Delaware City? Northern Virginia? Who's in with final playoff spot to be grabbed

TAMPA, Florida -- The final playoff spot for the 2025-26 season will be decided Friday night (March 20) when the Baltimore Kings host Delaware City FC, a first-year club that can make the post-season with a win.

The Kings, as playoff hosts in Fredericksburg, Virginia March 27-29, are guaranteed to be one of eight teams vying for a championship. Each of the top two teams in each division qualify, but in the Atlantic, only the division winner will go since the Kings will not finish as one of the top two teams in the super competitive division. 

League officials, in consultation with division teams, agreed to make Friday's game worth double points. Weather cancellations, along with difficulty in finding a suitable field and time for make up dates, resulted inj the unusual circumstance Friday. If Baltimore wins, Northern Virginia would get through as the Atlantic Division winners, extending their playoff appearance streak to five straight years. They won the league title for three straight years before falling in last year's playoffs to the eventual league champion RGV Barracudas.

The Barracudas overcame a slow start to earn one of the other playoff spots. Also through to the championship weekend: Muskegon Risers, Cincinnati Swerve, OKC Certified Lions, Roc City Boom and Cleveland Samba.