NWSL Power Rankings: San Diego Wave surge to No. 1 as Washington Spirit delay Gotham’s Shield party and Seattle Reign boost playoff hopes
The NWSL Shield is still up for grabs as another weekend of NWSL play secures some teams for the postseason, but knocks out several.
Seattle Reign FC boosted their playoff hopes with a 3-1 win over Chicago Stars, climbing into the NWSL’s final postseason spot as the regular season winds down.
After a brief international break, the league returned with more teams solidifying their playoff position, while others saw their seasons slip away. Washington Spirit secured their postseason spot with a statement victory over Gotham FC. Even with Golden Boot leader Ashley Sanchez, the North Carolina Courage fell 2-1 to San Diego, slipping outside the playoff places.
Racing Louisville, Houston Dash, Bay FC and Chicago Stars are officially out of postseason contention. But the NWSL Shield has yet to be claimed, and with playoff spots still up for grabs, there’s plenty left to play for.
After another eventful weekend, GOAL ranks all 16 teams...
Chicago Stars
Prior ranking: 16
Result: Lost 3-1 vs. Seattle Reign
Ramifications: Chicago dropped another match, and while it didn't do much for the Stars, who have been out of the playoffs for quite some time, the result did help Seattle get that No. 8 spot. Chicago did get one goal on the scoresheet thanks to Simone Charley's first goal with the Stars.
Racing Louisville
Prior ranking: 15
Result: Lost 2-1 to Boston Legacy
Ramifications: Racing Louisville seem checked out. Their playoff hopes may be over, but there’s still something to play for. Kayla Fischer put Racing ahead in the 22nd minute, but after that, they spent the rest of the match chasing Boston, who found the back of the net twice in the second half to complete the comeback.
Bay FC
Prior ranking: 14
Result: Drew 2-2 with Portland Thorns
Ramifications: Bay FC’s showdown with Portland Thorns was the match to tune in for this weekend. Despite being eliminated in Week 23, Bay played like their playoff hopes were on the line. Caroline Conti and Kennedy Fuller each scored to help Bay earn a point.
Houston Dash
Prior ranking: 13
Result: Lost 2-1 to Orlando Pride
Ramifications: The Dash dropped three points against Orlando Pride, having already been eliminated from playoff contention in Week 24. Danielle Colaprico got Houston on the board, but her goal wasn’t enough to avoid defeat.
Boston Legacy
Prior ranking: 14
Result: Won 2-1 vs. Racing Louisville
Ramifications: The Boston Legacy and Racing Louisville didn't have any postseason hopes to play for, so it was just a matter of who wanted to compete more, and in this occasion, it was Boston. Amanda Gutierres and Deja Davis got the goals for Boston.
Orlando Pride
Prior ranking: 11
Result: Won 2-1 vs. Houston Dash
Ramifications: Orlando Pride needed a win, and Luana’s penalty and Solai Washington’s first NWSL goal gave them just that. But even with the three points, the Pride are out of playoff contention.
Denver Summit
Prior ranking: 9
Result: Lost 3-2 vs. Angel City FC
Ramifications: Denver Summit had a hard task figuring out a defensive solution to a blazing Angel City side. And while Melissa Kössler and Lindsey Heaps scored for the Colorado side, the squad eventually conceded three goals in a quick succession after going ahead 1-0.
Kansas City Current
Prior ranking: 10
Result: Won 2-0 vs. Utah Royals
Ramifications: The Kansas City Current are hitting their stride right at the critical time. Haley Hopkins' brace was the difference-maker against the Royals, and now all of a sudden the Current are in fourth place in the standings with 47 points.
Utah Royals
Prior ranking: 4
Result: Lost 2-0 vs. Kansas City Current
Ramifications: Utah Royals looked stunned by the Current, who couldn't answer Hopkins' brace. The Royals are still safe in the playoff race, currently sitting in sixth place with 46 points.
Angel City
Prior ranking: 7
Result: Won 3-2 vs. Denver Summit
Ramifications: Angel City is one of those teams that have sneakily climbed their way up into a high position. The Los Angeles club is now in fifth place in the league standings after putting three goals past Denver. Sveindís Jónsdóttir, Taylor Suarez, and Ally Sentnor scored in an 11-minute window before Denver responded with their second goal.
Portland Thorns
Prior ranking: 6
Result: 2-2 Draw vs. Bay FC
Ramifications: This match seems like a budding rivalry, with both sides and supporters sections packing the house. The players also play up to the stakes going just another level up in on tackles and nose down towards goal. Thorns FC's Morgan Weaver scored a beauty early, but Bay FC was able to put two past them until Caiya Hanks rescued the day and earned a point for the Thorns on the road.
Seattle Reign
Prior ranking: 8
Result: Won 3-1 vs. Chicago Stars
Ramifications: Seattle Reign needed a win, and this one was perfect for helping them secure the eighth-place spot in the league standings. Reign FC's Maddie Mercado recorded a brace in this win, and Nérilia Mondésir was also able to find the back of the net.
North Carolina Courage
Prior ranking: 3
Result: Lost 2-1 vs. San Diego Wave
Ramifications: North Carolina Courage have been tiptoeing around the playoff line for weeks, and now they’re on the wrong side of it. A 2-1 loss to San Diego dropped them to ninth, just one match after a 1-0 win over Seattle had lifted them into eighth. With the season winding down, they’re running out of time to turn those playoff hopes into a postseason spot.
Washington Spirit
Prior ranking: 4
Result: Won 1-0 vs. Gotham FC
Ramifications: Washington Spirit punched their ticket to the playoffs, and doing it against East Coast rivals Gotham FC made the win extra special. Lucia Di Guglielmo’s first NWSL goal proved the difference between the sides.
Gotham FC
Prior ranking: 1
Result: Lost 1-0 vs. Washington Spirit
Ramifications: Gotham had a chance to clinch the Shield, but a costly giveaway left them without a point on the road and put those celebrations on hold. Their playoff spot is secure, but this was a frustrating result with a trophy within reach.
San Diego Wave
Prior ranking: 2
Result: Won 2-1 vs. North Carolina Courage
Ramifications: San Diego Wave extended their winning streak to four games, with Melanie Barcenas and Trinity Byars providing the goals. Byars took her tally to 11 for the season, the most by a Wave player since Alex Morgan in 2022.
