MLS Wild Card Tiebreaking Scenarios

With a pack of teams fighting for the final two wild card berths, here are the tiebreakers that could play out as the final weekend winds to a close.

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E2/6. Chicago (10-7-12, 42 pts, v. Chivas USA, +4 GD)
7. Colorado (10-9-10, 40 pts., @ Real Salt Lake, +7 GD)
T8. FC Dallas (11-12-6, 39 pts., @ Seattle,+4 GD)
T8. D.C. United (9-8-12, 39 pts., @ Kansas City, -1 GD)
T8. New England (10-10-9, 39 pts., @ Columbus, -5 GD)
T8. Toronto FC (10-10-9, 39 pts., @ New York, -4 GD)
12. Real Salt Lake (10-12-7, 37 pts., v. Colorado, +5 GD)

Note: These tiebreakers pertain ONLY to the Wild Card race, not to the race for second place in the Eastern Conference.

Two-Way Ties

Chicago-Dallas
CHI: 1-0-1 = 4 pts
DAL: 1-0-1 = 4 pts
Winner determined by goal differential.


Chicago-New England:
CHI: 0-0-2 = 2 pts
NE: 0-0-2 = 2 pts
Chicago likely wins tiebreaker on goal differential (+4 to -5 heading into weekend)

Chicago-Toronto FC:
CHI: 1-0-1 = 4 pts
TFC: 0-1-1 = 1 pts
Chicago wins tiebreaker on head-to-head results

Colorado-FC Dallas:
COL: 1-1-1 = 4 pts
FCD: 1-1-1 = 4 pts
Winner determined by goal differential

Colorado-D.C. United:
COL: 1-1-0 = 3 pts
D.C.: 1-1-0 = 3 pts
Colorado likely wins tiebreaker by goal differential (+7 to -1 heading into the weekend)


Colorado-New England:
COL: 0-0-2 = 2 pts
N.E.: 0-0-2 = 2 pts
Colorado likely wins tiebreaker by goal differential (+7 to -5 heading into the weekend)

Colorado-Toronto FC
COL: 1-1-0 = 3 pts
TFC: 1-1-0 = 3 pts
Colorado likely wins tiebreaker by goal differential (+7 to -4 heading into the weekend)

Colorado-Real Salt Lake:
Only occurs if RSL defeats Colorado on Saturday night
COL: 1-1-1 = 4 pts
RSL: 1-1-1 = 4 pts
RSL wins the tiebreaker if it wins by two or more goals, while Colorado would win the tiebreaker on Total Goals (COL = 42, RSL = 40) in the event of a one-goal win.

FC Dallas-D.C. United:
FCD: 0-1-1 = 1 pts
D.C.: 1-0-1 = 4 pts
D.C. wins tiebreaker on head-to-head results


FC Dallas-New England:
FCD: 1-1-0 = 3 pts
N.E.: 1-1-0 = 3 pts
FC Dallas likely wins tiebreaker by goal differential (+4 to -5 heading into the weekend)

FC Dallas-Toronto FC:
FCD: 1-0-1 = 4 pts
TFC: 0-1-1 = 1 pt
FC Dallas wins tiebreaker on head-to-head results

FC Dallas-Real Salt Lake:
FCD: 1-1-0 = 3 pts
RSL: 1-1-0 = 3 pts
RSL wins tiebreaker on goal differential (RSL = +5 and a win, FCD = +4 with a draw).

D.C. United-New England:
D.C.: 0-1-1 = 1 pt
N.E.: 1-0-1 = 4 pts
New England wins tiebreaker on head-to-head results

D.C. United-Toronto FC:
D.C.: 0-1-1 = 1 pt
TFC: 1-0-1 = 4 pts
Toronto FC wins tiebreaker on head-to-head results

D.C. United-Real Salt Lake:
Only occurs with a United draw and a RSL win.
D.C.: 0-1-1 = 1 pt
RSL: 1-0-1 = 4 pts
Real Salt Lake wins tiebreaker on head-to-head results

New England-Toronto FC:
N.E.: 0-1-1 = 1 pt
TFC: 1-0-1 = 4 pts
Toronto FC wins tiebreaker on head-to-head results

New England-Real Salt Lake:
N.E.: 1-1-0 = 3 pts
RSL: 1-1-0 = 3 pts
Real Salt Lake likely wins tiebreaker by goal differential (+5 to -5 heading into the weekend)

