Megan SwanickMar 17, 2026, 05:26 AM ET
It's Tuesday, the 2026 NWSL regular season is now underway, which means it's time for ESPN's Power Rankings.
Who's set for a climb up the table? Who's in danger of a free fall? Our writers studied the action from across Matchday 1 to come up with this week's order of all 16 teams in the league. Let's dive in.
1. Portland Thorns
Next match: Friday vs. Seattle Reign, 10 p.m. ET
Portland went to Washington, D.C., and came away with multiple wins to start the season. For one, Sophia Wilson is officially back from maternity leave. The former league MVP subbed into a 1-0 win in the 77th minute, marking her first appearance since November 2024. In the 52nd minute, 20-year-old Olivia Moultrie scored the deciding goal with a confident first touch and left-footed finish. And with multiple goalkeepers unavailable (Bella Bixby with an injury, Mackenzie Arnold on international duty), Morgan Messner kept a clean sheet with the help of some fierce defending in front of her.
2. Seattle Reign FC
Next match: Friday at Portland Thorns, 10 p.m. ET
Not to be outdone by any of NWSL's teenage goal scorers, 39-year-old Wales veteran Jess Fishlock scored the first goal for Seattle in a 2-1 victory in Orlando. After a lengthy weather delay, the Reign conceded a goal from former league MVP Barbra Banda, but Brittany Ratcliffe collected a debut marker off the bench to secure the win. Goal scorers tend to get the credit, but U.S. women's national team goalkeeper Claudia Dickey made seven key saves in her 41st consecutive start for Seattle on Sunday.
3. NJ/NY Gotham FC
Next match: Saturday vs. North Carolina Courage, 6:30 p.m. ET
The reigning champions have the tools to dominate again this season. Sure, they needed a 55th-minute goal from Spain striker Esther González (who came off the bench in the second half) to secure a 1-0 win against expansion side Boston Legacy. But with Tierna Davidson back on the game-day roster and Norway's six-time Women's Super League winner, Guro Reiten, on her way from Chelsea, it looks like the two-time champs will only get more dangerous as the season goes on.
4. Kansas City Current
Next match: Sunday at Chicago Stars, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN2 (stream live on ESPN)
With two-time NWSL MVP With Temwa Chawinga (who sustained a hip injury late last year) unavailable to start the season, a Kansas City squad adapting to new manager Chris Armas looked off-kilter in the first half and conceded first in a 2-1 victory against Utah. After struggling to notch three shots in the first 45, the Current fired off 15 in the second and sealed victory with goals from newly signed midfielder Croix Bethune (on her birthday) and former Royal Ally Sentnor.
5. Angel City FC
Next match: Saturday at Bay FC, 8:45 p.m. ET
Twenty-one-year-old defender Savy King (who collapsed on the pitch with a heart condition in 2025) made an impactful return to the field in a runaway 4-0 victory for Angel City, who handed Chicago a blistering defeat with four goals from four players, including three in the second half. That includes a goal and an assist for 19-year-old Kennedy Fuller, as well as a debut goal and assist for Brazilian midfielder Ary Borges.
6. Bay FC
Next match: Saturday vs. Angel City, 8:45 p.m. ET
In her debut for Bay FC, 18-year-old Alex Pfeiffer (who signed for Kansas City as a 15-year-old) was at her best, scoring the home side's first goal and assisting its second in a 2-1 win against Denver. Bay had the advantage for most of this match, as the Summit went down to 10 players in the 27th minute, but they'll take the positive start to the season (which is also their first win since last June) as they seek a return to the playoffs in their third year in the league.
7. North Carolina Courage
Next match: Saturday at Gotham FC, 6:30 p.m. ET
North Carolina's new era under Lebanese Swedish manager Mak Lind is off to a solid start. Lind promised more goals in 2026, and Ashley Sanchez scored one in both halves to secure a 2-1 win against Louisville in front of a record home-opener crowd. Canada goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan made her Courage debut with four saves. And while there's no perfect replacement for Denise O'Sullivan (who played nine seasons for the Courage), Carly Wickenheiser made her NWSL debut alongside Riley Jackson at the base of a sturdy midfield that limited Racing's progression through the middle of the pitch.
