Power Rankings: Philadelphia Union regain Supporters' Shield lead | OneFootball

By J. Sam Jones

What a week in MLS.

Four MLS teams made the Leagues Cup 2025 semifinals, Minnesota won with the help of a set-piece goal and Charlotte won 1-0. It was truly a week unlike any other.

As always: The Power Rankings are voted on by, give or take, 15 people associated with MLSsoccer.com. The author does get a little rush out of moving your team down a few spots, though.

1. San Diego FC

An oddly quiet 0-0 draw with Portland isn’t the worst result, but it let Philly jump back to the top of the Supporters' Shield standings and let Minnesota and Vancouver claw back critical points in the race for the top of the Western Conference. They’ve got two season-defining matchups on the way now. They’ll visit LAFC on Sunday before hosting the Loons a couple of weeks later.

Playoffs bound! San Diego FC chase MLS history

Previous: 0-0 draw vs. POR | Next: 8/31 at LAFC

2. Philadelphia Union · +3▲

The Union pummeled Chicago in a 4-0 win that felt like it could have been even worse. New signing Milan Iloski got on the board, Philly went back on top of the Shield standings and now they have plenty of momentum heading into a huge matchup with Cincinnati on Saturday.

Philadelphia Union: Why they're so difficult to beat

Previous: 4-0 win vs. CHI | Next: 8/30 at CIN

3. Inter Miami CF

A 1-1 draw against D.C. isn’t ideal for their Shield chances, but the Herons have other things on their mind right now. A 2-1 win over Tigres – without Lionel Messi available, by the way – set up an in-state Leagues Cup semifinal matchup with Orlando Wednesday (8:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV+).

They’re two wins away from their second Leagues Cup win in three years. Will Messi be available to help get them there?

Anyway, here’s one of the best goals you’ll see this year.

WATCH: Super sub! Baltasar Rodríguez hits GOLAZO for Inter Miami

Previous: 1-1 draw at DC | Next: Bye

4. Seattle Sounders FC · +3▲

Seattle needed penalties to sneak by Puebla and advance to the Leagues Cup semifinals. Turns out they were saving some goals for Sunday night.

They clobbered Sporting KC in a 5-2 win that gave them a couple extra points of breathing room on fifth-place LAFC in the West. Based on the current standings, the rest of the regular season is about ensuring they’re at Lumen Field in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.

Previous: 5-2 win vs. SKC | Next: Bye

5. FC Cincinnati · -1▼

Cincy are about to enter the most critical stretch of their season in middling form. After a 1-0 loss to NYCFC, they’ve lost two of three since Leagues Cup and have taken 10 points from their last seven MLS games. Up next, a four-game stretch featuring matchups with Philly, Nashville and Orlando that could prove decisive in the Supporters' Shield race.

Maybe Brenner’s return – no really, Brenner is back – can help get them back on track.

FC Cincinnati: Poor stretch or something more?

Previous: 1-0 loss vs. NYC | Next: 8/30 vs. PHI

6. Minnesota United FC

Minnesota have gotten so good at set pieces that they’re getting other teams to score for them. A sixth-minute RSL own goal off a corner set the tone in a 3-1 win that saw the Loons outshot 26-10. If you don’t love that, you don’t love Minnesota United soccer.

They're three points back of San Diego in the West and four points back of Philadelphia in the Shield. Everything is still in reach, especially now that a rumored transfer for DP midfielder Joaquín Pereyra seems to be off.

Previous: 3-1 win at RSL | Next: 8/30 vs. POR

7. Orlando City · -5▼

Pedro Gallese took matters into his own hands (and feet) against Toluca, scoring the winning spot kick as Orlando won the penalty shootout and booked their place in the Leagues Cup semifinals. The Lions are just two wins away from their second trophy since joining MLS. First, though, they must get past Inter Miami.

They’ve got all their focus on that one. They rotated close to the entire lineup in MLS play over the weekend. The resulting 5-1 loss to Nashville will add some pressure on them down the stretch, but right now, they’re worried about other things.

Previous: 5-1 loss at NSH | Next: Bye

8. Nashville SC · +4▲

That’s more like it.

Nashville obliterated (an extremely rotated but still) Orlando in a much-needed 5-1 win. Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar each added a brace to end a three-game losing streak and put the Coyotes right back into the heart of the Shield race. They’re four points behind the Union with six games to go.

Wherever they end up in the final standings, no one will want any part of them in the playoffs. Surridge and Mukhtar have been the best duo in the league this year. Surridge is up to a league-best 20 goals while Mukhtar has 14g/11a.

