As the home stretch of the season looms, the playoff picture is becoming clearer
If you’re tuning into the 2026 NWSL regular season for the first time, welcome to the best part of the year, the second half of the schedule. Clubs will have all hands on deck to make a playoff push and prove they’re the most powerful team in the league.
That means it’s time to queue up my NWSL Power Rankings. Time is winding down for teams to rise and fall in the rankings. So if you’re trying to keep track of where your favorite team lands, here are my previous rankings.
August is already proving to be the perfect mix of chaos and stability. One week a team can impress and just stay ranked where they were before, while others can produce such significant performances that you have to bump them up the list — like Houston Dash’s impressive rookies, Linda Ullmark, who just made the U20 World Cup roster, and Kat Rader — who can’t stop scoring.
Teams like Houston keep the middle of the rankings interesting, while teams like Racing Louisville keep the bottom half of the list more honest. There might be fewer surprises there, especially if you’re Boston or Chicago.
Now, onto the most recent rankings:
Biggest Movers
2
Houston Dash
2
Orlando Pride
|
Rk |
Teams |
Chg |
Rcrd |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
|
Another week, another top spot for Gotham FC. Hard to give any more praise to this group, but when you’ve got Midge Purce, Jaedyn Shaw, and Sam Kerr contributing to goal scoring, there’s little to worry about. | — | 13-3 |
2 |
|
So the Utah Royals are a little streaky right now, but that just means they’re fun to watch. With a commanding press and a reliable midfield, Utah could rival the most powerful team if they get a little more consistent. | 1 | 11-6 |
3 |
|
The Spirit might be on a winless skid at the moment, but it’s hard to knock them lower knowing the talent on the roster, and the reinforcements they’ve got coming on the way following the Women’s African Cup of Nations. | 1 | 11-5 |
4 |
|
A special comeback for Caiya Hanks and her game-winning goal comes at a good time for Portland, who seem to finally be turning the page on questionable form. | — | 10-7 |
5 |
|
The Wave find themselves hanging in games but can’t figure out the final piece to dominate them. The injury bug is frustrating with Catarina Macario’s ongoing heel concern, and Kenza Dali’s absence is more glaring by the week. | — | 10-6 |
6 |
|
The Current have done enough to get through a schedule with Temwa Chawinga on international duty, but not quite enough to move higher in the rankings. | — | 9-8 |
7 |
|
While Seattle are still figuring out their attack by committee, they have reliable midfield depth, with Maddie Mercado and elevated performances from Ainsley McCammon. | — | 8-8 |
8 |
|
Yazmeen Ryan is turning up the performance volume at the right time for Denver. Fullbacks Ayo Oke and Janine Sonis have also proved a solid duo, and if the group can close out the month strong, they rise in the rankings. | — | 6-7 |
9 |
|
A lethal attacking duo that’s truly emerged in the second half of the season is Ashley Sanchez and Evelyn Ijeh. But the roster overall needs to figure out how to control chaotic games. | — | 9-7 |
10 |
|
Something special is brewing in Houston, with impressive rookie performances despite the more powerful teams ahead of them. Kat Rader is now in the mix for the golden boot and making plenty of noise for NWSL Rookie of the Year. | 2 | 7-8 |
11 |
|
Sure, it took Ally Sentnor nine games to get on the scoresheet, but good things don’t come easy, and neither do wins if you’re Angel City. | — | 7-7 |
12 |
|
Barbra Banda is officially back, but are the Pride too far gone to make a comeback? It shouldn’t fall on one player, and Orlando failed to show they’re more than that during Banda’s international absence. | 2 | 7-11 |
13 |
|
Little by little, Racing Louisville is finding a way to crawl out of the depths of the rankings. It’s coming more in spite of everything rather than being bolstered by the franchise. | 1 | 7-11 |
14 |
|
Last week I said Boston might find a way to drop lower in the rankings, and congrats to them for doing just that. They’re bleeding goals, nine in the last three games, and look more and more like a team that was built to go nowhere. | 1 | 5-10 |
15 |
|
Jenna Nighswonger made her return to NWSL with Bay FC, but the group has yet to find a way to get results that matter for now, even if some individual performances are building for the future. | — | 5-10 |
16 |
|
Looks like Chicago didn’t get the coaching change bump after moving on from Martin Sjogren. Losing is one thing, but letting other clubs turn their seasons around against you is another. Can’t coach vibes. | — | 4-15 |
