NWSL Power Rankings: Orlando stays top, Angel City on the up

It’s Monday, and another week of NWSL action is in the books, which means it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings.

Who’s climbing the table? Who’s in free fall? Our writers studied the action from across Matchday 3 to come up with this week’s order of all 14 teams in the league. Let’s dive in.

Previous ranking: 1
Next match: Saturday, April 12 at Seattle Reign, 7:30 p.m. ET

It takes a certain degree of swagger to mis-hit your first penalty attempt off the post, then step back up after being handed a re-take (Wave players infringed on the box) and fire home a Panenka, but that’s what Marta did on Saturday and it sealed a 2-1 win against San Diego. It also puts the Brazilian just one penalty goal short of Megan Rapinoe’s NWSL record.

Previous ranking: 2
Next match: Saturday, April 12 at San Diego Wave, 10 p.m. ET

Playing at home, the Current pounced on Utah’s mistakes and looked threatening in transition. Temwa Chawinga opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, matching one of her 2024 NWSL records by scoring in eight straight games (stretching back to last season). She scored again but it was called back by a handball in the play. Michelle Cooper and Debinha added two more before the half, and the Current walked away with a decisive 3-0 win over the Royals.

Previous ranking: 4
Next match: Saturday, April 12 at Racing Louisville, 5 p.m. ET

Days after being named to Emma Hayes’ U.S. women’s national team roster to play Brazil, Spirit striker Ashley Hatch scored a brace in Washington’s 2-0 win against Bay FC. She scored both in the air just three minutes apart, moving into NWSL’s top five goal scorers in regular season history. Getting the ball wide and dropping it on Hatch’s head seems to be an effective game plan for the Spirit, and with Trinity Rodman back in the starting lineup, they’re building some momentum.

Previous ranking: 12
Next match: Saturday, April 12 at Houston Dash, 5 p.m. ET

Alyssa Thompson set the tone early for Angel City, scoring her second goal of the year in the eighth minute with a decisive strike from inside the box. Seattle equalized minutes later after a soft penalty call on Gisele Thompson, but Angel City rookie Riley Tiernan scored her first NWSL goal in the air to seal a 2-1 win against Seattle. The hosts were imperfect with their opportunities (taking 16 shots with five on target), but the momentum and chance generation was decisively theirs.

Previous ranking: 8
Next match: Saturday, April 12 vs. Kansas City Current, 10 p.m. ET

San Diego is brimming with exciting international talent — Delphine Cascarino and Adriana Leon, to name just two — but don’t sleep on 19-year-old Nigeria youth international Chiamaka Okwuchukwu, who came off the bench to score San Diego’s equalizing goal against Orlando, just 108 seconds into her NWSL debut. The visitors lost 2-1 after Marta scored from the penalty spot (on the second attempt), and while San Diego will regret giving up a silly penalty (then committing another error in encroaching in the box to allow for a re-take), the Wave gave the reigning champs their toughest test of the season.

Previous ranking: 3
Next match: Saturday, April 12 vs. Orlando Pride, 7:30 p.m. ET

After Seattle conceded an Alyssa Thompson golazo in the eighth minute, Ji So-Yun scored a penalty to keep things level in the first half, but the Reign never got things going in Los Angeles: they were out-possessed 58-42 and outshot 16-6 in a 2-1 defeat to Angel City. They were missing Jess Fishlock to injury, and playing their second straight game on the road, though, so fans can remain hopeful this is a stronger Seattle in 2025. The good news? They play at home again after the international break. The bad news is it’s against Orlando.

Previous ranking: 6
Next match: Saturday, April 12 vs. Angel City, 5 p.m. ET

In a 0-0 draw with Gotham, Houston collected a point in what might be the least eventful game of the weekend. Two of the best goalkeepers in the league featured on either side, but neither were really tested as the Dash and Gotham fired off three shots on target between them. Houston’s careful approach could pay off for now: Jane Campbell clocked in for two saves to keep a clean sheet and the Dash into the international break in the top half of the table.

Previous ranking: 7
Next match: Sunday, April 13 vs. Chicago Stars, 7 p.m. ET (stream live on ESPN+)

Bay FC suffered their first loss of the season on the road against the Spirit, who they’ve yet to beat in NWSL. Washington dominated the first half, but Bay fought back in the second and were a bit unlucky not to walk away with a goal or two: rookie Taylor Huff (who will report to the U.S. U23 camp) had a sleek second-half strike called off due to a foul earlier in the play, and Spirit keeper Aubrey Kingsbury made some key saves to keep them out.

Previous ranking: 9
Next match: Sunday, April 13 at Gotham FC, 4 p.m. ET

North Carolina generated a bit more in attack this week, but Mackenzie Arnold’s five saves kept them from scoring. The Courage left Portland with a 0-0 draw, marking two draws and two total goals scored in their first three games. Similar to last season, North Carolina is a formidable team, but it is lacking in clinical finish. Fans shouldn’t worry yet, the building blocks needed to succeed have been demonstrated so far this season.

Previous ranking: 11
Next match: Saturday, April 12 vs. Washington Spirit, 5 p.m. ET

Despite some notable injuries and absences, Louisville went to Chicago and collected its first win of the year in a 1-0 victory over last-placed Chicago. Taylor Flint set up Emma Sears for the decisive goal, which is just Racing’s second strike of the year, both of them coming from Sears.

Previous ranking: 5
Next match: Sunday, April 13 vs. North Carolina Courage, 4 p.m. ET

Gotham are still working through lots of changes since their third-place finish in 2024, but after drawing Houston 0-0 in Texas, they still haven’t won a game in the new year. Beyond the scoreline, Gotham’s most concerning development was an injury to center back Tierna Davidson, which saw the U.S. international leave the game with a non-contact knee injury. Three games into 2025 and concerns mounting.

Previous ranking: 13
Next match: Friday, April 11 at Utah Royals, 10 p.m. ET

Portland collected a second straight draw at home on Saturday, this time a 0-0 stalemate with North Carolina. The Thorns didn’t need much of the ball to fire off shots (they left the game with 19, but just two were on target). Australian goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold’s five saves were essential to keeping the clean sheet and clinching the lone point as Portland continues to search for its first victory of the year.

Previous ranking: 10
Next match: Friday, April 11 vs. Portland Thorns, 10 p.m. ET

Utah entered the weekend with seven players on the injury list, including captain Paige Monaghan, as it went to Kansas City to play one of the toughest teams in the league. Goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn made three saves, but it wasn’t enough to fend off the attacking firepower of Temwa Chawinga, Debinha and Michelle Cooper, who scored three goals before the half to hand the Royals their second loss of the year.

Previous ranking: 14
Next match: Sunday, April 13 at Bay FC, 7 p.m. ET (stream live on ESPN+)

Things aren’t looking great for Chicago early this season. After losing 1-0 to Louisville at home, the Stars are the only team to lose all three games so far this year. They’ve also scored one total goal while allowing nine. Silver lining: only allowing one goal is … progress?