Quick answer: MLP scores work on two levels. A match is four doubles games to 11, with a singles DreamBreaker to 21 if the teams split 2-2. The season standings then run on a separate points grid, where one Sunday match per event pays between 25 and 0 points. The New Jersey 5s topped the 2026 table with 118.
The 30-second version
- A match is four doubles games to 11. A 2-2 split goes to a singles DreamBreaker.
- Standings points come from one Sunday match per event: 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 1 or 0.
- Every event pays out exactly 100 points.
- 2026 cut line: Chicago made the playoffs with 33 points. California missed with 31.
Major League Pickleball has no New England team, so most of us follow it through a scoreboard. It’s confusing at first, because the number that decides the playoffs isn’t a win-loss record. Here’s how to read it.
How do MLP scores work in a single match?
An MLP match is four games, and the team that wins more of them wins the match. The order is women’s doubles, men’s doubles, then two mixed doubles games. Each game goes to 11 with side-out scoring, and you have to win by two.
If the teams split 2-2, they play a DreamBreaker: singles to 21 with rally scoring, players rotating every four rallies, and it must be won on serve. The league’s live ticker shows each match in five columns: W, M, MX1, MX2 and D. Our DreamBreaker explainer covers the fifth, and our scoring guide covers side-out scoring.
How do MLP standings points work?
Standings points come from a single match on the last day of each event. All 20 teams play five of the nine regular-season events. At each one, two groups play a round robin, then each team meets its opposite number from the other group on Sunday.
| Sunday match | Winner | Loser |
|---|---|---|
| Group winners | 25 | 18 |
| Second place | 15 | 12 |
| Third place | 10 | 8 |
| Fourth place | 6 | 4 |
Fifth place in a group earns 1 point and sixth earns 0. The Mid-Season Tournament adds 10, 6 and 4 for the top three. So a team’s 23 group matches never score directly. They only decide which Sunday match it gets, and losing the top one still pays more than winning the second.
That grid adds up to 100 points per event. We totaled the league’s table to check: all nine event columns sum to 100, and the season total is 920.
What were the final 2026 MLP standings?
The New Jersey 5s finished first with 118 points, seven ahead of the St. Louis Shock. The top 12 made the playoffs and the top four earned a bye. This is the table as MLP showed it on October 10, 2026.
| Rank | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey 5s | 118 |
| 2 | St. Louis Shock | 111 |
| 3 | Los Angeles Mad Drops | 86 |
| 4 | Columbus Sliders | 83 |
| 5 | Brooklyn Pickleball Team | 78 |
| 6 | Dallas Flash | 72 |
| 7 | Palm Beach Royals | 54 |
| 8 | Texas Ranchers | 48 |
| 9 | Atlanta Bouncers | 36 |
| 10 | Las Vegas Night Owls | 34 |
| 10 | SoCal Hard Eights | 34 |
| 12 | Chicago Slice | 33 |
| 13 | California Black Bears | 31 |
| 14 | Orlando Squeeze | 26 |
| 15 | Miami Pickleball Club | 24 |
| 16 | Utah Black Diamonds | 17 |
| 17 | Bay Area Breakers | 15 |
| 17 | Florida Smash | 15 |
| 19 | Phoenix Flames | 3 |
| 20 | Carolina Hogs | 2 |
Two things are easy to misread. The heavy line under Chicago is the playoff cut, which came down to two points. And MLP’s average column divides by six, not five, because it counts the Mid-Season Tournament. New Jersey’s 118 shows as 19.7.
The top two seeds then met in the final, and New Jersey won it. See our MLP Finals recap and playoff guide.
Where can New England fans follow MLP scores next?
MLP’s own standings page and score ticker are the official source, and matches stream on Pickleball TV. The league says full matches go on its YouTube channel after each match day.
The closest franchises to us are the Brooklyn Pickleball Team and the New Jersey 5s. The 2026 schedule put two events in New York City, a late-June stop and the Central Park finals in late August. That’s a train ride from southern New England.
The next scores to follow are from the first MLP Nations Cup, October 30 to November 1 in Dallas. Eight teams play a two-day round robin, then a single-elimination bracket on Sunday. The United States roster includes Ben Johns and Anna Bright. More: PPA Tour vs. MLP, how the MLP draft works, and the Pro Corner.
Frequently asked questions
How are MLP scores kept?
Each match is four doubles games to 11 with side-out scoring, win by two. If the teams split 2-2, a singles DreamBreaker to 21 with rally scoring decides it.
How many points is an MLP event win worth?
Winning the Sunday match between the two group winners is worth 25 standings points. The loser of that match earns 18.
How many MLP teams make the playoffs?
Twelve of the 20 teams qualify, seeded by regular-season standings points. Seeds one through four get a first-round bye.
Who finished first in the 2026 MLP standings?
The New Jersey 5s finished first with 118 points, ahead of the St. Louis Shock with 111 and the Los Angeles Mad Drops with 86.
Is there an MLP team in New England?
No. The nearest franchises are the Brooklyn Pickleball Team and the New Jersey 5s, and the league played two 2026 events in New York City.
Sources: Major League Pickleball’s standings page, How MLP Works, FAQ and Nations Cup page, plus its 2026 Competition Format Overview, all read October 10, 2026. Totals are our own addition. By Jason Regan, USA Pickleball Ambassador, Leominster, MA.