It's Monday and the 2026 NWSL regular season is well 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 10 to come up with this week's order of all 16 teams in the league. Let's dive in.
1. Utah Royals
Previous ranking: 1
Next match: at at Chicago Stars, July 5, 5 p.m. ET
After controlling much of the attacking momentum and leading for nearly the entire second half, the Royals ultimately drew Portland 2-2 at Providence Park. Kiana Palacios notched an equalizer after Utah went down early, and a Mina Tanaka-Cloé Lacasse connection put them ahead in the 49th minute, effectively ending Portland's seven-game home shutout streak. Despite extending their unbeaten streak to 10, the Royals likely walked away from this one with mixed feelings. They conceded a penalty kick in stoppage time to drop points after goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn was called for an eight-second violation, the Thorns were awarded a corner, and Alexa Spaanstra committed a foul in the box.
2. Washington Spirit
Previous ranking: 2
Next match: vs. Houston Dash, July 3, 8 p.m. ET
Coming off last weekend's 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup final loss, the Spirit secured a 2-1 win against Seattle at home to notch their sixth win in seven regular-season games. Leicy Santos put away a free kick from distance in the 18th minute to give her team the lead, but a Lucia Di Guglielmo own-goal had the visitors on the board just before the break. The second half was mostly back and forth, with Washington finally breaking through after Hal Hershfelt received the ball in the middle of the pitch, ate up the mile of space the Reign afforded her, and slotted a shot from distance past goalkeeper Claudia Dickey. It was an impressive defensive performance from the Spirit, who held Seattle to 0.53 expected goals and just two shots on target.
3. NJ/NY Gotham FC
Previous ranking: 3
Next match: at San Diego Wave, July 4, 8:45 p.m. ET
Gotham beat Houston 1-0 at home thanks to a Jordynn Dudley stunner. Center back Tierna Davidson played a lofted ball over the top of the Dashn defense, and Dudley juked out her defender before sailing a strike past goalkeeper Jane Campbell. Although Gotham commanded 60% possession, registered 32 touches in the Houston 18-yard box and managed 15 shots, many of those chances were low quality. That is, Gotham only managed to post 0.89 expected goals. Still, the NJ/NY defense held the Dash to only six shots all game and seven touches in the box. And as long as the other team doesn't score, it's hard to lose games. Case in point: Gotham haven't lost in six games and have only conceded one goal in that stretch.
4. San Diego Wave FC
Previous ranking: 5
Next match: vs. Gotham FC, July 4, 8:45 p.m. ET
The Wave dominated Chicago 2-0 to secure the top spot in the standings heading into the World Cup break. San Diego came out hot, needing just three minutes to find the back of the net. Rookie Lia Godfrey found Dudinha all alone on the left flank, and Dudinha needed just one touch to slot home the Wave's first goal. Despite being held to a single goal until late in second-half stoppage time, San Diego overran Chicago in nearly every category. It recorded 47 touches in the Stars' 18-yard box and generated 2.58 expected goals off of 17 shots. After a Chicago equalizer was called back thanks to VAR in stoppage time, Trinity Byars added an insurance goal to seal the Wave's fourth win against Chicago in as many matches.
5. Kansas City Current
Previous ranking: 6
Next match: at Denver Summit, July 3, 9:30 p.m. ET
Kansas City's impressive run of form continued in Week 10 as it eked out a win against Boston 1-0 at home. The breakthrough goal was scored in the 68th minute by none other than Temwa Chawinga, who notched her seventh goal in her past five games. Chawinga's score ultimately helped KC extend their home unbeaten run to a league-record 23 games. To make this even more impressive, the Current managed their 10th consecutive home win -- and third shutout of the season -- despite the loss of starting center back Kayla Sharples to injury shortly after the game started.
6. North Carolina Courage
Previous ranking: 7
Next match: Seattle Reign, July 4, 6:30 p.m. ET
The Courage beat Angel City at BMO Stadium by a 2-1 scoreline to close out the weekend. After a back-and-forth first half, midfielder Ashley Sanchez ignited the North Carolina attack in the second period. Driving up the field, she played Manaka Matsukubo centrally, who threaded the needle through the hosts' defense, teeing up Evelyn Ijeh for her third goal in as many games. Sanchez was also directly involved in the Courage's go-ahead goal, when she drove into space and played Riley Jackson, who ultimately pinged the ball through to Manaka before the Japan international slotted it home. When Sanchez is on fire, North Carolina's attack looks unstoppable.
7. Portland Thorns
Previous ranking: 4
Next match: vs. Racing Louisville, July 5, 7 p.m. ET
Portland eked out a 2-2 draw to steal points from Utah at home. In the 21st minute, Olivia Moultrie took advantage of a Royals' defensive miscommunication and bodied her way through three Utah players before finding the back of the net to put the Thorns up 1-0. Portland conceded right before -- and after -- the break, struggling to contain Utah's counterpress and generate much from the midfield on their way to conceding 23 shots to Utah. They trailed in this match until a Sophia Wilson stoppage-time penalty kick bailed them out, keeping them level on points with the Royals heading into the World Cup break.
