The long wait for a Chicago Stars win is over. After 147 days and 14 matches, the previously last-place Stars ended their winless run emphatically with an extraordinary and well-deserved 5–2 win over defending NWSL champions Orlando Pride.
Now, in some ways, it had been coming. Slowly but surely, the Stars have been looking better and were already climbing the Power Rankings after seven goals and no defeats in their last three games before this past weekend. And then there's Ludmila, who has been simply outstanding this past month.
On the other side of things, the 5–2 was the latest in a string of disappointments for the Pride, who are still reeling from an injury to Barba Banda. Of course, that doesn't mean anyone predicted a team that averaged 0.83 goals conceded per game would concede five for the first time since 2022.
Going half-a-season without registering a win means this late flurry of goals and hope comes too late for the Stars to mount any real challenge. But at least the NWSL continues to be endlessly interesting and unpredictable.
Here are your NWSL power rankings after Matchday 19.
14. Bay FC (4-10-5) [Previous: 14]
A second week at rock bottom. It is starting to feel like Bay's season might be done. A nine-point gap to the playoffs feels too big to climb with just seven matches remaining. There isn't too much to criticize regarding last weekend's 2–0 defeat to the Kansas City Current, the undisputed best team in the NWSL. But as the season enters its final phase, Bay lacks direction.
13. Utah Royals (2-11-6) [Previous: 13]
Momentum is building in Utah. The Royals picked up another savvy 1–1 draw on the road against the North Carolina Courage. A 94th-minute equalizer from Paige Monaghan was another example of how this team has developed serious grit late on in the season. This team looks understandably transformed with both Mina Tanaka and Cloé Lacasse healthy again.
12. North Carolina Courage (5-7-7) [Previous: 11]
Like Bay, the Courage feel directionless. No signings in the international transfer window, no head coach and a slow skid away from the playoff places. The good news is that, finally, Jaedyn Shaw is back in the starting XI after a mixed season and got on the scoresheet against Utah via a calmly struck penalty kick.
11. Chicago Stars (2-9-8) [Previous: 12]
What a turnaround it has been since the summer break. First under assistant-turned-interim manager Ella Masar, and now under new interim coach Anders Jacobson, the Stars look like a completely different team. Ludmila is in MVP form with six goals and an assist in her last four matches. The playoffs may be beyond them, but Chicago is an end-of-season wrecking crew.
10. Angel City (6-8-5) [Previous: 9]
After the drama of Alyssa Thompson's transfer to Chelsea, this weekend's match was always going to be a tough test of mentality and quality. Strangely enough, Angel City put in a quintessentially Angel City performance, scoring early through Kennedy Fuller and then slowly coming undone as the pressure mounted. There's still plenty of quality in this squad, but it is hard not to feel like this young group is building patterns of play for 2026.
9. Seattle Reign (7-6-6) [Previous: 7]
Alongside the Orlando Pride, Seattle Reign have a good case to be the worst team in the NWSL over the last five matches. After having one of the best defenses in the NWSL before the summer break, the Reign are as open as ever. A 2–0 defeat to the Washington Spirit saw the backline struggle mightily with passing, movement and late runners into the box.
8. NJ/NY Gotham FC (7-6-6) [Previous: 10]
Where has this Gotham been all season? What was so good about the morale-boosting 3-1 win over Angel City was that Gotham didn't rely on Esther Gonzalez for goals. The firepower off the bench from Midge Purce and Rose Lavelle showcased the high ceiling this team has. It has been a strange season for Gotham, but there are green shoots that this team could be shaping up for a late-season run.
7. Houston Dash (6-8-5) [Previous: 8]
Another team who have looked transformed for the better since the summer break. The Dash are undefeated in their last six games, which ties a team record. The 3–0 win over the San Diego Wave marked the club's biggest win margin since May 2024, and the biggest away win since July 2022. Houston may just have found the forward it was looking for in Clarissa Larisey. The Canadian, who signed from Crystal Palace in August, scored her first goal and got her first assist for the Dash on Sunday.
6. Portland Thorns (8-6-5) [Previous: 6]
The Thorns arrested a slump with a last-minute 2–1 away win over Racing Louisville on Saturday. Certainly, there was plenty of luck involved in this one, where most will agree Racing were the better team. After all, it was a lucky deflected clearance that resulted in an own goal that sealed all three points for Portland. But that's still a big confidence boost for a team that remains one of the most dynamic in midfield, even on a sub-par night.
5. Orlando Pride (8-7-4) [Previous: 5]
A debut for the NWSL's most expensive player of all time, Lizbeth Jacqueline Ovalle, couldn't brighten a terrible day for the Pride, who were demolished 5–2 by the Stars. The season-ending injury to Banda not only highlights the Zambian forward's own individual quality, but also just how much defensive attention she draws to help free up teammates. Orlando looks shell-shocked and could be a few weeks away from finding a fix.
4. Racing Louisville (7-7-5) [Previous: 4]
Despite a 2–1 defeat to the Thorns, Racing continues to be one of the most relentless teams at both ends of the pitch. Off-ball menaces in the tackle, Louisville also outshot Portland 24–15 but didn't quite have the killer edge. Goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer has now saved three penalties this season and didn't deserve to be on the losing side.
3. San Diego Wave (8-5-6) [Previous: 3]
Should there be more concern surrounding San Diego? The 3–0 loss to the Dash was by far the Wave's worst performance of the season. It feels like, as the season has gone on, the Wave have become predictable, with teams well aware of how to absorb pressure and break effectively. However, is there another team ready to jump ahead of San Diego in the Power Rankings right now?
2. Washington Spirit (10-4-5) [Previous: 2]
There is a clear divide between the top two teams in the NWSL and everybody else. The Washington Spirit were at their confident best in the 2–0 win over the Seattle Reign, with a fit-again Trinity Rodman scoring both goals and looking like her old self. Being able to bring the magic of Croix Bethune off the bench showcased just how deep this roster is, too.
1. Kansas City Current (16-2-1) [Previous: 1]
Still the team to beat. If there is a clear divide between the top two teams in the NWSL and everybody else, then there is an equally clear divide separating the Kansas City Current at the top and the Spirit in the understudy role. Temwa Chawinga got her 12th goal of the season in the easy 2–0 over Bay, and there is an air of invincibility about the Current right now. The Shield is almost theirs.
