The 2025 NWSL regular season has resumed after an international break, and the brief pause proved beneficial. With the season`s halfway point just a couple of weeks away, it seems like an ideal moment to update the power rankings. However, despite the schedule break and my ranking refresh, the power dynamic among teams has largely remained consistent.
Kansas City continues its dominance, proving to be the league`s elite team by overcoming their opponents. San Diego is making rapid progress with their roster rebuilding efforts. The middle of the standings features a wide range of teams with blurred lines between them, while Chicago and Utah are simply trying to navigate through a difficult season. For a look at how teams have evolved, insights can be found in the previous power rankings.
2025 NWSL Power Rankings
| Rank | Team | Change | Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Kansas City Current | — | Temwa Chawinga remains a strong contender for another NWSL Golden Boot, and the squad has successfully managed any injury concerns so far. There`s pressure that comes with being in first place, but the Midwest side is making it appear effortless. |
| 2. | Washington Spirit | — | The Spirit will soon see their current head coach, Jonatan Giraldez, depart for Lyon in July. However, the players are delivering results on the pitch, regardless of the situation on the sidelines. |
| 3. | Orlando Pride | — | Orlando appears vulnerable this season. Yet, they remain a top-tier team demonstrating that defeating them requires a significant 90-minute effort. Champions find a way, and heading into Week 12, defender Cori Dyke was a standout performer. |
| 4. | San Diego Wave FC | — | A team that struggled to score last season is now finding the net with relative ease. However, they had trouble securing a home win during Week 11 despite strong effort. They are not quite ready to powerfully leap ahead of the top three teams yet. |
| 5. | Seattle Reign FC | +3 | The Reign have shown streaks of strong form this year, which I find welcome in the power rankings. Perhaps their unpredictability is what will keep them climbing the charts. Manager Laura Harvey is rotating players and adjusting tactics effectively to keep them a threat. |
| 6. | Angel City FC | — | New head coach Alexander Straus made his debut and witnessed the talent of their younger players. However, settling for points against a team that is struggling raises questions as they advance towards the season`s midpoint. |
| 7. | Gotham FC | -2 | Another team experiencing a challenging first half of the season, managing injuries and a difficult schedule. They played with some momentum following their recent Concacaf W Champions Cup win, but it feels likely this won`t be the last time they fall in the rankings. |
| 8. | Portland Thorns FC | -1 | Portland created numerous chances and often had stretches of superior play during Week 11 but simply could not capitalize on their momentum. This is unfortunately becoming a pattern, and they will continue to drop in the rankings if they do not reverse it. |
| 9. | Racing Louisville FC | +1 | This scenario feels familiar. Racing goes on a good run of games and moves towards the playoff line – but at a less-than-ideal time of the season. While I want to believe this is the year for them, I need to see more consistent results from Louisville against established contenders. |
| 10. | North Carolina Courage | -1 | The team had one of their best performances of the season through 11 weeks but still couldn`t manage to secure a win. It was a week with some positives, particularly elevated play from Courtnee Vine and Manaka Matsukubo. |
| 11. | Bay FC | +1 | A theme since Week 1 has been “improved, but is it enough?” This time, it was enough to move up one spot in the rankings, but their long-term sustainability remains uncertain. |
| 12. | Houston Dash | -1 | There`s little more painful than holding one of the league`s top teams scoreless for 90 minutes only to concede in stoppage time. It was a difficult loss but one that could potentially motivate them heading into Week 12. |
| 13. | Utah Royals FC | +1 | Utah`s midfield has been developing and is functioning as a promising source of attack. However, the final output, goals, has been missing this year, and the season continues to get away from them. |
| 14. | Chicago Stars FC | -1 | Interim manager Masaki Hemmi adjusted the formation, and it nearly paid off, but ultimately did not. The challenging season continues for Chicago. |
