The 2025 NWSL regular season officially ticked past the quarter mark of the schedule, and the competition between clubs is boiling. That’s the perfect temperature check to shake things up in my power rankings. While there are just four points separating the top teams in the league table, with it comes constant shifts among the contenders. San Diego Wave have completely flipped the script on the entire league, emerging as challengers for titles, playoff spots, and power. Despite heavy injury loads, the Washington Spirit and NJ/NY Gotham FC remain a threat against opposing teams.
Eight weeks into the season means that some rosters have done a better job of executing their tactics and presenting their team identities, while others are truly just trying to manage things game to game. A minor reader’s reminder that wins don’t always mean automatic bumps in my rankings, but if you like to keep track of trends, here’s where things stood for my NWSL week seven rankings.
Week nine will be here soon, so don’t miss any action. Fans can watch select NWSL regular season matches across CBS, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, and CBS Sports Golazo Network.
Now, time for our rankings:
2025 NWSL Power Rankings
| Rank | Team | Change | Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1. |
Kansas City Current |
+2 |
Temwa Chawinga is back on the scoresheet, and there’s no other player in the league who is as threatening as Debinha through eight weeks. Add stand-out performances from Claire Hutton and Bia Zaneratto, and Kansas City Current remain the most powerful team in the league. |
|
2. |
Washington Spirit |
+3 |
Nothing moves my heart more than supreme chaos, and the Spirit bring it week after week. It seems like every week there’s a different star during each match, and this time it’s Rosemonde Kouassi with a goal, assist, and a chaotic forced own goal. |
|
3. |
Orlando Pride |
-2 |
It’s difficult to run it back, and the reigning champions are keeping their chances strong by maintaining suffocating, competitive chaos despite being less lethal in front of goal than last season. It brings an aura of less power, but they’re still an elite team. |
|
4. |
San Diego Wave FC |
-2 |
What if the Three Musketeers but a better version of it? That’s San Diego this year and their France internationals during each match. In week eight, it was fullback Perle Morroni who helped set the tone and deliver with extensive blades of grass covered and an assist on the scoresheet. |
|
5. |
Gotham FC |
-2 |
They’re hanging on while they figure out the right roster balance between injuries. Half the battle is managing a long season, but there are not many answers in front of the goal without goals from Esther Gonzalez in two consecutive weeks. |
|
6. |
Angel City FC |
+2 |
There’s not much more to say after the roster performed the way they did in light of Savy King’s medical emergency. Veteran leadership with Christen Press, and a young squad rallying through emotions for a win. Don’t be surprised if they surge in power toward the halfway mark. |
|
7. |
Portland Thorns FC |
-1 |
Needed a stoppage time penalty to squeeze anything out of a player advantage on the road. This team might just draw their way to the halfway point of the season. |
|
8. |
Seattle Reign FC |
-1 |
The coaching staff took a gamble and shifted things tactically this week, and it unfortunately didn’t pan out. The three-player back presented some ideas but couldn’t quite execute the somewhat stale plan. |
|
9. |
North Carolina Courage |
— |
The Courage might finally be turning a corner now that they have a quarter of the season behind them. Ashley Sanchez has been a massive help as she’s regained her form, but Denise O’Sullivan’s efforts in the midfield, no matter the formation, have been superior. |
|
10. |
Racing Louisville FC |
— |
Head coach Bev Yanez finally has the team hitting their stride, and now it’ll be about consistency. It’ll also be about whether or not they can keep defeating playoff teams in front of them, but one thing at a time. |
|
11. |
Houston Dash |
+1 |
Rookie Maggie Graham keeps scoring and leads the team with three goals this season, and goalkeeper Abby Smith kept Houston’s hopes alive with her efforts in net. Overall felt more smash and grab than completely dominating, but the Dash need all the help they can get right now. |
|
12. |
Bay FC |
-1 |
Feels like week after week this team is showing off how they are less of threat across the league, and that’s a deeply painlful thing to write with exciting talents in Rachael Kundenanji and Kiki Pickett on the roster. |
|
13. |
Chicago Stars FC |
— |
The club fired coach Lorne Donaldson and they have now entered a new mode. That vibe is still not getting wins but being a chaos demon instead. |
|
14. |
Utah Royals FC |
— |
Utah is slowly getting players back into form, and all that means for now is that there’s still time to be not last. |
This news was originally published on this post .
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