The margins for energy simply get slimmer between groups in the course of the 2025 NWSL common season. With simply 5 weeks remaining, time is working out for golf equipment to clinch a playoff spot and to vie for place in our energy rankings. Week 21 topped Kansas Metropolis Present as 2025 NWSL Defend winners, so there won’t be a shock for who’s on the high of the checklist, however there’s loads of parity all through. 

Because the postseason puzzle begins to assemble, golf equipment are showcasing why the league is essentially the most aggressive throughout the globe. Washington Spirit might clinch a 2025 playoff spot once they host Houston Sprint at Audi Area on Sunday (12 p.m. ET on  Paramount+). Prime seed Kansas Metropolis Present will face last-place Chicago Stars FC in a Midwest conflict and should win for Chicago to remain in playoff competition. Irrespective of the stakes, each group can rise and fall within the energy rankings, and when you’re maintaining monitor of the facility traits, take a look at my earlier rankings. 

Week 22 shall be right here quickly, so do not miss any motion. Followers can watch choose NWSL regular-season matches throughout CBS, CBS Sports activities Community, Paramount+, and CBS Sports activities Golazo Community.

2025 NWSL Energy Rankings 

Here is how the league stacks up as week 22 approaches:

1. Kansas Metropolis Present (–)

The Kansas Metropolis Present have been the perfect group the whole 2025 NWSL common season, they usually confirmed all of the clout once they etched their names into the 2025 NWSL Defend. The quickest group to ever safe the protect, they usually’ve obtained 5 weeks in entrance of them to retool if they should or wish to. 

2. Washington Spirit (–)

The Spirit shall be motivated to clinch their playoff spot at house after being runners-up within the protect race. The common season is likely to be winding down, however ahead Trinity Rodman and midfielder Croix Bethune are heating up on the proper time, and the Spirit keep a power to be reckoned with.

3. Gotham FC (+2)

As Rose Lavelle rises, so does Gotham FC. Generally determining how to not lose a recreation is simply as necessary as securing a win in the course of the postseason race, and the teaching employees can be competing to flex how deep the roster is.

4. Portland Thorns FC (-1)

There isn’t any streakier group than the Thorns among the many high 4 of my rankings and the league desk. One stretch of the match, they seem like they’ve the solutions, and the subsequent, they don’t seem to be executing. The one factor maintaining them this excessive is the truth that so many different groups are dealing with related questions.

5. Seattle Reign FC (-1)

Actually, someone not named Jess Fishlock, please rating for the Seattle Reign. One objective in 4 video games is not only a development; it is change into constant stagnation at this level, and it isn’t the form of kind you need when staying within the playoff combine.

6. Orlando Pleasure (–)

The previous NWSL Defend winners are stumbling within the playoff race, and in my energy rankings. There’s sufficient there on the finish of recreation stats to point out the Pleasure are clinging to the postseason race, however they could should shake up the lineups to get issues going once more.

7. San Diego Wave (–)

There’s simply not the identical inventive spark from San Diego that we noticed in the course of the first half of the season. If ahead Delphine Cascarino stays on the harm report, there won’t be sufficient to maintain them climbing the facility rankings. 

8. Utah Royals (+3)

There’s the Utah Royals all of us thought would come to life in 2025. In virtually a mirror picture of final season, Utah is stringing collectively performances and enjoying higher than its league desk rating. However similar to final yr, they’re working out of time to make some membership historical past.

9. Houston Sprint (+1)

Sprint confirmed they will not keep down for lengthy. Regardless of their unbeaten streak being snapped, they bounced proper again into kind. Yazmeen Ryan is again to scoring objectives, they usually’re nonetheless a part of a postseason convo that was beforehand slipping away from them.

10. North Carolina Braveness (+2)

The Braveness are bringing loads of nothing-to-lose vitality into their matches, and it is paying off in outcomes and the playoff image. Defenders Maycee Bell and Kaleigh Kurtz are making issues tough for the attacking opposition, and the play is increase on the pitch.

11. Racing Louisville FC (-3)

You hate to see it. Racing are struggling to distinguish itself not solely from different groups within the playoff push, however from their repeatedly underachieving seasons of the previous. They’re displaying indicators of life however might use a definitive, full efficiency asap.

12. Chicago Stars FC (-3)

It was an unbelievable run till actuality began to settle in. The group is on a brand new streak of no wins that do not really feel as nice as their earlier run out of the summer time break. They’re within the nook with the common season timeline closing in on them.

13. Angel Metropolis FC (+1)

Nothing like going toe-to-toe with high groups to get some confidence again. However it’s a bit of bit telling that a number of the vibes are misplaced regardless of the efforts. 

14. Bay FC (-1)

There’s nothing flawed with attempting some stuff when it appears to be like and feels just like the season has all however slipped away from you. Defender Brooklyn Courtnal obtained her first begin since being traded to Bay, and ahead Racheal Kundenanji, off the bench, scored an equalizer.