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NWSL Power Rankings: The Battle for the Top Spot Heats Up

As we head into the final stretch of the NWSL season, the competition is getting fierce. Teams are fighting for every point, and the power rankings are shifting dramatically. Here’s a look at the current standings and what’s at stake.

Top 5 Teams: A Tight Race

1. Orlando Pride: Despite suffering their first loss since October 2023, Orlando Pride remains one of the top teams in the league. They’ll look to bounce back against NJ/NY Gotham FC this weekend.
2. Kansas City Current: Kansas City is on a roll, with Temwa Chawinga breaking the NWSL record for goals scored in a single season. They’ll face off against San Diego Wave this weekend.
3. Washington Spirit: Washington secured a top-four finish and home-field advantage in the quarterfinals with a 4-1 win over Racing Louisville. However, they’ll need to address their injury list to make a deep playoff run.
4. NJ/NY Gotham FC: The reigning champions confirmed a top-four finish and home-field advantage in the quarterfinals with a 2-0 win against Chicago Red Stars. Lynn Williams became the all-time leading scorer across all NWSL competitions.
5. North Carolina Courage: North Carolina kept their home unbeaten run alive with a 1-1 draw against Angel City FC. They’ll look to extend their streak against Bay FC this weekend.

Playoff Contenders: Who Will Make the Cut?

6. Portland Thorns: Portland ended Orlando Pride’s historic 24-game unbeaten run with a 2-0 victory. They’ll need to keep their momentum going to secure a playoff spot.
7. Chicago Red Stars: Chicago clinched their spot in the playoffs despite losing to Gotham. They’ll face off against Washington Spirit this weekend.
8. Bay FC: Bay FC recovered from a 5-1 loss against Gotham by holding Kansas City Current to just one goal. They’ll need to get results from their remaining games to stay in the playoff hunt.
9. Angel City FC: Christen Press returned to scoring form, but Angel City’s playoff hopes remain mathematically alive. They’ll need results in their games and elsewhere to make the postseason.
10. Racing Louisville FC: Racing sits one spot shy of the playoff positions, hoping to make their first postseason in team history. They’ll face off against Portland Thorns this weekend.

Eliminated from Playoff Contention

11. Utah Royals: Utah’s summer signing of Canadian forward Cloé Lacasse has been a fruitful signing, but it may be too little, too late for their playoff hopes.
12. San Diego Wave FC: San Diego technically remains in playoff contention, but their postseason hopes are barely alive.
13. Seattle Reign FC: Seattle Reign were officially eliminated from the playoffs with a 3-0 loss to the Utah Royals.
14. Houston Dash: Houston entered the weekend already eliminated from the postseason, but they’re still causing chaos in the league.