It's Monday, and with another weekend of the 2026 NWSL regular season in the books, ESPN's Power Rankings are back. Our writers studied the action across Matchday 25 to order all 16 teams in the league.
The San Diego Wave FC stay at No. 1 after beating the North Carolina Courage 2-1 on the road. Melanie Barcenas and Trinity Byars scored a goal apiece, with Byars netting her 11th of the season, the most by a Wave player since Alex Morgan's 2022 campaign. The win was San Diego's fifth straight, making them the hottest playoff contender and a guaranteed playoff host.
Angel City FC keep rising after a 3-2 road win over the Denver Summit. Trailing 2-0 early, the Angels scored three unanswered first-half goals from Sveindís Jónsdóttir, Taylor Suarez and Ally Sentnor. The club has not lost in a club-record-tying eight games, moving up from No. 3.
The Kansas City Current blanked the Utah Royals 2-0 on the road, a key result for a team that has struggled away from home. Haley Hopkins scored a brace, giving her 11 goals on the season and six in her last three outings. Kansas City have lost only once in their last eight games and moved into fourth place in the standings.
The Washington Spirit beat Gotham FC 1-0 at home, with Lucia Di Guglielmo's first NWSL goal decisive. The result clinched a playoff berth and keeps Washington firmly in the Shield conversation.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing