Jon ArnoldSep 15, 2025, 10:55 AM ET
The 2025 MLS season continues to chug along, which means it's time for ESPN's Power Rankings.
Who's climbing the table, and who's in free fall? Our writers studied the action from across Matchday 33 to come up with this week's order of all 30 teams in the league. Let's dive in.
1. Philadelphia Union
Previous ranking: 1
The Union had a match to forget, falling 7-0 to Vancouver on the road, yet keeping the top spot in these rankings with most of the competition also falling flat this weekend. Philly fans will hope that the biggest defeat in club history was the result of the team simply being more focused on this week's U.S. Open Cup semifinal.
2. San Diego FC
Previous ranking: 2
The advanced metrics liked what San Diego did against Minnesota (2.16 xG compared to 0.5), and SDFC passed the eye test, too. They didn't get much past Dayne St. Clair, however, with the MNUFC goalkeeper making a dozen saves as San Diego fell 3-1 to the Loons.
3. FC Cincinnati
Previous ranking: 5
Welcome back, Brenner. The Brazilian scored his first goal since returning to Cincinnati, getting an assist from countryman Evander for the opener in a 2-1 victory over Nashville. The latter scored too, notching a stoppage-time winner, but he's been so dominant this season that it almost felt like a given.
4. Seattle Sounders
Previous ranking: 3
The Sounders scored a pair of first-half goals and looked to be on cruise control but ended up with just a point from a 2-2 draw with the Galaxy. Seattle conceded in the last five minutes of both halves, letting that early lead slip away.
5. Charlotte FC
Previous ranking: 6
Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina stopped a Jordi Alba shot early, then kept his nerve and denied a Lionel Messi panenka attempt. From there, it was all Charlotte, with Idan Toklomati registering a hat trick in a 3-0 victory for the hosts. It's nine victories in a row and ten matches undefeated for Charlotte.
6. Vancouver Whitecaps
Previous ranking: 7
Seven goals, three of them from new arrival Thomas Müller, in a 7-0 demolition of Philadelphia made for a perfect night at BC Place. Whether it was set pieces, open play or Müller at the penalty spot, the Caps were unstoppable. Maybe there's still a shot at the Supporters' Shield?
7. Inter Miami CF
Previous ranking: 4
It's not often that Lionel Messi fails to convert a penalty, but that's what happened as the Argentine maestro saw his first-half attempt saved. It was still 0-0 then but ended 3-0 with Miami conceding a hat trick to Charlotte's Idan Toklomati. Miami will be happy to be back at home Tuesday for its next match but less pleased to see the game comes against Seattle after their Leagues Cup loss and post-game fracas.
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Charlotte FC vs. Inter Miami CF - Game Highlights
Charlotte FC vs. Inter Miami CF - Game Highlights
8. Minnesota United
Previous ranking: 8
Visiting a Supporters' Shield contender, goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair came up big, and his attack responded in a 3-1 Loons win over San Diego. While the first goal came from a set piece, Minnesota's stock-in-trade, the second was in transition and the third was a blast from midfield over the head of SDFC shot-stopper CJ Dos Santos.
9. LAFC
Previous ranking: 9
The crowd of more than 50,000 at Levi's Stadium wanted to see Son Heung-Min, and he delivered a goal in the very first minute. But they also got a show from Denis Bouanga, who returned from Gabon duty and netted a hat trick in a 4-2 victory over San Jose. The rest of the Western Conference can't be happy to see those attacking weapons working well together.
10. Columbus Crew
Previous ranking: 12
The Crew scored five consecutive goals against Atlanta, then held on to all three points with a 5-4 victory in a topsy-turvy contest. Diego Rossi's hat trick stole the headlines, but getting summer signing Wessam Abou Ali may be the real boost for Crew manager Wilfried Nancy.
11. Orlando City
Previous ranking: 10
Orlando hoped to put a near-miss in Leagues Cup -- finishing fourth place and out of the Concacaf Champions Cup place -- behind it, but managed only a 1-1 draw with D.C. in its first match since the tournament. Alex Freeman scored an equalizer in the 53rd minute, and took a high boot that sent a D.C. defender off while doing it, but Orlando couldn't finish off a winner.
12. Nashville SC
Previous ranking: 11
The skid continues for the Boys in Gold, losing 2-1 to Cincinnati at TQL Stadium. Sam Surridge scored his 21st goal of the year to extend his lead as top scorer, but it will be small consolation for a Nashville team that fell in the fifth of its past six matches.
13. Portland Timbers
Previous ranking: 14
The summer additions continue to pay dividends for Phil Neville's squad. Matías Rojas scored the opener on a pass from Kristoffer Velde in a 2-1 Timbers victory over the Red Bulls. It was the Timbers' first win since July 25, but the playoffs are well in sight if this form continues.
