It’s Tuesday, and with the 2026 NWSL regular season fully underway, it’s time once again for ESPN’s Power Rankings.
Which teams are poised to ascend the standings? And which face the risk of a rapid descent? Our writers meticulously analyzed the performances from across Matchday 2 to formulate this week’s ranking for all 16 teams in the league. Let’s delve in.
Previous ranking: 1
Next match: Wednesday at San Diego Wave, 10 p.m. ET
If competing with 10 players isn’t challenging enough, why not attempt it with nine? That appears to be the Thorns’ strategy, and it proved entirely effective in their 2-0 triumph over Seattle. Cassandra Bogere received her dismissal in the ninth minute following two yellow cards, yet Portland still managed to enter halftime with a two-goal lead, thanks to strikes from Pietra Tordin and Reilyn Turner. When Reyna Reyes was sent off in the 57th minute, it meant defending for a full half-hour before a crowd of 21,321. What might this squad accomplish at full strength?
Previous ranking: 5
Next match: Friday vs. Houston Dash, 10 p.m. ET
Sveindís Jónsdóttir triumphed in a one-on-one encounter in the fourth minute, then netted a goal in the second half, guiding Angel City to a decisive 3-1 win over Bay FC. Gisele Thompson also contributed to the scoring, assisted by Jónsdóttir, helping the Southern California ensemble overcome their Northern California counterparts and claim the top spot in the league at this nascent stage of the season. This marks the first occasion in club history that ACFC has commenced a season with consecutive victories.
Previous ranking: 3
Next match: Wednesday vs. Denver Summit, 7 p.m. ET
Both prominent figures on the pitch and notable personalities off it were present in Harrison, New Jersey, as the 2025 champions made their home debut, but the Gotham players couldn’t deliver a goal for the spectators to celebrate in a 0-0 stalemate with North Carolina. Rose Lavelle’s back-post header, shortly after the second-half whistle, was Gotham’s sole shot on target, as the Courage effectively stifled the hosts’ capacity to generate dangerous opportunities. The return of Tierna Davidson, who played her initial minutes since sustaining an ACL tear last March, will undoubtedly provide a significant boost moving forward.
Previous ranking: 10
Next match: Friday at Angel City, 10 p.m. ET
Jamaica international Kiki Van Zanten secured a brace, with Kat Rader adding a third, as the Dash comfortably defeated Boston 3-0 at Shell Energy Stadium. This offensive explosion occurred after an early penalty save by Legacy goalkeeper Casey Murphy, but Houston maintained its composure and continued its flawless start to the campaign. Next up is an early-season showdown at the top of the table against Angel City.
Previous ranking: 7
Next match: Saturday at Gotham FC, 6:30 p.m. ET
It was merely her second appearance in North Carolina colors, but goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan surpassed 15,000 NWSL minutes and also registered a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw with Gotham on Saturday. Sheridan will rightfully credit the defense in front of her, however, having only needed to make one save as the Courage restricted the reigning champions’ scoring chances. Now, the focus shifts to fulfilling the promise of a more potent attack this season — a task that will become simpler once Manaka Matsukubo returns from the Women’s Asian Cup.
Previous ranking: 4
Next match: Wednesday at Seattle Reign, 9 p.m. ET
Could they manage it on a chilly, blustery afternoon in Evanston, Illinois? The answer for the Current, as it transpired, was no, as they succumbed 2-1 to Chicago on Sunday. Haley Hopkins entered the match as a halftime substitute and halved the deficit in the 57th minute following a perceptive pass from Izzy Rodriguez, but the team exhibited none of the coherence it displayed throughout 2025 and couldn’t recover from a subpar first half.
Previous ranking: 2
Next match: Wednesday vs. Kansas City Current, 9 p.m. ET
While Seattle’s journey to Portland was mercifully shorter than their Week 1 trip to Orlando, the Reign still encountered numerous difficulties. Opportunities should have emerged when Portland was reduced to ten players in the initial ten minutes and then to nine in the second half. Yet, despite a two-player advantage, Seattle only managed three shots on target and suffered a 2-0 defeat to their rivals, the Thorns. Portland goalkeeper Morgan Messner made four saves to thwart the Reign, who will be eager for some home comfort and Wednesday’s home opener against Kansas City.
