diff --git a/django/db/backends/mysql/features.py b/django/db/backends/mysql/features.py
index 7a8f974d29..0bcb05b1d1 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/mysql/features.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/mysql/features.py
@@ -48,8 +48,6 @@ class DatabaseFeatures(BaseDatabaseFeatures):
         END;
     """
     db_functions_convert_bytes_to_str = True
-    # Alias MySQL's TRADITIONAL to TEXT for consistency with other backends.
-    supported_explain_formats = {'JSON', 'TEXT', 'TRADITIONAL'}
     # Neither MySQL nor MariaDB support partial indexes.
     supports_partial_indexes = False
 
@@ -119,6 +117,15 @@ class DatabaseFeatures(BaseDatabaseFeatures):
         # EXTENDED is deprecated (and not required) in MySQL 5.7.
         return not self.connection.mysql_is_mariadb and self.connection.mysql_version < (5, 7)
 
+    @cached_property
+    def supported_explain_formats(self):
+        # Alias MySQL's TRADITIONAL to TEXT for consistency with other
+        # backends.
+        formats = {'JSON', 'TEXT', 'TRADITIONAL'}
+        if not self.connection.mysql_is_mariadb and self.connection.mysql_version >= (8, 0, 16):
+            formats.add('TREE')
+        return formats
+
     @cached_property
     def supports_transactions(self):
         """
diff --git a/django/db/backends/mysql/operations.py b/django/db/backends/mysql/operations.py
index 49ee2919f2..ef5d23214e 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/mysql/operations.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/mysql/operations.py
@@ -296,6 +296,9 @@ class DatabaseOperations(BaseDatabaseOperations):
         # Alias MySQL's TRADITIONAL to TEXT for consistency with other backends.
         if format and format.upper() == 'TEXT':
             format = 'TRADITIONAL'
+        elif not format and 'TREE' in self.connection.features.supported_explain_formats:
+            # Use TREE by default (if supported) as it's more informative.
+            format = 'TREE'
         prefix = super().explain_query_prefix(format, **options)
         if format:
             prefix += ' FORMAT=%s' % format
diff --git a/docs/ref/models/querysets.txt b/docs/ref/models/querysets.txt
index d4a922f3dc..136674be2a 100644
--- a/docs/ref/models/querysets.txt
+++ b/docs/ref/models/querysets.txt
@@ -2571,8 +2571,10 @@ because an implementation there isn't straightforward.
 
 The ``format`` parameter changes the output format from the databases's default,
 usually text-based. PostgreSQL supports ``'TEXT'``, ``'JSON'``, ``'YAML'``, and
-``'XML'``. MySQL supports ``'TEXT'`` (also called ``'TRADITIONAL'``) and
-``'JSON'``.
+``'XML'`` formats. MariaDB and MySQL support ``'TEXT'`` (also called
+``'TRADITIONAL'``) and ``'JSON'`` formats. MySQL 8.0.16+ also supports an
+improved ``'TREE'`` format, which is similar to PostgreSQL's ``'TEXT'`` output
+and is used by default, if supported.
 
 Some databases accept flags that can return more information about the query.
 Pass these flags as keyword arguments. For example, when using PostgreSQL::
@@ -2589,6 +2591,10 @@ adverse effects on your database. For example, PostgreSQL's ``ANALYZE`` flag
 could result in changes to data if there are triggers or if a function is
 called, even for a ``SELECT`` query.
 
+.. versionchanged:: 3.1
+
+    Support for the ``'TREE'`` format on MySQL 8.0.16+ was added.
+
 .. _field-lookups:
 
 ``Field`` lookups
diff --git a/docs/releases/3.1.txt b/docs/releases/3.1.txt
index 300c7a2c26..cf77bb15db 100644
--- a/docs/releases/3.1.txt
+++ b/docs/releases/3.1.txt
@@ -169,6 +169,8 @@ Models
   :class:`~django.db.models.DateTimeField`, and the new :lookup:`iso_week_day`
   lookup allows querying by an ISO-8601 day of week.
 
+* :meth:`.QuerySet.explain` now supports ``TREE`` format on MySQL 8.0.16+.
+
 Pagination
 ~~~~~~~~~~
 
diff --git a/tests/queries/test_explain.py b/tests/queries/test_explain.py
index 85e173bf3f..e3872213a0 100644
--- a/tests/queries/test_explain.py
+++ b/tests/queries/test_explain.py
@@ -71,9 +71,10 @@ class ExplainTests(TestCase):
 
     @unittest.skipUnless(connection.vendor == 'mysql', 'MySQL specific')
     def test_mysql_text_to_traditional(self):
-        # Initialize the cached property, if needed, to prevent a query for
-        # the MySQL version during the QuerySet evaluation.
+        # Ensure these cached properties are initialized to prevent queries for
+        # the MariaDB or MySQL version during the QuerySet evaluation.
         connection.features.needs_explain_extended
+        connection.features.supported_explain_formats
         with CaptureQueriesContext(connection) as captured_queries:
             Tag.objects.filter(name='test').explain(format='text')
         self.assertEqual(len(captured_queries), 1)