Toronto FC-Real Salt Lake:
TFC: 1-1-0 = 3 pts
RSL: 1-1-0 = 3 pts
Real Salt Lake likely wins tiebreaker by goal differential (+5 to -4 heading into the weekend)

Three-Way Ties

Chicago-FC Dallas-D.C United:
Occurs if all three teams end on 42 points.
CHI: 1-3-1 = 4/5 = .8 pt/gm
FCD: 1-2-1 = 4/4 = 1 pt/gm
D.C.: 3-0-2 = 11/5 = 2.2 pt/gm
D.C. United wins tiebreaker by head-to-head results

Chicago-FC Dallas-New England:
Occurs if all three teams end on 42 points.
CHI: 1-1-2 = 5/4 = 1.25 pt/gm
FCD: 2-2-0 = 6/4 = 1.5 pt/gm
N.E.: 1-1-2 = 5/4 = 1.25 pt/gm
FC Dallas wins tiebreaker by head-to-head results

Colorado-Real Salt Lake-FC Dallas
:
Occurs if all three teams end on 40 points.
COL: 2-2-2 = 8/6 = 1.33 pt/gm
RSL: 2-2-1 = 7/5 = 1.4 pt/gm
FCD: 2-2-1 = 7/5 = 1.4 pt/gm
RSL wins tiebreaker on goal differential (RSL = +5 and a win, FCD = +4 with a draw over the weekend).

Colorado-Real Salt Lake-D.C. United
:
Occurs if all three teams end on 40 points.
COL: 2-2-1 = 7/5 = 1.4 pt/gm
RSL: 2-1-2 = 8/5 = 1.6 pt/gm
D.C.: 1-2-1 = 4/4 = 1 pt/gm
RSL wins tiebreaker by head-to-head results.

Colorado-Real Salt Lake-New England:
Occurs if all three teams end on 40 points.
COL: 1-1-3 = 5/5 = 1 pt/gm
RSL: 2-2-1 = 7/5 = 1.4 pt/gm
N.E.: 1-1-2 = 5/4 = 1.25 pt/gm
RSL wins tiebreaker by head-to-head results.

Colorado-Real Salt Lake-Toronto FC:
Occurs if all three teams end on 40 points:
COL: 2-2-1 = 7/5 = 1.4 pt/gm
RSL: 2-2-1 = 7/5 = 1/4 pt/gm
TFC: 2-2-0 = 6/4 = 1.5 pt/gm
TFC wins tiebreaker by head-to-head results.

FC Dallas-D.C. United-New England:
Occurs if all three teams end on 42 points
FCD: 1-2-1 = 4/4 = 1 pt/gm
D.C: 1-1-2 = 5/4 = 1.25 pt/gm
N.E. 2-1-1 = 7/4 = 1.75 pt/gm
New England wins tiebreaker by head-to-head results.

FC Dallas-D.C. United-Toronto FC:
Occurs if all three teams end on 42 points
FCD: 1-1-2 = 5/4 = 1.25 pt/gm
D.C.: 1-2-1 = 4/4 = 1 pt/gm
TFC: 1-1-2 = 5/4 = 1.25 pt/gm
FC Dallas wins tiebreaker on goal differential (FCD = +4 and D.C. = -1 heading into the weekend and both would win).

FC Dallas-New England-Toronto FC:
Occurs if all three teams end on 42 points.
FCD: 2-1-1 = 7/4 = 1.75 pt/gm
N.E.: 1-2-1 = 4/4 = 1 pt/gm
TFC: 1-1-2 = 5/4 = 1.25 pt/gm
FC Dallas wins tiebreaker by head-to-head results.

D.C. United-New England-Toronto FC:
Occurs if all three teams end on 42 points.
D.C.: 0-2-2 = 2/4 = .5 pts/gm
N.E.: 1-1-2 = 5/4 = 1.25 pts/gm
TFC: 2-0-2 = 8/4 = 2 pts/gm
Toronto FC wins tiebreaker by head-to-head results.

Four-Way Tie


Colorado, Real Salt Lake, Dallas, New England

Occurs if RSL beat Colorado, Dallas and New England draw; and DC and Toronto lose
RSL: 3-3-1 = 10/7 = 1.43 pts/gm
DAL: 3-3-1 = 10/7 = 1.43 pts/gm
NE: 2-2-2 = 8/6 = 1.33 pts/gm
COL: 2-2-4 = 10/8 = 1.25 pts/gm
Winner determined by goal differential between RSL and Dallas.

