The 2025 NWSL regular season has officially crossed the quarter mark, and the league`s competition is heating up significantly. This stage offers a perfect opportunity to evaluate and adjust the power rankings. With a mere four points separating the teams at the top of the standings, the contenders are in constant flux. San Diego Wave has dramatically altered expectations across the league, establishing themselves as serious challengers for titles, playoff spots, and overall influence. Despite grappling with substantial injury lists, both the Washington Spirit and NJ/NY Gotham FC continue to pose a significant threat to their opponents.
Eight weeks into the season, some squads have clearly excelled at implementing their tactics and defining their team identity, while others appear to be simply managing challenges on a game-by-game basis. It`s worth noting that wins don`t automatically guarantee a higher ranking in this assessment, but for those tracking trends, here`s the current standing in the NWSL power rankings after the recent week of action.
Week nine is fast approaching, so be sure to follow all the upcoming matches.
2025 NWSL Power Rankings
Here are the latest power rankings:
| Rank | Team | Change | Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Kansas City Current | +2 | Temwa Chawinga is finding the back of the net again, and Debinha remains arguably the league`s most dangerous player through eight weeks. Combined with standout performances from Claire Hutton and Bia Zaneratto, Kansas City Current maintains its position as the league`s most formidable team. |
| 2. | Washington Spirit | +3 | Supreme unpredictability is what drives the Spirit week after week. It seems a different player steps up as the star in each match; this week, it was Rosemonde Kouassi with a goal, an assist, and forcing a chaotic own goal. |
| 3. | Orlando Pride | -2 | Defending a title is tough, and the reigning champions are preserving their strong prospects by maintaining their stifling, competitive intensity, even if they`re less clinical in front of goal than last season. This gives them a slightly diminished aura of power, yet they undeniably remain an elite squad. |
| 4. | San Diego Wave FC | -2 | Imagine a superior version of the Three Musketeers – that`s San Diego this year with their French international contingent stepping up in each game. In week eight, fullback Perle Morroni set the tone, covering vast amounts of ground and contributing an assist. |
| 5. | Gotham FC | -2 | They are holding on as they work to find the optimal roster balance amidst injuries. Successfully navigating a long season is part of the challenge, but they lack attacking solutions without goals from Esther Gonzalez in two consecutive weeks. |
| 6. | Angel City FC | +2 | The team`s performance following Savy King`s medical emergency speaks volumes. Veteran leadership from Christen Press combined with a young roster rallying through emotion to secure a win. Don`t be surprised to see them gain momentum heading towards the season`s midpoint. |
| 7. | Portland Thorns FC | -1 | They required a penalty in stoppage time just to salvage something from a road game where they had a player advantage. This team might end up reaching the halfway point of the season primarily through drawing matches. |
| 8. | Seattle Reign FC | -1 | The coaching staff took a strategic risk this week with tactical adjustments, which unfortunately did not yield the desired outcome. The three-player backline offered some new ideas but ultimately couldn`t effectively execute the somewhat stagnant game plan. |
| 9. | North Carolina Courage | — | Having completed the first quarter of the season, the Courage might finally be hitting their stride. Ashley Sanchez`s return to form has been a significant boost, and Denise O’Sullivan’s consistent efforts in the midfield, regardless of formation, have been outstanding. |
| 10. | Racing Louisville FC | — | Head coach Bev Yanez appears to have the team finally hitting its pace; the focus now shifts to consistency. The question also remains whether they can continue defeating playoff-contending teams, but they are addressing challenges one step at a time. |
| 11. | Houston Dash | +1 | Rookie Maggie Graham continues to score, leading the team with three goals this season, while goalkeeper Abby Smith`s efforts have kept Houston in matches. Overall, their recent results felt more like smash-and-grab wins than dominant performances, but the Dash need all the help they can get right now. |
| 12. | Bay FC | -1 | Week after week, this team seems to demonstrate that they are less of a threat across the league, which is difficult to acknowledge given exciting talents like Rachael Kundenanji and Kiki Pickett on the roster. |
| 13. | Chicago Stars FC | — | Following the dismissal of coach Lorne Donaldson, the club has entered a new phase. This phase hasn`t yet resulted in wins but has positioned them more as unpredictable spoilers. |
| 14. | Utah Royals FC | — | Utah is gradually seeing players return to fitness, and for now, that primarily means they still have an opportunity to avoid finishing in last place. |
Benedict Kingsley