NWSL Power Rankings: Washington Spirit, Gotham FC and San Diego Wave eye shield
As the regular season winds down, the race for the NWSL Shield continues to heat up
• 1 min read
The 2026 NWSL regular season is dialing up the line of the postseason and only a few teams are answering the call. There is just one more matchday for all 16 clubs, till Decision Day on November 1, with the postseason waiting behind it. That means there's plenty of time to shake things up on my power rankings.
It feels like every game carries playoff positioning stakes, and the power trends between teams show it. The rankings have shifted all season, so if you're trying to keep track of where your favorite team lands, here are my previous rankings.
Washington Spirit kept the NWSL Shield race interesting in their meeting against Gotham FC, while San Diego Wave haven't lost pace for the title either, but their place in the power rankings differs from what the league table tells me. Those clubs fighting for a title, a playoff seed, or just a lifeline all together is what makes this such a fascinating time of year.
Below that trio of shield-contending teams is a gloriously ugly scramble. Only five playoff spots remain, and clubs aren't separated by many points in the league, but in my power rankings, they definitely differentiate by vibes and form, so everybody better watch out for Kansas City Current and Angel City when the playoffs do start.
Gotham's injury woes feel like they're finally catching up to them, Portland's steady slump without Sophia Wilson is no surprise, and North Carolina Courage are on the verge of missing out on the postseason with the league's most lethal forward, proving that not even the hottest goal scorer can do it alone.
Joining North Carolina outside the playoff line is Denver Summit, and while they might be mathematically in contention, in the spirit of the rankings, they're crashing out on the power incline.
Now, on to the most recent rankings:
Biggest Movers
3 Kansas City Current
2 Portland Thorns
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Leicy Santos' return to the active roster is coming at the perfect time. If the goal is for her and Melissa Bethi to split minutes over the remaining games, that's a great strategy for a starting player and an x-factor athlete. | 1 | 16-8 |
| 2 |  | The league leaders struggled to get much of anything going last weekend, and with Jordynn Dudley and Bruninha added to the season-ending list, they'll have to hope Jaedyn Shaw's setback is just temporary and that Leila Ouahabi gets acclimated to her new team quickly. | 1 | 16-5 |
| 3 |  | The Wave look like the most in-form team at the moment, and they are having fun on top of it. Young players Melanie Barcenas and Trinity Byars lead in the final third, and veteran Kenza Dali flexing her technicality on the ball are all reasons they're dangerous. | -- | 17-8 |
| 4 |  | The Royals' momentum seems to have stalled, but it's familiar territory. They're no strangers to winning one week and losing the next, but they have to show who they are during high stakes if they want to prove they belong at the top of the rankings. | -- | 14-10 |
| 5 |  | Haley Hopkins has emerged as the Current's most clutch player, and that's alongside Temwa Chawinga. Even without Croix Bethune, they have made games difficult for others and victories for them, and they seem to be peaking at the right time. | 3 | 14-9 |
| 6 |  | From Taylor Suarez's game-winners and Sarah Gorden's lockdown defending, Angel City keep floating up the rankings. If they can manage complete games instead of reacting to chaos, they'll stay a problem for opponents. | 1 | 13-8 |
| 7 |  | Getting rescued by Caiya Hanks after Morgan Weaver's early efforts is a good sign of roster depth when they get Sophia Wilson back from a red-card suspension. The Thorns' only problem is several other teams are playing with the same playoff tenacity right now. | 2 | 12-8 |
| 8 |  | While Ashley Sanchez is closing in on a league scoring record, the Courage have outright struggled against fellow contenders. It's the one improvement I've wanted to see from them, and it's yet to happen. Not great for the playoff push. | 2 | 13-12 |
| 9 |  | It's a good thing the Reign have Maddie Mercado getting on the scoreboard now that they're without Maddie Dahlien for the remainder of the season. But their margin for error is practically invisible right now, and they no longer have eliminated bottom-table teams on the schedule to rack up goals and points. | 1 | 13-11 |
| 10 |  | Not only did the expansion side fumble a must-win type of game at home, but team captain Lindsey Heaps also lost her cool on a set piece, which just feels like a symbolic implosion of their playoff chances. | 1 | 10-10 |
| 11 |  | Newly eliminated from the postseason despite best efforts, here's to getting a future glimpse of Orlando Pride as a playoff spoiler, as they figure out how to get back their double winning form from 2024. | -- | 11-14 |
| 12 |  | If Amanda Gutierres keeps scoring, that just raises more questions for the coaching staff about why the player wasn't more of a factor over a long season. Newly acquired Gift Monday is a smart move, and how she'll fit with Gutierres and Aissata Traore will be key. | -- | 9-14 |
| 13 |  | Danielle Colaprico reminded everyone that veterans on a rookie-heavy roster are key, and Houston should let them play out the rest of the year. | -- | 8-14 |
| 14 |  | Playing for next season is crucial at this point for Bay, and Caroline Conti and Kennedy Fuller getting on the scoreboard other than Karli Lema is a silver lining. | -- | 7-15 |
| 15 |  | On a winless streak since late August, it feels like Racing's season can't end soon enough. Kayla Fisher's still getting on the scoresheet, which is always a positive. | -- | 7-18 |
| 16 |  | The league's last-place club are also last in these rankings. Simone Charley scored her first goal for the club after joining late this season, as the franchise still looks for their next general manager and head coach. | -- | 5-21 |
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