How Nashville SC rejoined the Supporters' Shield race

Previous: 5-1 win vs. ORL | Next: 8/30 vs. ATL

9. Charlotte FC · +1▲

Seven. Straight. Wins.

Charlotte haven’t lost since June 28 and haven’t drawn since July 5. They’ve moved all the way up to fourth in the East and seventh in the league. They probably aren’t going to win the Shield, but, uh, what if they just win out and end up on 65 points? Again, probably not. (Probably.) But…three of their final six are against teams well below the playoff line. Huge matchups with Inter Miami, New York City FC and Philadelphia (on Decision Day) are on deck.

SEVEN straight! Charlotte FC keep climbing Eastern Conference

Previous: 1-0 win vs. RBNY | Next: 8/30 at NE

10. Vancouver Whitecaps FC · -1▼

The Whitecaps…well, they certainly caught a break on Saturday night. Regardless of how it happened, their 3-2 win and San Diego’s 0-0 draw with Portland put them within touching distance of the top spot in the Shield race and the top spot in the West. They’re five points back of the Union and four points behind San Diego with a game in hand on both.

Now, they get a lengthy three-week break before hosting...Philadelphia.

Supporters' Shield race: Vancouver Whitecaps overlooked?

Previous: 3-2 win vs. STL | Next: Bye

11. Los Angeles Football Club · -3▼

Son Heung-Min sent home a helluva free kick for his first MLS goal, but that’s all LAFC could muster in a 1-1 draw with Dallas. They’re still in solid position to finish in a top-four spot in the West, but it still feels like we’re waiting around for them to find a higher gear.

We’ll see if they can find it in a potential playoff preview against San Diego on Sunday (10:45 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).

WATCH: Son Heung-Min opens LAFC account with WORLD-CLASS free kick

Previous: 1-1 draw at DAL | Next: 8/31 vs. SD

12. New York City FC · +1▲

NYCFC have one of the toughest post-Leagues Cup schedules in MLS. So far, they haven’t been bothered by it.

They followed up last week’s 2-1 win over Nashville with a 1-0 win over FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium. It’d be tough to find a better set of back-to-back wins in MLS this season, considering the competition and the stakes. NYCFC have virtually secured a playoff spot and a little more over the last couple of weeks. They’re now just three games behind fourth-place Charlotte with two games in hand.

New York City FC: Darkhorse MLS Cup contender?

Previous: 1-0 win at CIN | Next: 8/30 vs. DC

13. Columbus Crew · -2▼

Well, it’s another week where we have to talk about how something just isn’t right with the Crew right now. A 2-1 loss to New England made it four points from the five games since winning Hell Is Real. They’re faltering in a way we haven’t seen since Wilfried Nancy’s first season. At least new DP forward Wessam Abou Ali got 35 minutes in his debut. They might need him to pull them out of this.

Columbus Crew: Are they out of Supporters' Shield race?

Previous: 2-1 loss vs. NE | Next: 8/30 at RBNY

14. Chicago Fire FC

Welp. It might be happening again. The Fire got thwacked by the Union in a 4-0 loss and stayed below the playoff line. They’re running out of time to pass the Red Bulls. Three of their last seven are against teams out of contention in the East, though.

They need to take full advantage of those matchups and their game in hand on the Red Bulls…if their defense will let them. Only three teams in the East have allowed more goals.

Previous: 4-0 loss at PHI | Next: Bye

15. Portland Timbers · +4▲

Keeping San Diego off the board is a serious accomplishment. Unfortunately, the Timbers couldn’t find a goal of their own in a 0-0 draw. They’re still looking for their first post-Leagues Cup win.

They might want to hurry up with that if they want to avoid a Wild Card match. Ninth-place Austin are just three points behind. Continuing to integrate recent signings Felipe Carballo, Matías Rojas, and new DP Kristoffer Velde into the team as quickly as possible feels critical.

Previous: 0-0 draw at SD | Next: 8/30 at MIN

16. San Jose Earthquakes · +2▲

The Quakes may have (finally) course-corrected. They’ve always felt like an outlier in the race for the conference’s final playoff spots – they’re one of six teams in the conference with a positive goal differential – but kept finding new ways to drop points. Their 2-1 win over Houston made it two wins in three games and put them four points above the line with six games to go.

