NWSL Power Rankings: Kansas City Current edge ahead of reigning champs Orlando Pride

Here's how the NWSL clubs rank after week three

The 2025 NWSL regular season rolls on and my power rankings are back. We're officially three weeks into the season, and the league is taking a brief pause for the international window, so ratings this week will loom until NWSL returns.

There are already some changes from my week two rankings because the biggest question of the season may have an early answer. Who will rival Orlando for a top spot this year? The early signs are trending toward Kansas City Current. 

I didn't expect there to be much shift in the top four of my rankings this early, but it is nice to see that even the league's elite squads are making things interesting. Washington Spirit remains top tier, but Orlando and Kansas City will make things difficult to leapfrog, and things might really start to shift for Gotham after losing Tierna Davidson to a knee injury that has also removed her from the USWNT April roster.  

The middle of the pack is steadfast with clubs who are still establishing their ideal starters and ironing out tactics, while the lower half of the rankings has some new additions among some familiar faces. 

There's a nice little break for teams to try and reset themselves for the long haul. Don't miss any action as fans can watch select NWSL regular season matches across CBS, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, and CBS Sports Golazo Network.

Now, time for our week three rankings:

2025 NWSL Power Rankings 

Rank	Team	Change	Analysis
1.	Kansas City Current	+1	I've seen enough. The Current is going into games and dominating in every phase. They're crushing it against playoff contenders and reminding pretenders there's work to do if they want to reach the level Kansas City has set for the league.
2.	Orlando Pride	-1	No goals for Barbra Banda in two weeks and your defensive midfielder as a scoring threat is only a silver lining when your MVP candidate is also on the scoresheet. Still as elite as ever, and will remain a league juggernaut even after its rankings dip.
3.	Washington Spirit	--	Trinity Rodman is back on limited minutes and Ashley Hatch is in top form, but it's the backline who are the superstars in DC this week. Lots of good chemistry brewing between Rebecal Bernal, Tara McKeown, Esme Morgan, and Casey Krueger.
4.	NJ/NY Gotham FC	-–	Grittyness will only keep this squad in the top four rankings for so long. Need to use the break to manage some more injury issues if they want to get a win anytime in the early stretch of the season.
5.	Houston Dash	+1	The Dash have made things difficult for playoff contenders early this season, and keep rising in the rankings, which presents a new question for them. Are they a dark horse or sleeping giant?
6.	Seattle Reign FC	-1	Struggled to generate meaningful possession or create chances in the run of play.  With lingering injuries to key veterans, I want to see the coaching staff trust their speedy bench players more.
7.	North Carolina Courage	-1	A game there for the taking and they just simply couldn't. Courage keeps having trouble finding that definitive win despite their efforts, and maybe some time away with the national team for Jaedyn Shaw will help kickstart things.
8.	Angel City FC	+3	Welcome to the upper half of the rankings Angel City. Massive efforts by Alyssa and Gisele Thompson, Savy King, Kennedy Fuller, and Riley Tiernan helped get them here, so here's hoping interim manager Sam Laity keeps playing the "kids."
9.	San Diego Wave FC	+1	Took the game to Orlando, and despite a loss, you can see the cohesiveness building between new acquisitions and club veterans. The midfield is connective, and the Wave may have finally found the answers in Kenza Dali and Gia Corely.
10.	Utah Royals	-2	Utah is looking more and more like a team that benefited from a midseason coaching bump last year than an actual dark horse. They need a quick reset and the break comes at a good time for the coaching staff to make adjustments asap.
11.	Bay FC	-2	Failed to take advantage of the opportunities they generated and make a statement against a top-four club. Ideas are there, but execution isn't, and eventually, rising teams will get the better of them if no adjustments are made.
12.	Racing Louisville FC	--	Nothing quite like taking advantage of the opportunity in front of you and Lousiville did just that this week. Against the worst team in the league. Need to see more to climb the rankings.
13.	Portland Thorns FC	--	A massive performance by goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold to secure a result. A penalty stop to keep things in reach, and questionable shot selection, keep Thorns on the hunt for any kind of momentum shift.
14.	Chicago Stars FC	--	Sometimes when you face another struggling team, maybe there's a chance to change the tempo, but not if you're the Stars apparently. Cloudy with a chance of last place in the rankings.