Gotham FC Consolidates NWSL Top Spot While Denver Summit Emerges as League’s Hottest Team

It’s Monday, and with another weekend of the 2026 NWSL regular season in the books, it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings. Who’s set for a climb up the table? Who’s in danger of freefall? Our writers examined the action across Matchday 22 to produce this week’s order of all 16 teams in the league. Let’s dive in.

Previous ranking: 1
Next match: vs. Chicago Stars FC (Friday, Sep. 25, 8 p.m. ET)

Gotham FC secured a 2‑1 victory over the North Carolina Courage at Cary. Jordynn Dudley scored her first career brace to give Gotham the lead, and a stoppage‑time goal capped a comeback win. The result gives Gotham back‑to‑back victories after a three‑game skid and extends their lead to six points over the nearest competitor.

Previous ranking: 2
Next match: at Racing Louisville FC (Friday, Sep. 25, 6:30 p.m. ET)

San Diego Wave FC doubled up the Kansas City Current 2–0 at home. An own‑goal gave them the early lead, and a 90+1′ strike sealed the win. Their possession‑based game and effective pressing survival secured a second consecutive win, moving them up to third place in the overall table.

Previous ranking: 4
Next match: vs. Angel City FC (Saturday, Sep. 26, 6:30 p.m. ET)

Washington Spirit FC traveled to Chicago and recorded a 3–0 triumph. Trinity Rodman’s early goal in the seventh minute set the tone, Andi Sullivan converted a penalty later in the half, and Tamara Bolt added her first NWSL goal in the 85th minute. The clean‑sheet victory keeps Washington in a solid second‑place position, rebounding from last weekend’s loss to Boston.

Previous ranking: 9
Next match: at Kansas City Current (Saturday, Sep. 26, 12:30 p.m. ET)

Denver Summit FC hosted Seattle Reign FC and won 2–1. Delanie Sheehan struck just before halftime and Tash Flint added a second early in the second half. The victory extended Denver’s unbeaten streak to a season‑high five matches, establishing the club as one of the hottest sides in the league heading into the final stretch.

Denver Summit FC vs. Seattle Reign FC – Game Highlights

Previous ranking: 7
Next match: vs. Houston Dash (Saturday, Sep. 26, 8:45 p.m. ET)

Portland Thorns FC traveled to Orlando and prevailed 4–1. Four different Thorns players scored, highlighted by Morgan Weaver’s first goal since returning from injury. The win ended a three‑game winless streak and follows a promising performance against Chicago, who sit at the bottom of the table.

Previous ranking: 8
Next match: at Washington Spirit (Saturday, Sep. 26, 6:30 p.m. ET)

Angel City FC defeated Utah Royals FC 3–0 away from home. An Ally Sentnor penalty in the 26th minute opened the scoring, and Taylor Suarez plus Sveindís Jónsdóttir added further goals in the second half. Utah played with nine players for much of the match, and Angel City’s fourth win in five games lifts them above the playoff cutoff for the first time in six weeks.

Previous ranking: 3
Next match: vs. Boston Legacy FC (Friday, Sep. 25, 8:30 p.m. ET)

Seattle Reign FC fell 2–1 to Denver Summit FC at Centennial Stadium. Brittany Ratcliffe added another goal, extending Seattle’s scoring streak to 16 consecutive games, but the Reign have now gone two games without a win following a midweek loss to Angel City. A victory over Boston Legacy is essential to keep their playoff aspirations alive.

Previous ranking: 6
Next match: vs. San Diego Wave FC (Friday, Sep. 25, 6:30 p.m. ET)

Kansas City Current suffered a 2–0 defeat to San Diego Wave FC on the road. Despite matching the Wave in shots and possession, the Current could not convert. An own‑goal by Laney Rouse and a late red card worsened the loss, leaving Kansas City winless in two matches and hovering near the playoff cutoff with five games remaining.

Previous ranking: 5
Next match: vs. North Carolina Courage (Sunday, Sep. 27, 7:00 p.m. ET)

Utah Royals FC were reduced to nine players for over an hour and fell 3–0 to a superior opponent at home. The defeat left Utah tied with Portland for fifth place and marked their lowest ranking since Week 13. Two early red cards largely defined the outcome of the match.

Previous ranking: 10
Next match: at Utah Royals (Sunday, Sep. 27, 7:00 p.m. ET)

North Carolina Courage suffered a 2–1 home loss to Gotham FC. Two potential equalizers were overturned for offside before Natalia Staude’s 69th‑minute goal briefly level the score. A 91st‑minute concession sealed the defeat, marking North Carolina’s first back‑to‑back losses since mid‑July. While the result is concerning with the season winding down, panic is unwarranted.

Previous ranking: 11
Next match: at Bay FC (Sunday, Sep. 27, 5:00 p.m. ET)

Boston Legacy FC fell 2–1 to Houston Dash FC at home. Aïssata Traoré’s 10th goal of the season equalized in the 59th minute after an early Dash strike, but a goalkeeping error by Casey Murphy in the 85th minute cost the team the win. Boston had generated strong xG in the second half but could not convert, making the loss a surprising downturn after two solid victories.

Previous ranking: 12
Next match: at Bay FC (Sunday, Sep. 27, 5:00 p.m. ET)

Orlando Pride fell 4–1 to Portland Thorns FC at home. Ally Lemos scored her first professional goal, preventing a shutout, but it was insufficient. The Pride have managed only one win in their last four games, and their playoff prospects are dimming. Interim head coach Yolanda Thomas summed up the loss: “It’s just a tough result.”

Previous ranking: 13
Next match: vs. Orlando Pride (Sunday, Sep. 27, 5:00 p.m. ET)

Bay FC secured a 2–0 home victory over Racing Louisville FC. Alex Pfeiffer and Karlie Lema found the net six minutes apart in the second half, delivering a dominant performance. Bay limited Racing to 0.58 xG while generating nearly five times that amount, ending a winless streak and climbing the standings—welcome momentum for a team that has struggled throughout the season.

Bay FC vs. Racing Louisville FC – Game Highlights

Previous ranking: 16
Next match: at Portland Thorns FC (Saturday, Sep. 26, 8:45 p.m. ET)

Houston Dash FC traveled to Boston and edged Boston Legacy FC 2–1. Danielle Colaprico scored her first goal in four years, and Messiah Bright added a late strike to secure the victory—the second win over Boston this season. The result halted a four‑game losing streak, yet Houston remains eight points outside the playoff picture with limited chances of catching up.

Previous ranking: 14
Next match: vs. San Diego Wave FC (Friday, Sep. 25, 6:30 p.m. ET)

Racing Louisville FC suffered a 2–0 defeat at Bay FC, failing to generate meaningful offense and managing only two shots on target. The loss marked their NWSL‑record 25th game without a shutout, raising questions about their playoff viability as the season nears its end.

Previous ranking: 15
Next match: at Gotham FC (Friday, Sep. 25, 8:00 p.m. ET)

Chicago Stars FC were beaten 3–0 at home by Washington Spirit FC. The home side completed only 40 passes in the final third—less than half of what they allowed—highlighting a difficult performance. Chicago has secured just one win in their last 12 matches and faces a daunting fixture against top‑ranked Gotham, underscoring the challenges ahead in the Windy City.

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