Previous ranking: 6
Next match: Saturday at North Carolina Courage, 7 p.m. ET
Bay FC found themselves trailing Angel City early, conceded two more goals, and couldn’t mount a comeback, ultimately losing 3-1 on Saturday at PayPal Park. Taylor Huff scored their goal but will be unavailable for Bay against North Carolina after receiving two yellow cards in the second half for aggressive tackles. That upcoming game will be crucial for team morale, given that last season saw Bay enter a scoring drought from the summer onwards.
Previous ranking: 8
Next match: Friday at Racing Louisville, 8 p.m. ET
After falling behind 2-0, the Spirit rallied to secure a 2-2 draw with Louisville, earning their first point this season following an opening-weekend loss against Portland. Sofia Cantore netted a long-range goal to reduce the deficit, with Leicy Santos finding the equalizer in the 74th minute. Trinity Rodman exited the match with a head injury but is expected to return Wednesday. This, coupled with the Spirit’s determined comeback effort in the second half, bodes well for fans in the nation’s capital; less encouraging are their issues with defensive transitions in the initial half.
Previous ranking: 13
Next match: Saturday at Seattle Reign, 6:30 p.m. ET
Emma Sears assisted Kayla Fischer for a goal from outside the box. Then, Fisher unleashed Sears for a magnificent goal on a solo breakaway as Racing surged to a 2-0 lead in the first half against Washington. However, subsequent play was dominated by the Spirit, and Racing had to settle for a 2-2 draw in their home opener at Lynn Family Stadium, rather than achieving retribution for last year’s playoff elimination.
Previous ranking: 14
Next match: Wednesday at Gotham FC, 7 p.m. ET
Is Melissa Kössler destined to be Denver’s inaugural prolific scorer? The Hoffenheim veteran initiated the scoring for the Summit with a right-footed finish in the 24th minute of a 1-1 draw with Orlando. That goal, along with 10 saves from goalkeeper Abby Smith, helped the expansion franchise secure its first-ever point. The foundational elements appear to be in place, highlighted by a spirited opening 25 minutes, for the team to be more than just a new squad marking initial milestones.
Previous ranking: 15
Next match: Wednesday vs. Portland Thorns, 10 p.m. ET
The Wave traveled to Utah and emerged with a 2-1 victory over the Royals on Sunday night. Dudinha’s opening goal will be recorded as unassisted, but the pass originated from a Royals defender, and she capitalized on it, scoring with her initial touch. San Diego conceded but then found a winning goal from rookie Lia Godfrey, shortly after Royals defender Tatumn Milazzo received her second yellow card, contributing to one of NWSL’s many red cards this weekend.
Previous ranking: 16
Next match: Wednesday vs. Orlando Pride, 8 p.m. ET
After a punishing opening match that saw the Stars fall 4-0, Martin Sjögren’s squad rebounded with a 2-1 triumph over Kansas City in their home opener on the Northwestern campus. Tessa Dellarose gave the Stars a deserved lead just before halftime following a corner kick, and Jordyn Huitema extended the advantage with a near-post header five minutes into the second half.
Previous ranking: 9
Next match: Wednesday at Chicago Stars, 8 p.m. ET
Another week, another goal for Barbra Banda, but it came in a 1-1 draw with Denver after the match began with a flurry of chances for the visiting side. Orlando skillfully managed to stem the onslaught, and witnessing Banda score from a cross by Lizbeth Ovalle will bring satisfaction to manager Seb Hines, but the damage had already been inflicted, leaving them with one point from the season’s first two fixtures.
Previous ranking: 12
Next match: Wednesday at Washington Spirit, 7 p.m. ET
Lara Prasnikar scored her inaugural goal for the Royals, but it wasn’t sufficient in a 2-1 loss to San Diego. Tatumn Milazzo, who scored last week, was sent off late in this contest, and the Wave were able to capitalize on a Royals team playing with 10 players by securing a late winner from Lia Godfrey. Utah now faces a rapid turnaround with an extensive journey to confront Washington in D.C. on Wednesday.
Previous ranking: 11
Next match: Saturday at Houston Dash, 4 p.m. ET
Legacy goalkeeper Casey Murphy saved a penalty in the first half but couldn’t sustain the momentum, conceding three goals in a 3-0 defeat to Houston. The club’s debut road trip proved challenging, with Boston managing only two shots on Jane Campbell’s goal and concluding the game with an expected goals (xG) figure of 0.52.