It’s Tuesday, and the 2026 NWSL regular season is in full swing, which means it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings.
Which teams are poised to rise in the standings? Which ones might be facing a decline? Our writers analyzed the events from Matchday 3 to establish this week’s rankings for all 16 teams in the league. Let’s take a look.
1. Portland Thorns
Previous ranking: 1
Next match: Saturday at North Carolina Courage, 6:30 p.m. ET
Thereβs no better way to bounce back from a disappointing midweek defeat than with a commanding weekend win. In a 2-0 triumph on Saturday, featuring Sophia Wilson’s first start since returning from maternity leave, Portland significantly outperformed Kansas City. Although Wilson did not score, she was a constant threat on both ends of the pitch and earned a penalty that resulted in the Thorns’ opening goal. This team appears to be the real deal.
2. Angel City FC
Previous ranking: 2
Next match: Friday at Orlando Pride, 8 p.m. ET
Thatβs three victories in three matches for Angel City. While they didnβt start strong against the Dash on Friday, Angel City rebounded from a slow beginning by netting two goals shortly after halftime, securing a 2-1 win. Striker SveindΓs JΓ³nsdΓ³ttir scored the decisive goal, bringing her total to three for the season β the 24-year-old is thriving in her first full NWSL season. Although Angel City’s upcoming schedule is set to become more challenging, they have managed their early games impressively.
3. San Diego Wave FC
Previous ranking: 12
Next match: Friday at Boston Legacy, 7 p.m. ET
San Diego’s 2-0 win over Chicago on Saturday was as one-sided as it gets. The Wave allowed only two shots, neither of which came from within the box. San Diego’s near-flawless control of the game was highlighted by a stunning goal from teenage substitute Melanie Barcenas. Now on a three-match winning streak and with Catarina Macario joining the squad, there are numerous reasons for optimism regarding San Diego.
4. Seattle Reign FC
Previous ranking: 7
Next match: Saturday vs. Denver Summit, 8:45 p.m. ET
As the 2026 season began, one major question loomed over Seattle: could they, a team lacking a wealth of attacking talent, actually score goals? With five goals in their last two matches, early indications suggest they can. It certainly helps when the opposing goalkeeper gifts you one, as Louisville’s Jordyn Bloomer did during Seattle’s 2-1 victory on Saturday. Nevertheless, Seattle’s offense displayed genuine promise later in the first half when clever possession play led to NΓ©rilia MondΓ©sir’s goal. The Reign continue to find success.
5. Bay FC
Previous ranking: 8
Next match: Sunday vs. Washington Spirit, 5 p.m. ET (stream live on ESPN)
A standout narrative of this early NWSL season is the performance of teenager Alex Pfeiffer on the wing for Bay FC. The 18-year-old’s goal initiated a 3-1 victory over North Carolina on Saturday. The winger, who also provided an assist later in the match, has contributed four non-penalty goals in three games and has emerged as a genuine breakout star in the opening weeks of 2026. More is expected from Pfeiffer and Bay.
6. Houston Dash
Previous ranking: 4
Next match: Friday vs. Racing Louisville, 8:30 p.m. ET
Despite falling 2-1 to Angel City on the road, the Dash showed promising signs early in the match, outshooting their opponents nine to two in the first half. Star right back Avery Patterson opened the scoring with a beautiful assist from the right wing that led to Maggie Graham’s goal. Patterson’s performance on the right was particularly impressive, even though the Dash faltered in the second half, conceding two goals and leaving empty-handed.
7. Orlando Pride
Previous ranking: 14
Next match: Friday vs. Angel City, 8 p.m. ET
As anticipated, Orlando did not dominate possession against Gotham on Sunday. Instead, they capitalized on poorly timed turnovers to counterattack. However, Barbra Banda, the focal point of the Pride’s counterattacking efforts, was kept quiet in a 0-0 draw. Banda’s lack of offensive impact mirrored the match itself, where neither side managed to break through. Nonetheless, a road draw at Sports Illustrated Stadium is a commendable result for Orlando.
8. NJ/NY Gotham FC
Previous ranking: 3
Next match: Saturday at Kansas City Current, 4 p.m. ET
Concerns continue to mount regarding Gotham’s offense following a 0-0 draw with the Pride on Sunday. Juan Carlos AmorΓ³s’ squad has managed only one goal this season β which occurred in Boston Legacy’s opening match. Against Orlando, NJ/NY struggled offensively and finished the match with less than one expected goal for the third time in their first four games. Itβs back to the drawing board for AmorΓ³s.
