It’s Monday, and the 2026 NWSL regular season is in full swing, which means it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings.
Who is poised for a rise in the standings? Who might experience a drop? Our writers have analyzed the results from Matchday 10 to create this week’s rankings of all 16 teams in the league. Let’s take a closer look.
Previous ranking: 1
Next match: at Chicago Stars, July 5, 5 p.m. ET
After maintaining most of the attacking pressure and holding the lead for much of the second half, the Royals ultimately settled for a 2-2 draw against Portland at Providence Park. Kiana Palacios scored an equalizer after Utah fell behind early, and a connection between Mina Tanaka and Cloé Lacasse put them ahead in the 49th minute, ending Portland’s impressive seven-game shutout streak at home. Even though they extended their unbeaten streak to 10 games, the Royals left the match with mixed emotions after conceding a stoppage-time penalty, leading to a drop in points when goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn was penalized for an eight-second violation, giving Portland a corner that resulted in a foul committed by Alexa Spaanstra.
Previous ranking: 2
Next match: vs. Houston Dash, July 3, 8 p.m. ET
Following last weekend’s defeat in the 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup final, the Spirit bounced back with a 2-1 victory against Seattle at home, marking their sixth win in seven regular-season matches. Leicy Santos opened the scoring with a long free kick in the 18th minute, but just before halftime, Seattle equalized due to an own goal by Lucia Di Guglielmo. The second half saw Washington finally breaking through when Hal Hershfelt received the ball and charged forward, scoring from distance past goalkeeper Claudia Dickey. The Spirit showcased a strong defensive effort, limiting Seattle to just 0.53 expected goals and two shots on target.
Previous ranking: 3
Next match: at San Diego Wave, July 4, 8:45 p.m. ET
Gotham secured a 1-0 home win over Houston, thanks to a brilliant strike from Jordynn Dudley. Center back Tierna Davidson delivered a lofted ball over the Dash defense, enabling Dudley to evade her marker and fire a powerful shot past goalkeeper Jane Campbell. Although Gotham controlled 60% possession and made 15 shots, the quality of many attempts was lacking, resulting in just 0.89 expected goals. Nevertheless, the NJ/NY defense stifled Houston to only six shots throughout the match. With such strong defensive performances, Gotham remains unbeaten in their last six games, conceding only one goal during this stretch.
Previous ranking: 5
Next match: vs. Gotham FC, July 4, 8:45 p.m. ET
The Wave dominated Chicago with a 2-0 victory, allowing them to secure the top position in the standings as the World Cup break approaches. San Diego struck early, scoring just three minutes into the match. Rookie Lia Godfrey assisted Dudinha, who netted the Wave’s first goal. Although San Diego was held to a single goal until late in stoppage time, they dominated numerous statistical categories, including 47 touches in the Stars’ 18-yard box and accumulating 2.58 expected goals from their 17 shots. After a Chicago equalizer was overturned by VAR in stoppage time, Trinity Byars added a second goal, securing the Wave’s fourth consecutive win against Chicago.
Previous ranking: 6
Next match: at Denver Summit, July 3, 9:30 p.m. ET
Kansas City continued its strong form in Week 10, edging out Boston with a 1-0 win at home. The lone goal came from Temwa Chawinga in the 68th minute, marking her seventh goal in her last five games. This victory allowed the Current to extend their unbeaten streak at home to a league-record 23 games, and they achieved their tenth consecutive home win, along with their third shutout of the season, despite the absence of starting center back Kayla Sharples due to injury shortly after the match started.
Previous ranking: 7
Next match: Seattle Reign, July 4, 6:30 p.m. ET
The Courage triumphed over Angel City with a 2-1 scoreline in Los Angeles. After a competitive first half, midfielder Ashley Sanchez sparked the North Carolina offense in the second half. She drove the ball upfield, passing to Manaka Matsukubo, who made a precise pass to Evelyn Ijeh for her third goal in as many matches. Sanchez contributed again on the Courage’s eventual winning goal, penetrating space and assisting Riley Jackson, who set up Matsukubo’s decisive score. When Sanchez is firing on all cylinders, North Carolina’s offense appears virtually unstoppable.
Previous ranking: 4
Next match: vs. Racing Louisville, July 5, 7 p.m. ET
Portland managed a 2-2 draw against Utah at home. In the 21st minute, Olivia Moultrie capitalized on a defensive mistake from the Royals, breaking through a trio of Utah players before scoring the opening goal. Portland struggled to recover after conceding right before and right after halftime, unable to cope with Utah’s counterpress while allowing 23 shots against. They managed to equalize thanks to a stoppage-time penalty by Sophia Wilson, ensuring they stay level on points with the Royals as the World Cup break approaches.
Previous ranking: 8
Next match: vs. Kansas City Current, July 3, 9:30 p.m. ET
Denver recorded a 1-0 away victory against Louisville, but the score doesn’t quite reflect the match’s dynamics. The Summit were in control, achieving 2.68 expected goals on 14 shots while limiting Racing to just 0.8 expected goals. The game’s only goal resulted from a perfectly placed pass by Yuzuki Yamamoto to a sliding Ally Brazier, who scored just three minutes after joining the match. Goalkeeper Abby Smith made crucial saves in the last 10 minutes to secure all three points for Denver.
Previous ranking: 11
Next match: at Angel City, July 3, 10 p.m. ET
Orlando overcome a lengthy weather delay to defeat Bay 3-1, achieving back-to-back wins for the first time in 2026. Barbra Banda was once again outstanding, scoring twice and assisting Cori Dyke‘s first tally for the club. This marks Banda’s third brace and her league-leading 11th goal this season. Unfortunately, the win was soured by the injury she sustained in the 81st minute. It’s crucial for Banda to recuperate during the World Cup break, as her absence would leave Orlando’s offense vulnerable.
Previous ranking: 9
Next match: at North Carolina Courage, July 4, 6:30 p.m. ET
Seattle fell to the Spirit with a 2-1 scoreline on the road. The Reign were largely stifled by Washington in the first half but managed to equalize thanks to an own goal from a Spirit defender in the 44th minute. Coach Laura Harvey made halftime adjustments, bringing in Sam Meza in midfield and Nérilia Mondésir to bolster the offense. While Seattle showed more attacking intent with 14 touches in the box during the second half, they only managed a meager 0.11 expected goals with two attempts, neither of which were on target. Offensive concerns persist for Seattle, who have only netted one goal in open play across their last seven matches.
Previous ranking: 10
Next match: vs. Orlando Pride, July 3, 10 p.m. ET
Angel City fell 2-1 at home to North Carolina. They went into halftime tied after a fairly uneventful first half, but after conceding early in the second half, they quickly equalized through a header from Maiara Niehues off an assist from Evelyn Shores. Despite the back-and-forth action in the match, Angel City conceded again late, marking their sixth loss in the last eight games.
Previous ranking: 13
Next match: vs. Bay FC, July 5, noon ET (stream live on ESPN)
Boston narrowly lost 1-0 to the Current at CPKC Stadium, despite showing promise in their defensive setup. They limited Kansas City’s chances effectively but fell victim to a defensive mistake in transition that led to the lone goal. The Legacy are now winless in three matches and have allowed goals in all 12 matches leading into the World Cup break.
Previous ranking: 12
Next match: at Washington Spirit, July 3, 8 p.m. ET
The Dash were defeated 1-0 by Gotham in an away match. Despite starting strong, controlling the attacking play in the first 15 minutes, Houston conceded in the 17th minute and struggled thereafter. They ended up generating only 0.19 expected goals against a disciplined Gotham defense. Heading into the World Cup break, the Dash have won only one out of their last eight matches.
Previous ranking: 14
Next match: at Boston Legacy, July 5, noon ET (stream live on ESPN)
Bay played against the Pride but lost 3-1. Though they scored first with a stunning goal from Caroline Conti, they struggled against Orlando’s counterattacking strategy. Second-string goalkeeper Emmie Allen had a challenging day, as regular starter Jordan Silkowitz is sidelined due to a recent suspension. Bay has not won in five matches and has dropped three straight.
Previous ranking: 16
Next match: vs. Utah Royals, July 5, 5 p.m. ET
Chicago suffered a 2-0 defeat to San Diego at home, marking their ninth loss in 12 games. It remains unclear whether the Stars’ attack or defense requires greater attention. They own a dismal minus-19 goal differential, the worst in the league, having managed a mere five goals all season and finding the net only once in their last six outings. While they nearly avoided another shutout against the Wave with a late goal from Jordyn Huitema that was controversially called back, the Wave quickly responded by adding a second goal, sealing Chicago’s fate.
Previous ranking: 15
Next match: at Portland Thorns, July 5, 7 p.m. ET
Louisville was defeated 1-0 by Denver at home. This marks their third consecutive loss and their second in a row at home, positioning them firmly at the bottom of the table as the World Cup break approaches. Finding positives in this defeat is challenging, but Racing were fortunate to avoid a larger margin after allowing significant possession to their opponents and facing 13 shots from inside their penalty area. Although their attack showed some life late in the game due to efforts from defender Emma Sears, it was too little and too late for Louisville.