NWSL 2025 Power Rankings: Can Anyone Stop the Orlando Pride? | OneFootball

It's almost time for the National Women's Soccer League to kick off the 2025 regular season.

However, before a ball is kicked on Friday, let's do a quick ranking of all the teams around the league to see where things stand.

These power rankings will take into account each team's 2024 performance as well as all the offseason moves each NWSL club made. Injuries or other external factors that could impact the squads have been judged, too.

NWSL Preseason Power Rankings

14. Houston Dash (2024 Standings: 14)

It has been an encouraging offseason in Texas. A bright new head coach, Fabrice Gautrat, and a star on the rise, Yazmeen Ryan, have made the Dash's trajectory feel positive again. But this is still historically the NWSL's worst club—a perennial struggler. We'll better understand how much of an improvement there is when matches get underway.

13. Portland Thorns (2024 Standings: 6)

People are getting worried about the Thorns. While Deyna Castellanos and Pietra Tordin are a nice pair of signings, an injury crisis combined with star player Sophia Wilson announcing she's expecting her first child has got fans wondering if the squad is strong enough to withstand these absences.

12. San Diego Wave (2024 Standings: 10)

New head coach Jonas Eidevall has a big job on his hands, needing to clean up the mess left by the previous ownership and president Jill Ellis. Major exits include the club's two best players: Naomi Girma for a world record transfer to Chelsea, and Jaedyn Shaw requesting a move to the North Carolina Courage. The Wave has signed some very promising young players, but it is difficult to see them righting the ship overnight.

11. Chicago Stars FC (2024 Standings: 8)

There's an argument to be made that Chicago overperformed to make the playoffs in 2024. Now, superstar and Triple Espresso member Mallory Swanson has yet to report for the new season. Meanwhile, defensive stars Sam Staab and Natalia Kuikka are also expected to miss the start of the campaign. It's all gone quiet for the club in the first year of its rebrand to Stars FC, formerly Red Stars.

10. Racing Louisville (2024 Standings: 9)

The beacon of mediocrity in the NWSL. Racing are never a disaster, and yet, they have never qualified for the playoffs. Head coach Bev Yanez is heading into her second season with the club and will want to see improvements. However, without a permanent general manager in place, there hasn't been much in the way of recruitment.

9. Angel City FC (2024 Standings: 12)

Having moved into a new training center, there is an air of positivity around Angel City despite the club not currently having a head coach. The interim head coach, Sam Laity, is very well-respected in the NWSL and should provide some methodical guidance until a permanent head coach arrives in the summer. The young Thompson sisters should continue to develop into truly dominant players too.

8. Seattle Reign (2024 Standings: 13)

Perhaps we're giving long-time head coach Laura Harvey too much credit by shooting the Reign way up the power rankings before the start of the season. But Harvey has a proven track record of winning in the NWSL and has brought the Reign back from terrible seasons before. Madison Curry, Lynn Biyendolo and Maddie Dahlien were three major pickups that could turn Seattle's fortunes around.

7. Utah Royals (2024 Standings: 11)

Lest we forget that Utah ended 2024 as one of the most in-form teams in the NWSL. After winning just two of their first 15 matches under Amy Rodriguez, the club moved in a different direction, with head coach Jimmy Coenraets coming in and winning five of the final 11. Can that momentum roll into the new season?

6. Bay FC (2024 Standings: 7)

Fellow 2024 expansion club Bay FC also improved as last season went on and eventually found a way into the playoffs. Last week, it was announced that the club's coaching staff is going under a formal review by the league after two complaints were filed alleging a "toxic" environment, according to a report by the San Francisco Chronicle. For now, the club's leadership and current squad are standing by head coach Albertin Montoya.

5. Gotham FC (2024 Standings: 3)

The offseason has been a whirlwind for Gotham, who had a string of headline departures. Major players Biyendolo, Ryan, Crystal Dunn, Delanie Sheehan and Jenna Nighswonger are all out. Even with Gabi Portilho arriving from Corinthians and Midge Purce renewing her contract, this group feels thin. Can Juan Carlos Amoros sustain the impressive levels from 2024?

4. North Carolina Courage (2024 Standings: 5)

The Courage lost Kerolin to Manchester City but were able to replace her with Shaw from the Wave. Head coach Sean Nahas has a strong identity when it comes to the type of possession soccer he wants to play—you know what you're going to get with North Carolina.

3. Kansas City Current (2024 Standings: 4)

This year, everyone wants to know: Can anyone stop Temwa Chawinga? The Malawian star scored a record 21 goals (including playoffs) in her debut NWSL season and will be trying to replicate that scintillating level. Head coach Vlatko Andonovski will hope that new Brazilian goalkeeper Lorena can find her feet as quickly as Chawinga did.

2. Washington Spirit (2024 Standings: 2)

Second best in almost every metric last year, the Spirit is out for redemption and a chance to win it all in 2025. With Croix Bethune, Paige Metayer and Ouleymata Sarr still injured, we may not see their best starting XI out of the gate. Gifted passers Narumi Miura and Rebeca Bernal were among the most exciting new signings that could help the Spirit have more control of games.

1. Orlando Pride (2024 Standings: 1)

Orlando is the gold standard at this moment in time. With only one major departure, losing Adriana to Al Qadsiah FC for a large transfer fee, the big theme in Orlando heading into the new season is continuity. Almost everyone from last year's double trophy-winning squad has returned to show the NWSL once again who is at the top of the mountain.