8. Washington Spirit
Next match: Friday at Racing Louisville, 8 p.m. ET
The Spirit were wasteful with their chances in a 1-0 loss at home to Portland. While taking 13 shots with 62% of possession, Washington managed just one shot on target. That 51st-minute attempt wasn't enough to get a result in front of a sellout crowd at Audi Field. After a massive offseason pursuit (resulting in NWSL's High Impact Player rule and a record-setting contract), Trinity Rodman started on the wing for the Spirit, but had a slow start to the year as Portland's defense limited her threat.
9. Orlando Pride
Next match: Friday vs. Denver Summit, 8 p.m. ET
After a two-and-a-half-hour weather delay, Barbra Banda scored the tying goal that shot life into the 2024 NWSL Champions, who were slightly outplayed in the first half at home. A few minutes after Banda subbed out, though, an off-the-bench goal from Brittany Ratcliffe set Seattle on course for a 2-1 win. The Pride fired off 23 shots in total, but only managed eight on target, with Reign keeper Claudia Dickey coming up big to keep them at bay.
10. Houston Dash
Next match: Saturday vs. Boston Legacy, 4 p.m. ET
In her Houston debut, Makenzy Robbe (née Doniak) scored the winning goal against her former club, San Diego. Robbe's goal made some NWSL history: She's the first player to score in her regular-season debut against her last club. But Houston legend Jane Campbell deserves flowers for this 1-0 win. The 31-year-old goalkeeper made nine saves to secure three points for the Dash while getting outshot nine to two on target.
11. Boston Legacy FC
Next match: Saturday at Houston Dash, 4 p.m. ET
The Legacy made their NWSL debut in front of 30,207 fans at Gillette Stadium, setting a new inaugural home-opener attendance record. They went on to lose the game, but that's a victory worth celebrating. Boston's 1-0 defeat to Gotham came despite Casey Murphy's three saves and after succumbing to a 55th-minute strike from Esther González.
12. Utah Royals
Next match: Sunday vs. San Diego Wave, 7 p.m. ET
The Royals signed Tatumn Milazzo to help them defend, but she ended up scoring their first goal of the season in a surprisingly dominant first half against Kansas City. Unfortunately for Utah, the Current came out swinging in the second half -- firing off 15 shots instead of three -- and maintained their notorious home-field dominance in a 2-1 defeat for the Royals.
13. Racing Louisville FC
Next match: Friday vs. Washington Spirit, 8 p.m. ET
Louisville proved its press is still working just fine, as USWNT winger Emma Sears helped pressure and then assist Sarah Weber for Louisville's lone goal in a 2-1 defeat at North Carolina. In a fairly even game (both teams had five shots on target while trading phases of momentum), the Courage were more dangerous with their opportunities. Racing will head home next weekend to host Washington, whom they lost to on penalties in last year's postseason in the first and only playoff game in club history.
14. Denver Summit FC
Next match: Friday at Orlando Pride, 8 p.m. ET
Colorado-born Janine Sonis (née Beckie) made a number of notable firsts for the Denver debutantes. In the 20th minute against Bay FC, Sonis notched the first assist in Summit history (assisting Germany striker Melissa Kössler for the goal). In the 27th minute, she collected their first red card. While playing with 10 players, a 1-1 draw turned into a 2-1 defeat for NWSL's 16th team, but there are positive signs for the season ahead.
15. San Diego Wave FC
Next match: Sunday at Utah Royals, 7 p.m. ET
Starting the year by losing at home is never ideal, but doing so thanks to a goal from former player Makenzy Robbe hurts a bit more. Jane Campbell's nine saves proved the difference in Houston's 1-0 win, but San Diego has reason to hope for the season ahead. Players such as Brazilian forward Ludmila (who clocked three of its nine shots on target) and her fellow Brazilian, recent NWSL champion Gabi Portilho, signed for the Wave in the offseason and could add dynamism in attack. But with lots of movement in and out of the club, it could take time to find their chemistry.
16. Chicago Stars FC
Next match: Sunday vs. Kansas City Current, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN2 (stream live on ESPN)
Not even Alyssa Naeher could stop the second-half demolition that Angel City handed Chicago on Sunday. Chicago was outplayed in the first half but held the hosts to one goal. Three second-half goals later, the Stars were lucky to walk out of this only down 4-0.
