, it’s no surprise Columbus turned it on as their campaign wound down.

Their Round One opponent is Inter Miami, and I think it’s a perfect matchup for the Crew to spring an upset. Columbus’ attack is firing on all cylinders right now, while the Herons’ defense has been a major pain point all season. The Crew aren’t afraid to dominate possession and have plenty of attackers who can break down Miami’s beleaguered backline. Columbus will be the underdog, and beating Lionel Messi and Miami in the playoffs is no easy task… but I can tell you from experience, they’re not infallible. The Crew have a real shot.

Flash back to May 24.

The Philadelphia Union played their final match before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, falling 6-4 to Inter Miami CF. The loss ensured they’d enter the break last in the East (seven points) and coincided with the club parting ways with 2025 Sigi Schmid Coach of the Year winner Bradley Carnell.

Enter interim coach Ryan Richter, who’s hit an absolute home run since taking over.

He’s shored up the back line, bringing youngster Neil Pierre back from loan and star defender Kai Wagner back from Birmingham City. He made offensive adjustments, pairing Milan Iloski up front with Bruno Damiani, which has led to a breakout second half of the season for both players. And of course, the biggest move of all was giving the keys to the team over to teenage sensation Cavan Sullivan.

Richter's coaching decisions seem to have paid off in spades. Pierre is now a USMNT center back, Iloski ended the season fifth in the Golden Boot presented by Audi race (19g/7a), Damiani scored 13 goals (12 after the World Cup break), and Sullivan has emerged as one of the league’s top players in the latter half of the season with 8g/11a post-World Cup. Look at how that compares to Lionel Messi (14g/9a) and Antoine Griezmann (14/8a) over that span! Even Quinn Sullivan, who returned from an ACL injury earlier this year, has elevated his game.

All in all, the Union have put together one of the best turnarounds in recent memory in 2026. Under Richter, they’ve returned to their Philly roots. They press high, get numbers in the box, and have some of the league's best chance-creation numbers. They’ve taken 43 of a possible 57 points since Richter took charge, and they’ll be an extremely tough out for the New England Revolution in Round One.

Like Columbus, it became really hard to bet against the Portland Timbers down the stretch this season. They’re hotter than anyone in the West right now with four consecutive wins, and head coach Martí Cifuentes has really started to get the best out of his squad, specifically his front four.

It’s a front four with a lot of expectations and they’ve answered the call this year. Cifuentes has unlocked David Da Costa (7g/11a) in a way so many Timbers fans were hoping for; his play in the final third has greatly improved. Meanwhile, Vincent Janssen has added an immediate goalscoring boost to help soothe the loss of Kevin Kelsy in the summer, and Ari Lassiter (8g/7a) is having the best season of his lengthy MLS career.

But the standout has been DP winger Kristoffer Velde. The Norwegian is in the best form of his Portland career, leading the team with 22 goal contributions (12g/10a) and is entering the postseason as perhaps the league’s hottest player, with four goals in his last three games.

It’s also worth noting that in their final four regular-season matches, the Timbers defeated a Western Conference contender in St. Louis, as well as two solid playoff teams in Houston and Charlotte. This team has what it takes to take down top-tier opposition.

The biggest question mark for Portland will be their defense. Joel Waterman has come in and provided stability at center back with a veteran presence, as has Ronald Hernández, who’s quietly been a great signing and helped solidify things as a defense-first outside back.

We know what Portland can do in attack. Defeating FC Dallas, with Petar Musa – MLS’s most impactful No. 9 – leading the line, will be no small task in Round One. But if the Timbers can put it all together defensively, they could be a real threat for a deep postseason run in the West.