MLS Season Returns: Top five contenders after the World Cup

The 2026 World Cup has all but drawn to a close as we await the result of the Final between Spain and Argentina on Sunday, June 19.

Soccer betting hit an absolute high with this summer's World Cup, the biggest ever with 48 teams, and many recreational bettors, perhaps even yourself, may have picked up a bug for betting on soccer.

Fortunately, as the World Cup ends, several other leagues return, including Major League Soccer (MLS) and Liga MX, two sports familiar to those who have been utilizing Dimers soccer predictions for a while.

MLS kicked off its season in February before taking a break for this year's World Cup, and the league could be more popular than ever after the USA's run to the Round of 16.

With the season returning on Thursday, July 16, we're giving you a look at everything that's available on Dimers for the second half of the MLS season, as well as our preview of the top five teams by championship probability.

While our futures value bets below are available to all, you'll need a Dimers Pro subscription to take full advantage of our MLS predictions, best bets and more this season - save 50% when you sign up for Dimers Pro below!

How to use Dimers MLS Predictions

Our Dimers Pro MLS predictions cover three primary markets: moneyline, total and correct scores. 

Here's what kind of insights you'll find within each MLS prediction on match day:

• Moneyline: Win, loss and draw probabilities for each team. Bets with an edge will be identified as recommended plays via our Best MLS Bets page
• Over/Under: Probabilities for match total to go over or under designated line. Bets with an edge will be identified as recommended plays
• Correct Scores: Probabilities for each individual result (0-0, 1-0, 0-2, etc) 

From midweek fixtures to rivalry weekends, Dimers will be your go-to MLS research hub before placing a bet between now and the MLS Cup Final.

Get Dimers Pro for 50% off with promo code SOCCER26: To celebrate the return of the league and even more soccer than we just had with the global tournament, we're offering all new users 50% off their first week of Dimers Pro when they sign up with the promo code SOCCER26 at here.

Top 5 contenders to win the MLS Cup

You can find predictions for every single team in the MLS and their outlook for the remainder of the season in our MLS Futures, which update all season long with our latest probability for each team to win the MLS Cup, alongside the best available odds.

Below, you'll find our current top five probabilities to win it all.

Inter Miami — 25.0% (+350)

As they were in preseason, Miami remains the favorite to repeat, but not quite as much as Dimers favors Messi and Co. The Herons have climbed to second in the East early this season and remain the reigning MLS Cup champions with Messi still producing at an MVP level.

The +350 best odds imply a 22.2% title probability, meaning Dimers' 25.0% figure is a bit higher than the market (fair at +300).

Considering he'll be playing in the World Cup Final three days before Inter Miami's first match back, the team will likely be without Messi right away, but has been built to win even if he's absent for a spell.

Notably, they're also down from the preseason price of +450 and up form our probability around 24%, as we pointed out before the season began.

Vancouver Whitecaps — 13.6% (+600)

Vancouver was one win away from an MLS Cup last December and carried that form into 2026, currently sitting atop the Western Conference.

The Whitecaps have leaned on Thomas Müller in an expanded role and a defense anchored by reigning Defender of the Year Tristan Blackmon.

+600 odds carry an implied 14.3% probability, which is actually a touch higher than the Dimers model's 13.6% prediction, so this is a case where the market is slightly more bullish, even though we make Vancouver a top contender.

Nashville SC — 11.9% (+1000)

Nashville has been arguably the story of the early season.

After pulling a tough draw against Miami in Round 1 of last year's MLS Cup playoffs, Nashville is leading the Eastern Conference outright and their +1000 odds imply just a 9.1% title chance, well below Dimers' 11.9% projection, making Nashville the clearest value play among these five teams.

Fair odds would be +740, putting them closer to Vancouver than the team they're tied with in the odds, LAFC.

LAFC — 5.0% (+1000)

Speaking of...LAFC has a loaded roster built around Denis Bouanga and Son Heung-min, with new manager Marc Dos Santos taking over after Steve Cherundolo's departure.

The results in 2026 so far have been solid rather than spectacular, with the club sitting in the middle of the Western playoff pack rather than out front, closer to the outside looking in than they are to the top spot.

At +1000, their implied probability is the same as Nashville's 9.1%, but notably higher than Dimers' 5.0%, nearly double, with fair odds of +1900 well off what you can find on the sportsbooks.

Seattle Sounders — 4.8% (+2000)

Seattle enters the second half with nearly the same roster that won last year's Leagues Cup, and early results have them in the mix in the West, right alongside LAFC.

At +2000, their implied probability comes out to 4.8%, essentially identical to Dimers' 4.8% figure, yet double the odds of the higher-priced LAFC, making Seattle the lone case on this list where the model and the market are in near-perfect agreement.

Full MLS Betting Tools on Dimers

• MLS Best Bets: Highest-value wagers with measurable edge vs sportsbooks

• MLS Match Predictions: Our in-depth preview for every match

• MLS Futures: Championship projections and season-long betting insights

• MLS Odds: Compare prices across sportsbooks instantly

• MLS News: Match previews and betting breakdowns

Dimers and Responsible Gambling

Please remember to enjoy gambling responsibly. Responsible gambling means setting limits, staying in control, and understanding that luck is just part of the game. Make informed choices, set a budget, and know when to take a break. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-MY-RESET.