9. North Carolina Courage
Previous ranking: 5
Next match: Saturday vs. Portland Thorns, 6:30 p.m. ET
One of the challenges that possession-oriented teams face is losing the ball in unfavorable positions, leading to defensive vulnerabilities and conceding goals. This was evident for the Courage in their 3-1 defeat to Bay FC on Saturday. Still adapting to new head coach Mak Lind’s possession-focused system, turnovers proved costly for North Carolina. After allowing three goals in the first half, the match quickly slipped out of reach for a Courage team that is still developing.
10. Denver Summit FC
Previous ranking: 11
Next match: Saturday at Seattle Reign, 8:45 p.m. ET
The action at Mile High Stadium was always going to be overshadowed by a record-setting attendance. With 63,004 fans in attendance, Denver Summit’s inaugural home game set a new NWSL attendance record, raising the bar for women’s soccer in the United States. Although Denver couldn’t quite secure all three points against Washington, earning a point in a 0-0 draw with the Spirit is still a commendable outcome. Overall, Saturday was a significant day for Denver.
11. Washington Spirit
Previous ranking: 9
Next match: Sunday at Bay FC, 5 p.m. ET (stream live on ESPN)
Who would have predicted that the Washington Spirit would remain winless after their first four matches of the season? Following a 0-0 draw with Denver Summit, which garnered more attention for the crowd than the play on the field, the Spirit have yet to secure a victory in 2026. The offense continues to struggle, as Washington managed only two shots from inside the 18 against Denver. There is too much talent in this Spirit roster for the attack not to eventually find its rhythm … right?
12. Racing Louisville FC
Previous ranking: 10
Next match: Friday at Houston Dash, 8:30 p.m. ET
Racing Louisville is not equipped to recover from gifting their opponents an easy goal. This was the case when goalkeeper Bloomer allowed a routine save to slip through her fingers during Louisville’s 2-1 defeat to Seattle on Saturday, resulting in a 1-0 deficit. Although they fought back late in the match, Racing never truly found a way back into the contest and remain winless through their first three games of 2026.
13. Kansas City Current
Previous ranking: 6
Next match: Saturday vs. Gotham FC, 4 p.m. ET
Kansas City must be reflecting deeply on their recent performances. After a season-opening win against Utah, the Current have now lost three consecutive matches to Chicago, Seattle, and most recently, Portland. Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to the Thorns was a particularly lopsided affair. Kansas City struggled to establish control or pose a threat in transition. A defensive error that led to Portland’s sealing goal added to a day they would prefer to forget. Temwa Chawinga’s return cannot come soon enough.
14. Utah Royals
Previous ranking: 15
Next match: Friday vs. Chicago Stars, 9 p.m. ET
Utah did not play their best game on Saturday in New England, but they managed to avoid being the team that allowed Boston Legacy to secure their first-ever win. The Royals achieved a 2-1 victory, thanks to two goals originating from set pieces β the first from a clever routine and the second from a penalty. Outside of those goals, Utah managed only four non-penalty shots from within Boston’s box. While securing their first win of the season is a positive, there is still much work ahead.
15. Boston Legacy FC
Previous ranking: 16
Next match: Friday vs. San Diego Wave, 7 p.m. ET
The silver lining for Boston? They scored their inaugural goal in club history on Saturday, thanks to Aissata Traore. The striker, who consistently troubled Utah’s defense, capped off a direct sequence after receiving a clever through-ball from Amanda Gutierres to reduce the deficit in Legacy’s match against the Utah Royals. The downside for Boston? They were unable to find another goal to earn their first point, ultimately losing 2-1 at Gillette Stadium. The expansion team’s search for a result continues.
16. Chicago Stars FC
Previous ranking: 13
Next match: Friday at Utah Royals, 9 p.m. ET
It may be premature to express concern about the Chicago Stars, who have been unable to score in three of their four matches this season. Chicago managed only two shots in their 2-0 loss to San Diego on Saturday and failed to register a shot from inside the box before the final whistle. With Jameese Joseph being pushed wide and a general lack of skill elsewhere on the pitch, it is difficult to envision how Chicago’s season can improve without a significant contribution from Mallory Swanson upon her eventual return.
