NWSL Power Rankings: Racing Louisville edge into the postseason, while record-setting Kansas City Current hold No. 1 seed

Who's hot, who's not? GOAL ranks all 14 teams across the National Women's Soccer League

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  14Chicago Stars

  Prior Ranking: 14

  Result: Beat Angel City 2-1

  Ramifications: With their season long over, Chicago collected their third victory in their final match. Ally Schlegel scored a 98th-minute game-winning goal to seal it, as the Stars finished the 2025 season level on 20 points with Bay FC. It’s not making the playoffs, but it’s something. 

• 13Bay FC

  Prior Ranking: 13

  Result: Lost to Racing Louisville 1-0

  Ramifications: One year after making the playoffs in their inaugural season, Bay FC finished at the bottom of the table, one spot above, but even on points with the last-place Stars. Silver lining? They lost their final game, but it was part of history as Racing Louisville secured their first postseason berth.

• 12Angel City

  Prior Ranking: 11

  Result: Lost to Chicago Stars 2-1

  Ramifications: With their season already done, Angel City saw things out with a defeat on the road in Chicago. The emotional final professional match for retiring club veterans Ali Riley and Christen Press stole the show - and the tissue box.

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  11Utah Royals

  Prior Ranking: 12

  Result: Beat Washington Spirit 1-0 

  Ramifications: Few teams outside of the playoff spots ended their year as respectable as the Utah Royals. On Decision Day, they beat the second-place Washington Spirit - who were without multiple key players, it should be noted - to send them into the offseason with lots of potential for next year.

• 10Houston Dash

  Prior Ranking: 10

  Result: Lost to Portland Thorns 2-0

  Ramifications: A few weeks after handing first-place Kansas City one of just three defeats in 2025, the Dash completed their season with a loss to Portland. Their playoff hopes were dashed a few weeks ago, though, as they finished the year on 30 points - six short of eighth-place Gotham.

• 9North Carolina Courage

  Prior Ranking: 9

  Result: Beat Gotham 3-2

  Ramifications: Based on Louisville’s victory over Gotham, the Courage were the last team out of the playoffs. They finished the year with 35 points - one short of Racing - but have spent large swaths of their season in lackluster form. Despite some positives - such as stellar performances from 21-year-old Manaka Matsukubo - the two-time NWSL Champions will miss the playoffs for just the second time in club history.

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  8Racing Louisville

  Prior Ranking: 8

  Result: Beat Bay FC 1-0

  Ramifications: Racing Louisville fans have already won something, even before the playoffs begin. Sunday’s narrow victory secured their first postseason appearance in their fifth NWSL campaign - and salvaged them from yet another ninth-place finish. They’ll play Washington next on the road, but can already be proud of what they accomplished in 2025.

• 7Gotham FC

  Prior Ranking: 4

  Result: Lost to North Carolina 3-2

  Ramifications: Gotham qualified for the postseason ahead of Decision Day, but few teams sustained a worse blow on the final day of the season. With the loss, Gotham ended the year in eighth-place, setting them up for a first round bout with the record-setting league leaders, Kansas City.

• 6Seattle Reign

  Prior Ranking: 6

  Result: Drew Orlando 1-1

  Ramifications: Seattle settled for a draw on the road, secured with an equalizer from Jordyn Bugg - fresh from USWNT duty. In a fairly even contest with Orlando, the Reign may regret not getting more. A win could have seen them secure home-field advantage and a top four finish. Instead, they’ll face the reigning champions again next weekend in Orlando. 

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  5San Diego Wave

  Prior Ranking: 7

  Result: Lost to Kansas City 2-1

  Ramifications: San Diego lost to the league leaders on Decision Day but they looked good doing it. Dudinha’s early goal had Kansas City trailing at home for the first time this season. The Wave finished in sixth and will start their postseason campaign on the road, playing third-place Portland at Providence Park next Sunday. It’ll be a challenge, but they’ve got the form to pull off an upset. 

• 4Washington Spirit

  Prior Ranking: 3

  Result: Lost to Utah Royals 1-0

  Ramifications: The second-place Spirit had home-field advantage wrapped up through the playoff semifinals ahead of this match. The loss didn’t impact their postseason standing, but the number of players in their injury list could impact their fate, as a short-changed Spirit finished the year with two defeats and a draw. They host Racing Louisville next weekend as a top playoff contender, but fans will have eager eyes on that player availability report. 

• 3Portland Thorns

  Prior Ranking: 5

  Result: Beat Houston Dash 2-0

  Ramifications: Portland beat the Dash at home to ensure they’re one of four teams playing at home next weekend. The reliably electric crowd at Providence Park will need to be in characteristic form. They’re set to host a San Diego Wave side that could be a dark horse candidate for a deep playoff run.

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  2Orlando Pride

  Prior Ranking: 2

  Result: Drew Seattle Reign 1-1

  Ramifications: The reigning champions enter the postseason without the 2024 NWSL Championship MVP, Barbra Banda, who’s been out since August with a season-ending injury. Still, they rallied in the final weeks of the season to find their form and secure home field advantage in the playoffs. Sunday’s draw with Seattle was enough to ensure they’ll play at home again next weekend, when they face Seattle for a postseason rematch of their Decision Day draw. 

• 1Kansas City Current

  Prior Ranking: 1

  Result: Beat San Diego Wave 2-1

  Ramifications: For a brief moment, it looked as if San Diego might do the unthinkable: beat Kansas City in Kansas City. The Current conceded an early goal and trailed at the half, but they came back in the second half to secure an undefeated season at home. Their list of broken records in 2025 is long - most wins in a season, most clean sheets in a season to name two - and they enter the postseason with one main concern: how soon 2025 NWSL Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga will be fit.