The 2025 MLS season is firmly underway, which means it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings.
Who’s climbing the table, and who’s in free fall? Our writers studied the action from across the weekend to order all 30 teams in the league. Let’s dive in.
Previous ranking: 4
Death, taxes, Lionel Messi scoring free-kick goals and notching braces in MLS. Miami beat Nashville 2-1 on Saturday with two more goals from the Atomic Flea, bringing the Argentina captain to five straight MLS games with a brace — a new league record. With three games in hand, Inter are on a five-game win streak as they steadily climb the table.
Previous ranking: 3
On a night when four of the East’s top five faced off, a now-first-place Philly played the now-eighth-place Red Bulls and beat them 2-0 with ease. For now, the Union lead the Supporters’ Shield standings, but the pack is close at the top.
Previous ranking: 1
Nashville’s 15-game unbeaten run came to an end against Miami on Saturday. Messi scored both goals in a 2-1 victory for the hosts, and while there’s no shame in that, goalkeeper Joe Willis might regret passing it straight to the Argentine in a massive second-half gaffe that handed the Herons the game-winning goal.
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Previous ranking: 6
A brace from Anders Dreyer saw San Diego beat Chicago 2-1. The 27-year-old Danish DP now has 11 goals and 13 assists from 22 games in MLS, which is the most goals and assists of any player in the league and second only to Messi in goals and assists per 90 minutes. Messi’s in top form, but he has got competition for league MVP.
Previous ranking: 8
In the latest Hell is Real derby, the Crew fell behind 2-0 in the first five minutes but displayed grit and grace to fight back and claim a 4-2 win in Cincinnati. Diego Rossi scored first with a brilliant strike to spark hope and Max Arfsten added a second shortly after to make it 2-2 at the half. The Crew showed their quality as they saw things out from there.
Previous ranking: 5
After a brief weather delay, it took Cincinnati just five minutes to score twice against Ohio rival Columbus, but the hosts proceeded to concede four (including an own goal from Miles Robinson) in a humbling sixth loss of the season. Silver lining? They still finished the weekend third in the Supporters’ Shield standings.
Previous ranking: 2
Vancouver suffered their second straight 3-0 league loss — and fourth loss in five games — after a collapse in Colorado. Yohei Takaoka made a key save to stop Rafael Navarro from the penalty spot but conceded others he’ll regret, including a fumbled attempt to stop a corner that led to the Rapids’ third goal.
Previous ranking: 7
Once again, set pieces sparked victory for the Loons, who scored their first goal from a corner in the second minute against the Quakes. Minnesota put four goals past San Jose in a 4-1 victory while once again proving you don’t need the ball to dominate. United held 35% of possession but outshot the Quakes while producing better chances. They’re now sixth place in the Shield standings while rocking the fewest progressive carries, the fewest attempted passes and the lowest average possession in the league.
Previous ranking: 9
Jordan Morris started things off in Kansas City, Seattle’s top scorer Albert Rusnák made it two from the penalty spot, and Jesús Ferreira added a much-needed third goal (his third of the season) to take an initial 3-0 lead. But the Sounders gave up two goals, both from the penalty spot, to finish this 3-2 win by a finer margin than their overall performance deserved.
1:57
LAFC take down FC Dallas with 2-0 victory
Nathan Ordaz and Denis Bouanga each score in the first half of LAFC’s 2-0 win against FC Dallas.
Previous ranking: 11
LAFC have two clean sheets and five goals from their past two games after beating Dallas 2-0 on Saturday. LAFC have a busy schedule outside of MLS this year. Concacaf Champions Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup and soon the Leagues Cup will continue to detract from their focus, but they reminded us of their quality on Saturday night.
Previous ranking: 10
Montréal’s wall was pretty pitiful, but Martín Ojeda gave Orlando an early lead off a well-taken free kick that should have sealed three points against 30th-place CFM. Orlando continues to underperform its talent this season, though, as a late penalty fumbled a few points in a 1-1 draw in Florida.
Previous ranking: 12
Bruce Arena’s San Jose never says die. The Quakes conceded four goals against the Loons but battled to the end and found a 70th-minute goal from substitute Bruno Wilson. They head home to host Dallas in midweek to seek their first win since… the last time they played Dallas.
Previous ranking: 13
Maxime Crépeau’s seven saves weren’t enough to salvage a point for the Timbers on the road Sunday evening, as St. Louis City outshot the Timbers 20 to 10 (nine to four on target) in a 2-1 come-from-behind victory for the Missourians.
Previous ranking: 15
A weather delay didn’t slow down Charlotte in a 2-0 win at home against NYCFC, which ended a four-match winless rut for The Crown. They’ve got a forgiving schedule ahead of Leagues Cup (D.C., Atlanta and Toronto, all ranked 12th place or below in the East) to focus on building that momentum.
