It’s Tuesday, and the 2026 NWSL regular season is now in full swing, signaling the moment for ESPN’s Power Rankings.
Which teams are poised to ascend the standings? Who faces the risk of a steep decline? Our writers meticulously analyzed the events from Matchday 4 to compile this week’s ranking of all 16 squads in the league. Let’s delve into the details.
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Previous ranking: 3
Next match: Saturday, April 25 at Denver Summit, 8:45 p.m. ET
A sequence of four straight wins and two successive clean sheets marks an impressive showing from Jonas Eidevall’s side. Propelled by Ludmila’s decisive 63rd-minute goal, the Wave triumphed over Boston with a 1-0 scoreline and are now occupying a strong position atop the league table. Praise is warranted for the squad, which ranks first in the league for both xG (expected goals) and xA (expected assists) after Matchday 4.
Previous ranking: 1
Next match: Sunday, April 26 at Angel City FC, 6 p.m. ET (stream live on ESPN)
A hotly contested affair unfolded between Portland and North Carolina during the Thorns’ trip, concluding in a 2-2 stalemate over the weekend despite Portland twice relinquishing their advantage. Sophia Wilson, making her second start since maternity leave, continues to pursue her inaugural goal of 2026. One redeeming factor for Portland is Olivia Moultrie’s fourth goal contribution of the season.
Previous ranking: 2
Next match: Sunday, April 26 vs. Portland Thorns, 6 p.m. ET (stream live on ESPN)
This is the consequence of a more challenging fixture list. Precisely when it seemed Angel City were on the verge of securing a draw in Orlando, the hosts retaliated with a chaotic, rebound-filled sequence in the 98th minute that resulted in Haley McCutcheon’s decisive, late goal, sealing a 2-1 defeat for head coach Alexander Straus. Is this a cause for concern for a team positioned 14th in overall duel success rates and 12th for xG?
Previous ranking: 4
Next match: Sunday, April 26 vs. Utah Royals, 8 p.m. ET
Seattle held Denver to a goalless draw, but a better performance was anticipated on home turf, particularly after being outshot 18 to 13. Having recently achieved consecutive victories, Matchday 4’s result curbs the impetus for head coach Laura Harvey and her squad. However, commendation goes to Seattle’s Sam Meza for her perfect seven successful tackles and winning 10 of her 12 ground duels.
Previous ranking: 7
Next match: Friday, April 24 at Racing Louisville, 5:30 p.m. ET
There’s the long-anticipated significant declaration. Demonstrating competitiveness against Angel City and possessing the resolve to mount a comeback with a late decisive goal, Orlando merits accolades for its tight 2-1 win at home. Evidently an assertive attacking side, having registered 83 shots across five fixtures, Orlando is beginning to gather momentum with their current four-match unbeaten run.
Previous ranking: 6
Next match: Saturday, April 25 vs. North Carolina Courage, 8 p.m. ET
Remarkably, four penalties were awarded in total (two for each squad) in Houston’s thrilling 4-3 triumph over Louisville. The decisive goal, scored in the 99th minute, kept the outcome finely balanced versus an adversary who has accumulated merely one point thus far in 2026. Kiki Van Zanten, netting a brace in the win, now boasts four goals for the current campaign.
Previous ranking: 5
Next match: Saturday, April 25 vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC, 1 p.m. ET
The Bay squad still has much to demonstrate, having failed to keep up with several of the more prominent sides in the NWSL this season. Commanding merely 37.8% of ball possession at home and being outshot 20-6, the Northern California side succumbed to a 2-0 defeat to the Washington Spirit. With nine saves, goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz was arguably the standout performer on the pitch for Bay.
Previous ranking: 11
Next match: Friday, April 24 at Kansas City Current, 8 p.m. ET
Regarding Washington, their four-match winless run was abruptly ended over the weekend by a commanding 2-0 road victory over Bay. Coming on as a substitute, Gift Monday emerged as the visitors’ protagonist with her 86th-minute strike, which succeeded an own-goal from Bay’s Brooklyn Courtnall. The outlook appears promising for the squad, which boasts the second-highest xG and xA figures in the NWSL.