14. New York City FC
Previous ranking: 15
After conceding first on the road, NYCFC consolidated and pushed forward, earning a 3-1 victory in Chicago. It's getting into, "Can we play you every week?" territory, with the win extending NYCFC's unbeaten streak against the Fire to nine matches. Seymour Reid's late goal made the 17-year-old the club's youngest-ever goal scorer.
15. San Jose Earthquakes
Previous ranking: 13
San Jose drew more than 50,000 fans to Levi's Stadium to see a showdown with LAFC, but would've liked to feature the opposing stars less. It was 3-0 after 12 minutes, with goals from Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga. The Quakes couldn't recover, falling 4-2.
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San Jose Earthquakes vs. LAFC - Game Highlights
Watch the Game Highlights from San Jose Earthquakes vs. LAFC, 09/13/2025
16. Chicago Fire
Previous ranking: 16
Philip Zinckernagel found the opener, but the Fire couldn't hold the lead and fell 3-1 to NYCFC on Saturday at Soldier Field. They're still above the postseason line, fending off competition for the final spot.
17. New York Red Bulls
Previous ranking: 17
Despite an Emil Forsberg equalizer, the Red Bulls didn't have enough in the tank to win after a long trip to Portland, falling 2-1 to the Timbers. Perhaps that shouldn't come as a surprise. Their only win away from home came in May against D.C.
18. Austin FC
Previous ranking: 18
Austin got punched early against Dallas and struggled to continue answering the bell, falling 2-0 to their Copa Tejas rivals.
19. FC Dallas
Previous ranking: 19
Dallas started hot against Austin, producing a champagne football moment in the second minute that ended with a Petar Musa goal. Bernard Kamungo scored a second, and FCD were able to secure a 2-0 victory over a Texas rival.
20. Real Salt Lake
Previous ranking: 20
A 2-1 home win, with Zavier Gozo setting up Diego Luna and Alexandros Katranis for goals, had to feel like a nice neck crack for an RSL team that had fallen in their previous three contests. It's a quick turnaround to face LAFC midweek as RSL plays some of the games they have in hand over fellow postseason hopefuls.
21. Colorado Rapids
Previous ranking: 21
Soccer is made for moments like the 96th-minute winner the Rapids found to beat Houston, 2-1 -- a goal that looked to be scored by summer signing Paxten Aaronson making his home debut but that went down as an own goal. Still, Rapids fans will be looking to cheer many more electric moments from the Pennsylvania native.
22. LA Galaxy
Previous ranking: 22
In a week during which playmaker Riqui Puig was left off the final roster as he continues to recover from an ACL tear suffered in last year's playoffs, the Galaxy got two goals from defenders in a 2-2 draw with Seattle. Maya Yoshida and Miki Yamane provided the scoring plays as Greg Vanney's team rallied for a point.
23. Houston Dynamo
Previous ranking: 23
Just when it looked like the Dynamo had a second straight draw and a third match undefeated, the Rapids scored from a corner kick in the 96th minute. The end of the mini-run may be the end of Houston's playoff hopes.
24. New England Revolution
Previous ranking: 24
The Revs didn't have a lot of opportunities against Toronto, but Luca Langoni's deflected shot crossed the line in the 90th minute to earn a 1-1 draw for the hosts.
25. Toronto FC
Previous ranking: 25
Toronto is almost finding new ways to settle for stalemates, conceding a late deflected goal in a 1-1 draw with New England. It's the fifth draw in a row for TFC, whose 11 draws on the year is tied for the league lead.
26. St. Louis City SC
Previous ranking: 29
St. Louis earned a second road win of the season as goals from Conrad Wallem and Marcel Hartel propelled them past Montréal, 2-0. It also makes two games in a row without suffering a loss, the first time since April that St. Louis has strung together a pair of results.
27. CF Montréal
Previous ranking: 26
All good things must come to an end, and whether it was players sluggish after international duty or simply a strong effort from the visitors, Montréal's 2-0 loss to St. Louis on Saturday snapped a five-match unbeaten run.
28. D.C. United
Previous ranking: 30
D.C. did well to battle to a 1-1 draw with Orlando, refusing to capitulate even after allowing an equalizer and going down to 10 men for Lukas MacNaughton's foul on the goal. The stalemate makes it four matches unbeaten for United -- definitely progress from what they showed earlier this year.
29. Sporting Kansas City
Previous ranking: 27
Sporting KC fans have seen this one before, with their side falling behind 2-0 and losing to Real Salt Lake 2-1 on Saturday. Not enough creation, conceding too easily. The Whitecaps are next after they hung seven goals on Philadelphia.
30. Atlanta United
Previous ranking: 28
We'll give Atlanta some credit for battling back in a 5-4 home loss to Columbus. Then again, tough to give too much credit when the Five Stripes conceded five goals in the first 39 minutes of the match in the first place.