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Previous ranking: 17
Better chances, higher xG, outshoot the visitors 18 to 7 — lose 2-1. Sometimes that’s how it goes in this sport. Chicago conceded twice in the first half against San Diego while failing to break through until the 87th minute in a laudable second half. The Fire’s curse at home continues: just two of eight wins have come at home this season.
Previous ranking: 14
It took the Red Bulls 48 minutes to register a shot (a lackluster one at that) and 93 minutes to clock one on target (their only of the evening) in a 2-0 defeat at Philly that could have been worse for the visitors, who haven’t won this rivalry bout with the Union since 2019 (0-11-4, including playoffs).
Previous ranking: 16
The Pigeons went to Charlotte with only one away win all season (against Toronto) and failed to change that pattern in a 2-0 loss. The bright side? They’ve got three more games on the road next to see if they can fix that.
Previous ranking: 18
In its first match since striker and top scorer Brandon Vázquez tore his ACL, Austin failed to notch a goal in a 0-0 draw with the Revs. With Vázquez (who’s scored five of the team’s 15 goals) out for the year, questions are swirling around Texas surrounding their attack.
Previous ranking: 22
Outside of a poorly-taken penalty that Whitecaps keeper Yohei Takaoka swatted away, the Rapids looked clinical in a 3-0 win at home on Saturday. Djordje Mihailovic was at his best assisting all three goals and Zack Steffen, who had to withdraw from the United States’ Gold Cup roster due to injury, had a strong performance with a few key saves to clinch his fourth clean sheet from 12 matches this season.
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Previous ranking: 21
William Agada scored his second goal of the year off a corner just before the half to seal a tight 1-0 victory against the Dynamo. That’ll do for now, as the Utah squad heads to Portland for their next battle with a bit of momentum, after winning three of their past four games while undefeated.
Previous ranking: 19
The Dynamo fired off 19 shots and accrued several big chances but had nothing to show for it in a 1-0 loss to RSL. After failing this test of Western Conference teams just shy of the playoff positions, they’ve got a tough schedule ahead of Leagues Cup: Vancouver and Philly are next.
Previous ranking: 20
Los Toros’ Dutch keeper Maarten Paes made seven saves against LAFC in Los Angeles, but it wasn’t enough to stymie the hosts’ attack in a 2-0 loss that started with a penalty from Denis Bouanga. There’s only so much you can do when you’re outshot ten to one on target.
Previous ranking: 23
They didn’t score against Austin in Texas, but they didn’t concede there, either. That’s the seventh draw of the year for the team with fewest goals conceded outside the playoff spots.
Previous ranking: 24
SKC have a way of scoring no matter the result. The last team to keep a clean sheet against them was San Diego in May. Sporting were outplayed against Seattle but scored twice from the penalty spot to walk away with a 3-2 defeat and yet another goal contribution from Dejan Joveljic, marking his eighth straight game with a goal contribution.
Previous ranking: 29
The Galaxy are undefeated in their past three games, while reminding the public they can score some goals. Saturday’s win is their fourth in six games where they sent multiple past the opponent. With a small bit of momentum, there’s just one match between them and the next El Trafico.
1:55
Reus, Fagundez lead LA Galaxy past D.C. United
Marco Reus and Diego Fagundez each score as the Galaxy knock off D.C. United.
Previous ranking: 30
STL are showing signs of life. Despite trailing 1-0 from the 19th minute, St. Louis City scored twice in the second half to clinch three points at home with a 2-1 win against Portland. Midfielder Marcel Hartel scored both, bringing his goal tally to four this season.
Previous ranking: 25
Emmanuel Latte Lath scored what would have been his first goal since March early against Toronto, but it was called off. Redemption arrived in stoppage time as the Ivory Coast international got his sixth goal of the year from the penalty spot to clinch a last-gasp point in a 1-1 draw in Ontario. Progress.
Previous ranking: 26
Montréal put on a clinic for how not to set up a wall as they conceded an early free-kick goal to Orlando. CFM leveled things from the penalty spot (their only shot on target) to steal a 1-1 draw that they probably didn’t merit from this performance.
Previous ranking: 27
The Reds were minutes away from three points at home before conceding a penalty in stoppage time to finish with just a point in a 1-1 draw against Atlanta. Those dropped points will haunt them as they seek a way out of the Eastern Conference basement.
Previous ranking: 28
In their first match since firing manager Troy Lesesne, D.C. suffered a 2-1 defeat at the Galaxy after going down 2-0 by the 53rd minute. United had a few solid chances but will need a bit more to turn things around in this period of transition.