The 2025 NWSL regular season has officially passed the quarter mark, and competition between clubs is really heating up. This makes it the perfect time to shake things up in the power rankings. While only four points separate the top teams in the league table, this results in constant shifts among the contenders. San Diego Wave has completely flipped the script, emerging as serious challengers for titles, playoff spots, and power.
Eight weeks into the season means that some rosters have done a better job of executing their tactics and establishing their team identities, while others are truly just trying to manage things game to game. A quick reminder for readers: wins don`t always guarantee an automatic jump in my rankings, but if you like following trends, here`s where things stood after week seven.
Week nine will be here soon, so don`t miss any action.
2025 NWSL Power Rankings
| Rank | Team | Change | Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Kansas City Current | +2 | Temwa Chawinga is back on the scoresheet, and through eight weeks, no other player in the league is as threatening as Debinha. Add standout performances from Claire Hutton and Bia Zaneratto, and Kansas City Current remain the most powerful team. |
| 2. | Washington Spirit | +3 | Nothing brings more excitement than supreme chaos, and the Spirit deliver it week after week. It seems like a different star emerges during each match; this time it was Rosemonde Kouassi with a goal, an assist, and a chaotic forced own goal. |
| 3. | Orlando Pride | -2 | It`s challenging to replicate past success, and the reigning champions are keeping their chances strong by maintaining suffocating, competitive chaos despite being less lethal in front of goal than last season. This gives an aura of less dominance, but they are still an elite team. |
| 4. | San Diego Wave FC | -2 | Imagine the Three Musketeers, but a better version. That`s San Diego this year, with their France internationals stepping up in each match. In week eight, fullback Perle Morroni helped set the tone, covering extensive ground and providing an assist. |
| 5. | Gotham FC | -2 | They are holding on while trying to figure out the right roster balance amid injuries. Managing a long season is half the battle, but there aren`t many solutions in front of goal without consecutive goals from Esther Gonzalez. |
| 6. | Angel City FC | +2 | There isn`t much more to say after the roster`s performance following Savy King`s medical emergency. Led by veteran Christen Press, the young squad rallied through emotions to secure a win. Don`t be surprised if they surge in power toward the halfway mark. |
| 7. | Portland Thorns FC | -1 | Needed a stoppage time penalty to get anything from a match where they had a player advantage on the road. This team might just draw their way to the season`s midpoint. |
| 8. | Seattle Reign FC | -1 | The coaching staff took a gamble and shifted tactics this week, but it unfortunately didn`t work out. The three-player backline presented some ideas but couldn`t quite execute the somewhat stale plan. |
| 9. | North Carolina Courage | — | The Courage might finally be turning a corner now that they have a quarter of the season behind them. Ashley Sanchez has been a significant help as she`s regained her form, but Denise O`Sullivan`s efforts in the midfield, regardless of formation, have been exceptional. |
| 10. | Racing Louisville FC | — | Head coach Bev Yanez finally has the team hitting their stride, and now the focus is on consistency. It also remains to be seen if they can keep defeating playoff teams ahead of them, but they`ll take it one step at a time. |
| 11. | Houston Dash | +1 | Rookie Maggie Graham keeps scoring and leads the team with three goals this season, and goalkeeper Abby Smith kept Houston`s hopes alive with her efforts in net. Overall, it felt more like a smash-and-grab victory than complete domination, but the Dash need all the help they can get right now. |
| 12. | Bay FC | -1 | It feels like week after week this team is showing how they are less of a threat across the league, and that`s painful to write given the exciting talents like Rachael Kundenanji and Kiki Pickett on the roster. |
| 13. | Chicago Stars FC | — | The club fired coach Lorne Donaldson and has now entered a new mode. That vibe is still not winning matches but instead being a chaos demon. |
| 14. | Utah Royals FC | — | Utah is slowly getting players back into form, and for now, all that means is there`s still time to avoid being last. |
