The 2025 NWSL regular season has now officially passed its first quarter mark, and the intensity among clubs is escalating. This point in the season is an ideal moment to reassess the league`s power rankings. While the gap between the top teams in the standings is narrow, constant shifts among contenders are the norm. San Diego Wave has dramatically altered expectations, emerging as a strong challenger for titles, playoff berths, and influence. Despite contending with significant injury lists, both the Washington Spirit and NJ/NY Gotham FC continue to pose formidable challenges to their opponents.
Eight weeks into the season, some teams are clearly excelling at implementing their strategies and defining their team identity, while others are primarily focused on managing performance from game to game. A quick reminder that a victory doesn`t automatically guarantee a jump in these rankings, but they aim to capture current form and trajectory.
2025 NWSL Power Rankings Update
| Rank | Team | Change | Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Kansas City Current | +2 | Temwa Chawinga is finding the net again, and Debinha continues to be one of the league`s most formidable players eight weeks into the season. With strong contributions from Claire Hutton and Bia Zaneratto, the Kansas City Current maintain their position as the league`s most dominant team. |
| 2. | Washington Spirit | +3 | The Spirit deliver thrilling, unpredictable performances week after week. It seems a different player steps up as the star in each match, with Rosemonde Kouassi recently contributing a goal, an assist, and creating a chaotic forced own goal situation. |
| 3. | Orlando Pride | -2 | Running back a championship season is challenging. The reigning champions are keeping their title hopes alive by maintaining intense, competitive pressure, even if they aren`t as consistently lethal in front of goal as last year. This slightly diminishes their perceived power, but they remain an elite squad. |
| 4. | San Diego Wave FC | -2 | Their French international players often resemble a dynamic trio, delivering key performances. In Week 8, fullback Perle Morroni was instrumental, covering vast areas of the pitch and providing an assist. |
| 5. | Gotham FC | -2 | They are navigating the season while dealing with injuries, attempting to find the right balance for their roster. A crucial part of a long season is managing these challenges, but finding goals has been difficult recently without contributions like Esther Gonzalez`s consecutive goals. |
| 6. | Angel City FC | +2 | The team`s response following Savy King`s medical situation was remarkable. Veteran leadership from Christen Press combined with a young team emotionally rallying for a win speaks volumes. Don`t be surprised if they gain momentum approaching the season`s midpoint. |
| 7. | Portland Thorns FC | -1 | They required a stoppage-time penalty just to salvage a result while having a player advantage on the road. This team appears content to draw their way through the first half of the season. |
| 8. | Seattle Reign FC | -1 | The coaching staff`s tactical adjustments this week didn`t yield the desired outcome. Their attempt at a three-player backline showed some conceptual ideas but failed to execute effectively against what felt like a somewhat predictable plan. |
| 9. | North Carolina Courage | — | They might finally be turning a corner now that a quarter of the season is complete. Ashley Sanchez`s return to form has been a significant boost, and Denise O`Sullivan`s consistently excellent midfield performance, regardless of formation, has been outstanding. |
| 10. | Racing Louisville FC | — | Head coach Bev Yanez`s team is beginning to hit their stride, and the focus now shifts to consistency. A key test will be their ability to secure results against playoff contenders, but they are taking things one step at a time. |
| 11. | Houston Dash | +1 | Rookie Maggie Graham continues to score and leads the team with three goals. Goalkeeper Abby Smith`s saves have kept Houston`s hopes alive. Their recent results felt more like opportunistic wins (`smash and grab`) than dominant performances, but the Dash need every point they can get right now. |
| 12. | Bay FC | -1 | Week after week, this team unfortunately seems to demonstrate a reduced threat level across the league. It`s difficult to witness, especially with exciting talents like Rachael Kundenanji and Kiki Pickett on the roster. |
| 13. | Chicago Stars FC | — | The club has entered a new phase following the dismissal of coach Lorne Donaldson. The current dynamic is less about winning and more about embodying a “chaos demon” persona. |
| 14. | Utah Royals FC | — | Utah is gradually getting players back to full fitness. For now, this simply means they still have an opportunity to climb out of the bottom spot. |