8. Denver Summit FC
Previous ranking: 8
Next match: vs. Kansas City Current, July 3, 9:30 p.m. RT
Denver beat Louisville 1-0 on the road in a game whose score doesn't reflect the reality of the match. The Summit were dominant in this one, registering 2.68 expected goals on 14 shots and allowing Racing to put up only 0.8 expected goals of their own. The shot that made the difference, though, came after a perfectly weighted ball by Yuzuki Yamamoto found a sliding Ally Brazier, who notched her first goal in a Summit jersey. It was a big moment for the Colorado native, who found the back of the net just three minutes after entering the game. Goalkeeper Abby Smith's heroics in the final 10 minutes of the match ensured Denver came away with all three points.
9. Orlando Pride
Previous ranking: 11
Next match: at Angel City, July 3, 10 p.m. ET
After yet another long weather delay in Orlando, the Pride beat Bay 3-1, marking their first back-to-back wins of 2026. Barbra Banda was clinical as usual, scoring twice and teeing up Cori Dyke's first goal for the club. That's Banda's third brace and league-leading 11th goal of the season. Still, the win was dampened by the fact that she left in the 81st minute with an injury. Hopefully the World Cup break allows time for Banda to get healthy if she needs it, because without her, what exactly is the Orlando attack?
10. Seattle Reign FC
Previous ranking: 9
Next match: at North Carolina Courage, July 4, 6:30 p.m. ET
Seattle lost to the Spirit 2-1 on the road. The Reign were largely pinned back by Washington in the first frame of the match, and managed to head into halftime level thanks to a surprising Spirit own-goal in the 44th minute. Head coach Laura Harvey made two changes at halftime, bringing on Sam Meza in the midfield and Nérilia Mondésir to bolster the attack. And while the Reign managed 14 box touches in the second period, up 10 from the first half, they only recorded 0.11 expected goals and two shots total, neither of which were on frame. Clearly, attacking questions still loom in Seattle: this team has scored just one goal in the run of play over their past seven matches.
11. Angel City FC
Previous ranking: 10
Next match: vs. Orlando Pride, July 3, 10 p.m. ET
Angel City lost 2-1 at home to North Carolina. The Angels battled the Courage in the first frame, and headed into the break in a deadlock with neither team being very successful in the attack. After conceding early in the second half, it took Angel City only three minutes to answer with a score of their own. Maiara Niehues' header off an Evelyn Shores cross evened the score. The back-and-forth cadence of this match continued, but Angel City had no answer for the Courage's second team goal late in the second half. This marked the Angels' sixth loss in their past eight games.
12. Boston Legacy FC
Previous ranking: 13
Next match: vs. Bay FC, July 5, noon ET (stream live on ESPN)
Despite putting in a respectable shift against the Current at CPKC Stadium, Boston lost by a 1-0 scoreline. The Legacy rolled out a defensive, compact lineup that worked to stifle Kansas City's midfield and limited their chances in the final third. It was a defensive lapse in transition that led to Boston's concession. The Legacy are now winless in three and have conceded in all 12 of their matches heading into the World Cup break.
13. Houston Dash
Previous ranking: 12
Next match: at Washington Spirit, July 3, 8 p.m. ET
The Dash lost 1-0 to Gotham on the road. Despite coming out hot and controlling most of the attacking momentum in the first 15 minutes of the match, Houston conceded in the 17th minute and ultimately struggled to find a rhythm for the rest of the match. They only managed 0.19 expected goals in the run of play against the organized Gotham defense. With this result, the Dash are heading into the World Cup break having won only one of their past eight matches.
14. Bay FC
Previous ranking: 14
Next match: at Boston Legacy, July 5, noon ET (stream live on ESPN)
Bay battled the Pride on the road and lost 3-1. Although Bay got themselves on the board early thanks to a Caroline Conti stunner, they struggled with Orlando's counterattack, and second-year goalkeeper Emmie Allen had a rough day. Bay's usual starter between the pipes, Jordan Silkowitz, was sidelined after a Week 9 red card and her replacement allowed three of the four shots on target to find the back of the net. Bay are now winless in five and have lost three straight games.
15. Chicago Stars FC
Previous ranking: 16
Next match: vs. Utah Royals, July 5, 5 p.m. ET
Chicago lost 2-0 to San Diego at home. After their ninth loss in 12 games, it's (still) hard to decide whether the Stars' attack or defense needs more work. This team has a pitiful minus-19 goal difference, which is the worst in the league by a landslide. They've managed to score just five times, only finding the back of the net once in their past six outings. Plus, all nine of their losses have been shutouts. Even so, it's worth noting that Chicago almost avoided another shutout loss against the Wave thanks to a Jordyn Huitema goal in second-half stoppage time, but it was ultimately called back and the Wave doubled their lead shortly after, anyway.
16. Racing Louisville FC
Previous ranking: 15
Next match: at Portland Thorns, July 5, 7 p.m. ET
Louisville lost to Denver at home by a 1-0 scoreline. That's their third loss in as many games and second straight at home, keeping them firmly in the bottom of the table heading into the World Cup break. Trying to find positives in a loss is bleak, but Racing are lucky to not have lost by a larger margin in this one. They conceded 60% of the possession and allowed 13 shots to be taken from inside their 18-yard box. Although the attack came alive in the last stretch of the game thanks to big chances by defender Emma Sears, it was too little too late for Louisville in this one.