DSL 2026 Regular Season — 19 Weeks in Review
After 19 weeks of regular-season play, the standings are finally set — and what a season it has been.
There have been big swings, unexpected runs, close battles and plenty of movement throughout the table. But now the regular season is officially over, there is no more chasing the top teams. The league moves into its next phase, where the standings are reset into three divisions and every game matters on the road to the playoffs.
Taiwan All-Stars — The team to beat
The Taiwan All-Stars have been the standout team of the regular season.
They started Week 1 in 4th, climbed to 3rd in Weeks 2 and 3, and then took over 1st place in Week 4. From that point on, they never looked back.
For the final 16 weeks of the regular season, Taiwan remained at the top of the standings. While everyone around them was moving up and down, Taiwan managed to maintain an extraordinary level of consistency.
They finish the regular season exactly where they have spent most of it: 1st place.
But that consistency now has to translate into playoff qualification. The top four teams will form the Red Division, and Taiwan will have to battle the other three teams in their division for one of the two playoff spots.
Hangarounds — Always right behind
The Hangarounds have been Taiwan’s closest companion for much of the season.
They started in 2nd, briefly took the top spot in Week 3, and then settled back into 2nd. Apart from a few weeks of movement around the middle of the season, they have remained firmly among the league’s strongest teams.
They finish the regular season 2nd, putting them directly into the Red Division and giving them an excellent opportunity to secure one of the two playoff places available from the division.
Crosshill Creeps — Finishing with a statement
The Crosshill Creeps may be the team that finished the regular season with the most momentum.
They spent much of the season bouncing between the middle positions, but their late-season surge was impressive. From Week 14 onward, they started climbing steadily, eventually moving from 6th to 3rd place.
That means the Creeps finish the regular season on the podium and, more importantly, earn themselves a place in the Red Division.
Now comes the real test: instead of chasing teams above them, they’ll be playing against them. Taiwan, Hangarounds, Crosshill Creeps and the 4th-ranked team will battle directly for the two playoff spots.
Pink Panthers — A season of huge swings
Few teams have had a more interesting journey than the Pink Panthers.
They began the season in 3rd before falling all the way to 8th in Week 2. For much of the early season, they looked like they might remain near the bottom half of the standings.
Then everything changed.
The Panthers climbed steadily and produced one of the biggest surges of the season, jumping from 6th to 2nd in Week 10. They remained around the top of the table for much of the second half before eventually settling into 4th place.
They now enter the Red Division, where they’ll have the opportunity to prove that their mid-season run was more than just a hot streak.
Crawdads — A strong recovery
The Crawdads had a very different journey.
Starting the season in 9th, they gradually worked their way up the standings. By Week 8 they had reached 3rd, establishing themselves as a serious contender.
They couldn’t quite maintain that position throughout the second half, but their overall improvement was significant.
They finish the regular season in 6th, meaning they will now join the Blue Division alongside the teams ranked 5th, 7th and 8th.
And this could be an interesting division for them: instead of worrying about the four teams above them, they now only need to focus on winning their division.
Mashed-Topes — The middle of the pack gets a new target
The Mashed-Topes have spent much of the season around the middle of the standings.
They had a particularly strong early stretch, reaching 3rd around Weeks 5–7, before gradually falling back toward the middle of the table.
They finish the regular season in 5th and will therefore join the Blue Division.
With the new format, their regular-season position is no longer the main story. They now have a very clear objective:
Win the Blue Division and earn the playoff spot.
Red Herrings — The ultimate roller coaster
The Red Herrings have probably had the most unpredictable season of anyone.
They went from 5th in Week 1 to 1st in Week 2, before falling all the way to 8th by Week 7.
They recovered again, reaching 4th and spending much of the season around the middle of the standings, before eventually finishing 7th.
That puts them into the Blue Division.
The good news? They don’t need to worry about the teams at the top anymore. Their path to the playoffs is much simpler now: finish first in the Blue Division.
Wizards — From #2 to 8th
The Wizards’ season is perhaps the most dramatic story of the regular season.
They opened the entire season in 2nd place, but by Week 3 they had dropped to 9th.
They managed several recoveries throughout the season, including runs back to 5th, but ultimately couldn’t regain their early-season form.
They finish 8th and enter the Blue Division.
It’s been a roller coaster — but the new format gives them a clean opportunity to turn the season around.
Brew Bears — Looking for a strong finish
The Brew Bears spent most of the regular season in the lower half of the standings.
They started in 10th, briefly climbed as high as 7th, but eventually settled around 9th for much of the season. They finish in 9th place and will enter the White Division.
The White Division gives them a fresh opportunity to finish the season strongly and compete for the final playoff spot.
Donkeys — Finding some stability
The Donkeys had a difficult start, dropping from 8th to 11th early in the season.
They eventually recovered to 10th and have remained there for much of the second half.
They finish the regular season 10th, giving them a place in the White Division alongside the Brew Bears and Capybaras.
With only three teams in the division, every game will be especially important.
Capybaras — The newcomers with a bright future
The Capybaras may have finished 11th, but their season shouldn’t be judged simply by their position in the standings.
As newcomers to the league, they have made significant progress throughout the season and have shown that they can compete.
They have had multiple close games that could easily have gone their way. A few different moments, a couple of better breaks or a handful of converted opportunities could have produced a very different record.
Most importantly, the Capybaras have shown improvement throughout their first season. They have gained experience, learned what it takes to compete in the DSL and, perhaps most importantly, demonstrated that there is plenty of potential within the team.
Their 11th-place finish doesn’t tell the whole story.
The Capybaras are a new team with a bright future, and their development will be one of the things worth watching in the seasons to come.
The Regular Season Is Over — Now It Gets Serious
The biggest change heading into the next phase is that there is no longer any chasing of the teams above you.
The regular-season standings are set.
The league will now be split into three divisions:
RED DIVISION
Ranks 1–4
- Taiwan All-Stars
- Hangarounds
- Crosshill Creeps
- Pink Panthers
Two playoff spots available
BLUE DIVISION
Ranks 5–8
- Crawdads
- Mashed-Topes
- Red Herrings
- Wizards
One playoff spot available
WHITE DIVISION
Ranks 9–11
- Brew Bears
- Donkeys
- Capybaras
One playoff spot available
Each division will play a single round robin against the other teams in their division.
And that’s what makes this next stage so interesting.
A team that finished 6th doesn’t need to worry about catching 5th, 4th or 3rd anymore. A team that finished 9th doesn’t need to climb the entire table.
Everyone has a new, much more immediate target.
The Road to the Playoffs
At the end of the divisional round robin, the playoff field will consist of:
- 1st place Red Division
- 2nd place Red Division
- 1st place Blue Division
- 1st place White Division
Those four teams will meet on the single playoff day, with the championship ultimately coming down to the teams that can perform when the pressure is highest.
So while Taiwan All-Stars may have dominated the first 19 weeks, none of that guarantees them a place in the playoffs.
The same is true for everyone else.
The regular season determined where everyone starts.
The division round robin determines who gets to play for the championship.
And now, every game counts.
