It’s Sunday and another round of NWSL action is in the books, which means it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings.
Who gets on the table? Who is in free fall? Our editors have studied the action from Day 25 to establish the order of the 14 teams in the league this week. Let’s go.
Previous ranking: 1
The Current lost 1-0 to the Houston Dash on Saturday, but it was star Temwa Chawinga who might be the biggest loss. After suffering a non-contact injury in the first half, the forward was taken off the field. Although the severity of the injury is unknown, Kansas City head coach Vlatko Andonovski said after the game that Chawinga’s injury was to his “upper leg” rather than the knee. Even so, many people in Kansas City will be holding their breath.
Previous ranking: 2
The last few days have not been good, if not very bad, for the Washington Spirit. First, Trinity Rodman injured his knee during a midweek Concacaf Champions Cup clash with Monterrey. Then they lost to the Orlando Pride on Saturday. An unfortunate deflection and penalty concession turned a 2-1 halftime lead into a 3-2 full-time defeat for the Spirit. Still, the first loss in more than four months won’t sting as much as the uncertainty surrounding Rodman’s return to play.
Previous ranking: 4
If there was any doubt about Marta’s ability to run a soccer game at age 39, that doubt should be dispelled after Orlando’s 3-2 win over the Washington Spirit on Saturday. The Brazilian icon forced an own goal and scored the winning penalty to help the Pride collect all three points against a Washington team that hadn’t lost a game since June. The introduction of Marta at the break changed Orlando’s destiny. Is anyone surprised?
Previous ranking: 3
Few matchups this weekend were easier to predict than NJ/NY Gotham vs. Racing Louisville, at least in a tactical sense. Playing at home and being one of the most possessed teams in the league, Gotham held the lion’s share of the ball. Louisville, for its part, continued the theme of a deeper, more resolute defense. The result was a match where the hosts completed almost twice as many passes as the visitors, although the scoreline ended in a deadlock at 2-2. The good news for Gotham, however, is that the draw landed them a playoff spot.
1:12
NJ/NY Gotham FC vs. Racing Louisville FC – Match Highlights
Watch highlights from NJ/NY Gotham FC vs. Racing Louisville FC, 10/19/2025
Previous ranking: 5
Make it four goals in three games for Olivia Moultrie. The 20-year-old attacking midfielder scored twice in Portland’s 2-0 win over Angel City on Sunday, finding the first goal via a long-range striker in open play and the second from the penalty spot. With the young USA international pulling the strings and enough defensive solidity to see the result, the Portland Thorns clinched their playoff qualification this weekend.
Previous ranking: 7
For the first time in club history, the Wave scored six goals in a single match. They beat the Chicago Stars 6-1 at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday, dominating play in the attacking third in a game as one-sided as the scoreline indicates. Whether in open play or on set pieces, San Diego found looks early and often in Chicago’s danger zone. Thanks to their dazzling offensive performance, the Waves are officially destined for the playoffs.
1:16
San Diego Wave FC vs. Chicago Stars – Match Highlights
Watch highlights from San Diego Wave FC vs. Chicago Stars, 10/19/2025
Previous ranking: 6
With a 2-1 win over the Utah Royals on Friday night, the Reign booked a spot in the playoffs. While Seattle didn’t create many chances, a first career NWSL goal for Ainsley McCammon just before halftime gave the hosts the lead and a Sofia Huerta penalty got it back in the second half to complete the scoring. The Reign have been one of the leakiest defensive teams in the league in 2025, but a win against Utah could boost confidence with just one more game before the playoffs.
Previous ranking: 9
Once again, Manaka Matsukubo came through for Courage, this time in a 4-1 win over Bay FC. The young Japanese striker’s praises aren’t sung enough: her hat trick, which could have been a four-goal game if not for a missed penalty, was the difference on Friday, just as her attacking play has been the difference for her team for much of 2025. Matsukubo ranks second in the league in goal contributions this year and was a terror in the middle against Bay. He’s a real star.
Previous ranking: 8
A road win against Gotham would have allowed Louisville to officially qualify for the playoffs, but Sunday’s 2-2 draw will see Racing go all the way in search of the playoffs come time for the regular season finale next month. Louisville appeared to be quite late against NJ/NY, but an 85th-minute equalizer from Rose Lavelle turned a playoff spree into a mundane draw for Bev Yanez’s team.
Previous ranking: 11
The Houston Dash did not impress against the Kansas City Current on Saturday – they were outshot 20-6. Yet they managed to secure a 1-0 victory thanks to a Ryan Gareis strike just minutes after he appeared on the bench. With the win, Houston did everything in its power to stay alive in the playoff race, but results elsewhere in the league haven’t gone the Dash’s way. As a result, they will not participate in this year’s playoffs.
1:19
Houston Dash vs. Kansas City Current – Game Highlights
Watch highlights of the Houston Dash vs. Kansas City Current game, 10/19/2025
Previous ranking: 10
With their playoff hopes dashed before their game against the Portland Thorns even began, it’s hard to fault Angel City for looking flat in a 2-0 loss on Sunday. Thanks to Racing Louisville’s draw earlier Sunday, Angel City’s season was effectively over before they touched the ball at BMO Stadium. Handing Moultrie a double simply put the exclamation point on what has been a disappointing campaign.
Previous ranking: 12
Utah’s three-game winning streak seems like a long time ago, doesn’t it? The same could be said of their eight-game regular season unbeaten streak, a streak that ended in last weekend’s loss to San Diego. After a 2-1 loss at Seattle on Friday, the Royals began a losing streak. Already eliminated from the playoffs, they were second in a sloppy affair against the Reign.
Previous ranking: 13
Bay FC looked an awful lot like a team with nothing to play on Friday night. With no hope of qualifying for the playoffs, the home team put together one of the sloppiest performances of any team this season. They lost 4-1 to the North Carolina Courage in a game that could have been even more lopsided without a missed North Carolina penalty. Between devastating turnovers in their own half and an error-filled performance in goal from Jordan Silkowitz, Bay fell behind early and never found their way back.
Previous ranking: 14
With no playoff hopes to fuel their play, this time of year for Chicago is all about identifying the building blocks for the future. Saturday’s brutal 6-1 road loss at San Diego gave the Stars very, very few positive indicators for 2026 and beyond. Overwhelmed in their own third and largely toothless when they dared to venture into the Wave’s half, the sooner the memory of this match fades for Chicago, the better.
