It’s Monday, and with the weekend’s matches from the 2026 NWSL regular season concluded, it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings.
Which teams are poised to rise? Who might be facing a downturn? Our writers have analyzed the outcomes from Matchday 15 to craft this week’s rankings for all 16 teams in the league. Let’s get started.
Previous ranking: 3
Next match: at Denver Summit, Saturday, 4 p.m. ET
The Royals dominated Portland with a 5-1 victory at home. After conceding an early goal just after halftime, Utah bounced back to score five unanswered strikes, four of which came in the second half. Cece Delzer led the charge with two goals, supported by contributions from Kiana Palacios, Brecken Mozingo, and Kate Del Fava. With this victory, the Royals have found the net 13 times in their last six matches, solidifying their status as a top contender this season.
Previous ranking: 2
Next match: vs. San Diego Wave, Friday, 8 p.m. ET
Gotham secured a narrow 1-0 win against Houston on the road. The match revolved around star player Sam Kerr, who missed a penalty in the first half but redeemed herself by scoring shortly after the break. She converted a cross from Guro Reiten to give Gotham the lead, which they maintained until the end. Goalkeeper Shelby Hogan, filling in for regular starter Ann-Katrin Berger, made six crucial saves. This marks an impressive unbeaten streak of six matches, with only two points dropped in that stretch.
Previous ranking: 4
Next match: at Gotham FC, Friday, 8 p.m. ET
San Diego triumphed over Washington with a 1-0 scoreline away from home. Despite sharing possession evenly, the Wave’s dominance was evident, as they recorded 21 touches in the opposing box and took 15 shots, albeit with only 0.84 expected goals. A crucial turnover from Washington allowed Trinity Byars to set up Lia Godfrey, who scored her fifth of the season to secure the victory.
Previous ranking: 1
Next match: at Utah Royals, Wednesday, 9 p.m. ET
Washington suffered a 1-0 defeat to San Diego at home, marking their fourth loss of the season and their second defeat to this opponent. The team struggled to find their rhythm, reflecting fatigue from playing seven matches in the last 30 days. A week of rest should help the Spirit recharge after this challenging month.
Previous ranking: 6
Next match: at Houston Dash, Saturday, 8:45 p.m. ET
Kansas City played to a 1-1 draw against Angel City at home. Haley Hopkins equalized in the first half with an assist from Izzy Rodriguez, maintaining the Current’s impressive home unbeaten streak at 26 games. Kansas City leads the league in points gained from losing positions (11) and achieved this result despite missing key players due to injury and international commitments.
Previous ranking: 7
Next match: at Seattle Reign, Sunday, 9 p.m. ET (stream live on ESPN)
Angel City and Kansas City ended in a 1-1 draw away from home. The outcome was well-deserved for a team rebounding from a prior loss to a struggling Louisville side. Rookie Taylor Suarez scored her first NWSL goal, leading the team in shots taken. Despite goalkeeper Angelina Anderson‘s six saves that kept the draw intact, fans will be anxious after the team’s leading scorer, Sveindís Jónsdóttir, exited the match injured in the final minutes.
Previous ranking: 5
Next match: at Boston Legacy, Sunday, 4 p.m. ET
Portland faced a heavy 5-1 loss to Utah on the road, resulting in their fourth consecutive defeat. Over this stretch, they’ve given up 11 goals, revealing the need for the Thorns coaching staff to implement a more effective defensive strategy.
Previous ranking: 10
Next match: vs. Angel City, Sunday, 9 p.m. ET (stream live on ESPN)
Seattle emerged victorious with a 3-2 win against Bay FC away from home. The Reign established an early advantage with two goals, including Mia Fishel‘s inaugural league goal. However, the match proved competitive as Seattle conceded shortly thereafter, requiring a late goal from veteran Jess Fishlock, who scored just after coming on, to secure their first-ever victory against Bay FC.
Previous ranking: 8
Next match: vs. North Carolina Courage, Wednesday, 10 p.m. ET
Denver concluded the weekend with a 1-1 draw against Boston at home. While possession was evenly matched, the Summit largely controlled the game, forcing Boston goalkeeper Casey Murphy into six saves. An impressive penalty by Janine Sonis equalized for Denver, marking her fourth consecutive successful penalty. Denver has faced challenges this season despite often outplaying opponents and coming away with insufficient points.
Previous ranking: 9
Next match: vs. Portland Thorns, Sunday, 4 p.m. ET
The Legacy battled Denver to a 1-1 draw on the road. The visitors’ lone goal came from a rare assist by goalkeeper Casey Murphy, only the fourth in NWSL history, which helped set up Sammy Smith for a goal. However, Boston’s tendency to concede penalties during crucial phases of play once again proved costly.
Previous ranking: 13
Next match: at Denver Summit, Wednesday, 10 p.m. ET
North Carolina emphatically broke their losing streak with a 5-0 victory over Orlando at home. This commanding win, featuring goals from Lauryn Thompson, Evelyn Ijeh with her first NWSL hat trick, and Ashley Sanchez‘s tenth goal of the season, marks the league’s largest margin of victory this year.
Previous ranking: 12
Next match: at Chicago Stars, Sunday, 7 p.m. ET
Bay FC faced a 3-2 loss against Seattle at home. While they showed signs of resilience with stunning goals from Hannah Bebar and Keira Barry, their slow start and a VAR-overturned goal hampered their chances. After suffering a third consecutive defeat within just eight days, this team is struggling to find form.
Previous ranking: 11
Next match: vs. Racing Louisville, Friday, 7 p.m. ET
The Pride endured the season’s most significant defeat, falling 5-0 to North Carolina away. It’s hard to find positive takeaways from this performance, as the attack managed merely two shots on goal while the defense allowed an alarming number of goals.
Previous ranking: 15
Next match: at Orlando Pride, Friday, 7 p.m. ET
Racing secured a 2-1 victory over Chicago at home, marking their second win in three matches and providing a much-needed bounce back from a heavy loss at Kansas City. Goals from Mirann Gacioch and Kayla Fischer stand out in this performance. Notably, Racing has recovered six points over their last four matches, matching their total from the first 13 games of the season, as noted by Opta.
Previous ranking: 14
Next match: vs. Kansas City Current, Saturday, 8:45 p.m. ET
The Dash lost to Gotham by a score of 1-0 on home turf. Houston, despite controlling just 40% of possession, performed admirably defensively with 16 interceptions, 15 tackles, and 38 duels won. Rookie Kat Rader stood out as a bright spot on offense, while the Dash registered 12 shots, with seven on target, though it wasn’t sufficient for a positive result.
Previous ranking: 16
Next match: vs. Bay FC, Sunday, 7 p.m. ET
Chicago fell to Racing with a 2-1 score on their visit to Louisville. This marked their fourth straight loss, but they avoided a shutout thanks to a remarkable individual effort from Nádia Gomes late in the game. This was notable for Chicago as it was their first match of the season where they managed to score, even amidst a disappointing offensive showing that resulted in merely 0.30 expected goals from six shots.