Colorado, Real Salt Lake, D.C. United, New England
Occurs if RSL beat Colorado; DC and NE draw; and Dallas and Toronto lose.
RSL: 3-2-2 = 11/7 = 1.57 pts/gm
NE: 2-1-3 = 9/6 = 1.5 pts/gm
COL: 2-2-3 = 9/7 = 1.28 pts/gm
DC: 1-3-2 = 5/6 = .83 pts/gm

Colorado, Real Salt Lake, Dallas, D.C. United
Occurs if RSL beat Colorado; Dallas and DC draw; and NE and Toronto lose.
RSL: 3-2-2 = 11/7 = 1.57 pts/gm
COL: 3-3-2 = 11/8 = 1.38 pts/gm
DC: 2-2-2 = 8/6 = 1.33 pts/gm
DAL: 2-3-2 = 8/7 = 1.14 pts/gm

Colorado, Real Salt Lake, Dallas, Toronto
Occurs if RSL beat Colorado; Dallas and Toronto draw; and DC and NE lose.
DAL: 3-2-2 = 11/7 = 1.57 pts/gm
RSL: 3-3-1 = 10/7  = 1.48 pts/gm
COL: 3-3-2 = 11/8 = 1.36 pts/gm
TOR: 2-3-1 = 7/6 = 1.17 pts/gm

Colorado, Real Salt Lake, New England, Toronto

Occurs if RSL beat Colorado; NE and Toronto both draw; DC and Dallas both lose.
TOR: 3-2-1 = 10/6 = 1.67 pts/gm
RSL: 3-3-1 = 10/7 = 1.48 pts/gm
COL: 2-2-3 = 9/7 = 1.28 pts/gm
NE: 1-2-3 = 6/6 = 1 pt/gm

Dallas, D.C. United, New England, Toronto
Occurs if Colorado and RSL draw; and Dallas, DC, NE, and Toronto all win.
TOR: 2-1-3 = 9 pts
DAL: 2-2-2 = 8 pts
NE: 2-2-2 = 8 pts
DC: 1-2-3 = 6 pts
Pts/gm are irrelevant since all four sides played the same number of matches against each other.

Colorado, Real Salt Lake, D.C. United, Toronto FC
Occurs if RSL beat Colorado; DC and Toronto both draw; and Dallas and NE both lose.
TOR: 3-2-1 = 10/6 = 1.67 pts/gm
RSL: 3-2-2 = 11/7 = 1.57 pts/gm
COL: 3-3-1 = 10/7 = 1.48 pts/gm
DC: 1-3-2 = 5/6 = .83 pts/gm

Chicago, FC Dallas, D.C. United, New England
Occurs if Chicago and Toronto lose; Dallas, DC, and NE win, and Colorado lose or draw.
DC: 3-1-3 = 12/7 = 1.71 pts/gm
NE: 2-1-3 = 9/6 =  1.5 pts/gm
DAL: 2-3-1 = 7/6 = 1.17 pts/gm
CHI: 1-3-3 = 6/7 = .86 pts/gm  

Five-Way Tie


Colorado, Real Salt Lake, New England, DC United, Dallas
Occurs if RSL beat Colorado; Dallas, DC, and NE draw; and Toronto lose.
RSL: 4-3-2 = 14/9 = 1.55 pts/gm
NE: 3-2-3 = 12/8 = 1.5 pts/gm
COL: 3-3-4 = 13/10 =  1.3 pts/gm
DC: 2-3-3 = 9/8 = 1.25 pts/gm
DAL: 3-4-2 = 11/9 = 1.22 pts/gm  

Six-Way Tie

Colorado, Real Salt Lake, Toronto, Dallas, DC United, New England
Occurs if RSL beat Colorado; and Toronto, Dallas, DC, and NE draw.
RSL: 5-4-2 = 17/10 = 1.7 pts/gm
TOR: 4-3-3 =  15/10 =  1.5 pts/gm
DAL: 4-4-3 = 15/11 = 1.36 pts/gm
COL: 4-4-4 = 16/12 = 1.33 pts/gm
NE: 3-3-4 = 13/10 = 1.3 pts/gm
DC: 2-4-4 = 10/10 = 1 pts/gm
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