Previous ranking: 9
Next match: Saturday, April 25 at Houston Dash, 8 p.m. ET
While commendable for making their recent fixture an arduous one against Portland in the 2-2 draw, this marks their third consecutive match without a win for the Courage. Still, it might be an overstatement to claim that expectations were soaring at the outset of 2026, and with a game in hand, North Carolina is just a single point shy of a playoff position. A respectable standing.
Previous ranking: 10
Next match: Saturday, April 25 vs. San Diego Wave, 8:45 p.m. ET
Their position remained unchanged, neither moving up nor down, following the goalless stalemate in Seattle. Supporters should exercise patience with the 2026 newcomers, who have now recorded three draws in their last four outings. However, an area for improvement is their 14th place ranking in the NWSL for shots on target. Despite outshooting Seattle, only 27.1% of their 48 total attempts found the target.
Previous ranking: 13
Next match: Friday, April 24 vs. Washington Spirit, 8 p.m. ET
Temwa Chawinga’s return is noted. The forward was not the primary standout performer for the 2025 NWSL Shield winners. That distinction belongs to either Debinha or Michelle Cooper, both of whom scored, but the 2026 return of Chawinga (and an assist) provided a positive boost for the KC squad, which secured only their second seasonal victory via a 2-1 home outcome versus Gotham.
Previous ranking: 8
Next match: Saturday, April 25 vs. Bay FC, 1 p.m. ET
There was a period of late offensive urgency from the 2025 champions; however, they ultimately failed to achieve the desired outcome in their 2-1 defeat to Kansas City. Jaedyn Shaw’s singular goal marks only Gotham’s second tally of the 2026 campaign. Their foundational statistics are likewise less than stellar. They’re positioned 13th in xG, 12th in shots on target, and 13th in on-target percentage. Coach Juan Carlos Amorós faces challenges ahead.
Previous ranking: 14
Next match: Sunday, April 26 at Seattle Reign, 8 p.m. ET
Utah progresses steadily with a 1-0 victory over Chicago, a scoreline that scarcely conveys their true dominance. This marks consecutive triumphs, spurred by Mina Tanaka’s second goal of the season, propelling them to seventh in the table. Can this momentum be sustained by the Royals throughout the remainder of 2026? They may not exhibit the most visually appealing tactical style, yet one shouldn’t disregard this tenacious outfit, ranking third in NWSL duel success and fourth in aerial success rates.
Previous ranking: 12
Next match: Friday, April 24 vs. Orlando Pride, 5:30 p.m. ET
Persistent injury concerns are a hindrance, and their 4-3 loss to Houston was arguably not a surprise. Admittedly, they maintained competitiveness by netting three goals, however, the result solidifies their third loss in four matches this campaign. Still, conceding ten goals in four games is consistently an unfavorable statistic.
Previous ranking: 15
Next match: Saturday, April 25 at Chicago Stars FC, 6:30 p.m. ET
Similar to Denver, supporters will require patience with this expansion side, perhaps even more so. Coach Filipa Patão’s leadership yielded some promising moments in the opening half, yet these ultimately culminated in San Diego’s intensified effort during the latter 45 minutes, resulting in Boston’s 1-0 home defeat. This squad, currently far from a confident force, is clearly experiencing significant developmental challenges.
Previous ranking: 16
Next match: Saturday, April 25 vs. Boston Legacy FC, 6:30 p.m. ET
What observations can be made regarding Chicago? They were outshot by a margin of 27 to 3 in a 1-0 defeat to Utah, a result that prolonged their three-match losing streak and saw them concede their 11th goal of the year, the highest tally in the NWSL, relying heavily on goalkeeper Katie Lund, who emerged as the evening’s hero with eight saves. While premature to issue definitive forecasts regarding the season’s trajectory, predicting Chicago’s ongoing struggles appears a reasonable assessment.