Timbers host Houston in home finale with playoff hopes on the line; Thorns set seed at Houston (Nov. 1)
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The Portland Timbers host the Houston Dynamo on Sunday night at Providence Park in their last home game of the MLS regular season, on Apple TV and nationally on FS1.
Portland is 11th in the Western Conference with 40 points, three points out of a playoff spot with two games left.
The Portland Thorns, already in the NWSL playoffs, close the regular season at the Houston Dash at 2 p.m. on ESPN+ with their seed still undecided.
Sophia Wilson, the Thorns' leading scorer with 13 goals, is eligible again after a two-match suspension.
It's a Houston doubleheader for Portland soccer fans on Sunday, Nov. 1, and both games carry playoff stakes. The Thorns play the Houston Dash in Texas in the afternoon, then the Timbers host the Houston Dynamo at Providence Park in a game they likely need to win to keep their season going.
Timbers: win and keep the door open
The Timbers come in on back-to-back wins, 3-2 over Charlotte FC on Oct. 24 and 3-2 at St. Louis City SC on Oct. 28, but still sit 11th in the West at 11-14-7 with 40 points, according to the Dynamo's match preview. The club says Portland is three points out of a postseason spot with two regular-season games left, per its matchday notes.
Houston is the tougher draw on paper. The Dynamo have already clinched a playoff berth and are pushing for a top-four finish after a 1-0 win at Seattle on Wednesday, the club said. Houston beat Portland 3-2 in March on a goal by Mateusz Bogusz deep into second-half stoppage time.
Kristoffer Velde leads Portland with 10 goals and 10 assists, according to Houston's preview. Defender Kamal Miller will miss the match after his red card at St. Louis; coach Martí Cifuentes addressed the absence this week, the Timbers said.
It is also Native American Heritage Night at Providence Park, with demonstrations from members of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and a limited-edition scarf for sale, the club said. Captain Diego Chara, 40, announced Oct. 26 that he will play one more season and retire after the 2027 MLS Sprint Season, according to the Timbers.
How to watch: The Timbers list a 6:30 p.m. start, while the Dynamo list kickoff at 6:45 p.m. Pacific. The match streams on Apple TV and airs nationally on FS1 and Fox Deportes. Radio is on 105.1 The Fan, with a Spanish-language call on La GranD 1150 AM/93.5 FM.
What's next: Portland closes the regular season on Decision Day, Saturday, Nov. 7, at Austin FC at 4 p.m., according to the club. The MLS Cup Playoffs open Nov. 18 with wild-card games between each conference's eighth and ninth seeds, according to MLS.
Thorns: playing for seeding
The Thorns clinched their 10th straight playoff trip with a 1-0 win over North Carolina on Oct. 23, the club said in its match report. They enter NWSL Decision Day seventh at 13-8-8 with 47 points, level with sixth-place Utah on points and goal difference, according to Undrafted.
Seeding matters because the higher seed hosts the quarterfinals, set for Nov. 6 through 8, and the bracket pairs No. 2 with No. 7 and No. 3 with No. 6, per the NWSL. The semifinals follow Nov. 13 through 15, and the championship is Nov. 21 at Audi Field in Washington.
Sophia Wilson leads Portland with 13 goals and five assists and is eligible after missing two matches through suspension, according to the Dash's preview. Portland has scored in 13 straight matches, a club record for a single season. Houston, out of the race, has rookie forward Kat Rader one goal from tying the NWSL single-season rookie record of 11.
How to watch: All eight Decision Day matches kick off at the same time, 2 p.m. Pacific. Thorns at Dash streams on ESPN+, and ESPN2 carries a live whip-around show, according to ESPN. Willamette News will have more when Portland's playoff opponent is set.
Sources
Portland Timbers: Matchday notes for Timbers vs. Houston (Nov. 1, 2026)
Houston Dynamo FC: Match preview at Portland (Oct. 31, 2026)
Portland Timbers: 2026 regular season schedule; Timbers: Diego Chara retirement announcement (Oct. 26, 2026)
MLSsoccer.com: Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs key dates
Portland Thorns: Thorns clinch 2026 playoff berth (Oct. 23, 2026)
Houston Dash: Match preview vs. Portland (Oct. 31, 2026); ESPN Press Room: Decision Day coverage
Cover photo: Providence Park, Portland Timbers vs. Columbus Crew, 2016-03-05, by Tech. Sgt. John Hughel, 142nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
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