Every 1996 MLS race charted day by day: Eastern, Western and Supporters' Shield. Final standings, from a season that ran April 6 to September 22, 1996.
Loading season data…
Eastern standings, 1996
Team
W
L
T
PTS
L10
Streak
Tampa Bay Mutiny (TBM)s
20
12
0
58
7-3-0
W6
D.C. United (DC)x
16
16
0
46
7-3-0
W2
New York/New Jersey MetroStars (RBNY)x
15
17
0
39
4-6-0
L1
Columbus Crew (CLB)x
15
17
0
37
9-1-0
W1
New England Revolution (NE)
15
17
0
33
4-6-0
L3
Final standings.
Clinch key
x
clinched a playoff place
s
clinched the Supporters' Shield
Turning points
Wire to wire: Tampa Bay Mutiny held first place on every charted day.
Columbus Crew won 8 games in a row from August 4, 1996 to September 15, 1996, the longest run of the race.
The top two ended the day within three points of each other on 15 of the 77 days played.