Previous: 2-1 win at HOU | Next: 8/30 at ATX

17. New York Red Bulls · -2▼

The Red Bulls ran into a red-hot Charlotte side and missed an opportunity to put some distance between them and 10th-place Chicago. They’re in a two-horse race for the final playoff spot in the East now. And Chicago have a game in hand.

Previous: 1-0 loss at CLT | Next: 8/30 vs. CLB

18. Colorado Rapids · -2▼

The Rapids were on a two-game post-Djordje Mihailovic winning streak heading into the weekend. That came to an abrupt halt against the last-place Galaxy. The 3-0 loss have Colorado just one point ahead of ninth place.

They now have the worst goal differential of any MLS team above the line. They’ll hope new DP signing Paxten Aaronson can help sort things out down the stretch.

Previous: 3-0 loss at LA | Next: 8/30 at SKC

19. FC Dallas · +2▲

A 1-1 draw against LAFC is a solid result. They need more than draws right now, though. The good news here for Dallas is the rest of the schedule sets up perfectly for a run to a playoff spot. In each of the six games before Decision Day, they’ll face either teams below the playoff line or teams they’re chasing for one of the West’s final playoff spots.

Previous: 1-1 draw vs. LAFC | Next: Bye

20. Austin FC · -3▼

Austin kept up their recent run of form in attack, but the defense didn’t keep pace in their trip to CF Montréal. The 3-2 loss marked just the third time all year Austin have allowed more than two goals in a game. Fortunately, the teams chasing them for the West’s final playoff spots faltered this weekend.

Previous: 3-2 loss at MTL | Next: 8/30 vs. SJ

21. Real Salt Lake · -1▼

Their 3-1 loss to Minnesota will make it a steep uphill battle the rest of the way. RSL are four points below the line with seven games to go.

Previous: 3-1 loss vs. MIN | Next: Bye

22. New England Revolution · +2▲

It won’t get them back in the playoff race, but a 2-1 spoiler win over the Crew had to feel good for Matt Turner and Co.

Previous: 2-1 win at CLB | Next: 8/30 vs. CLT

23. Houston Dynamo FC · -1▼

Losing 2-1 to the Quakes might be the end of the road for Houston in 2025. They’re now six points back of the playoff line with two teams in front of them in line. It’s not over, but they lost a true six-pointer at an extremely inopportune time.

Previous: 2-1 loss vs. SJ | Next: 8/30 at STL

24. Toronto FC · -1▼

Make it three straight draws for Toronto after a lackluster 0-0 draw in Atlanta. There are green shoots though. Djordje Mihailovic is doing Djordje Mihailovic things and the club made a smart move to bring in former LAFC midfielder José Cifuentes on loan.

Previous: 0-0 draw at ATL | Next: 8/30 vs. MTL

25. LA Galaxy

Don’t look now but the Galaxy are dangerously close to (kind of) salvaging their season. They earned a stunning 2-1 win over Pachuca in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals and followed it up with a 3-0 win over the Rapids on Saturday.

They’ll face Seattle in the semifinals on Wednesday (10:45 pm ET | MLS Season Pass), and they’re only two points away from pulling themselves out of last place in the league.

Previous: 3-0 win vs. COL | Next: Bye

26. CF Montréal · +2▲

Montréal are showing a little upside lately. A 3-2 win over New England over the weekend made it eight points from four games for CFM.

Meanwhile, they picked up $700k in GAM by trading Caden Clark to D.C. United.

Previous: 3-2 win vs. ATX | Next: 8/30 at TOR

27. St. Louis CITY SC · -1▼

Whew…uh…so that call was…….I politely invoke my Fifth Amendment rights.

Let’s look forward instead of back. St. Louis are entering a new era. Sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel is officially out. They’ll enter 2026 with a new head coach and a new CSO.

Previous: 3-2 loss at VAN | Next: 8/30 vs. HOU

28. Sporting Kansas City · +1▲

SKC were well off the pace from the jump against Seattle. It’s time to start thinking about 2026.

Previous: 5-2 loss at SEA | Next: 8/30 vs. COL

29. Atlanta United · -2▼

Atlanta United have kept three clean sheets this season. They didn’t win any of those three games. On a related note: They’re only four points out of last place.

Previous: 0-0 draw vs. TOR | Next: 8/30 at NSH

30. D.C. United

They were a Goal of the Year contender away from pulling off an impressive upset win in Miami. They had to settle for an upset draw instead. If Miami don’t win the Shield, D.C. can claim it as one of the few moral victories this season. You gotta take what you can get, right?

Previous: 1-1 draw vs. MIA | Next: 8/30 at NYC