MLS Power Rankings: Philly wins Shield, red-hot LAFC rolling


It’s Monday, and another week of MLS action is in the books, 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 Matchday 38 to come up with this week’s order of all 30 teams in the league. Let’s dive in.


Previous ranking: 1

The Union claimed the 2025 Supporters’ Shield with a 1-0 victory over NYCFC on Saturday evening, becoming the league’s top regular season team for the second time in club history. With Mikael Uhre’s goal coming on the back of a high-pressing sequence, Philly climbed back to the top of the MLS mountaintop in fittingly aggressive fashion.

Previous ranking: 2

Between a pair of long-range strikes from Sebastian Berhalter, Ryan Gauld’s return from injury to regular season action and the 4-1 win over San Jose, Sunday couldn’t have gone much better for the ‘Caps. They still have a chance to claim the West’s top spot, too.

Previous ranking: 5

LAFC extended their winning streak to five-straight games with a 1-0 victory over Atlanta United on Sunday evening. Perhaps just as notable was Denis Bouanga scoring to mark the record 18th consecutive goal scored by either Son Heung-min or the Gabon international.

Previous ranking: 4

Not even Albert Rusnak’s late red card could put a damper on the Seattle Sounders’ 1-0 victory over the Portland Timbers, their first home win over their Cascadia rivals in eight years.

Previous ranking: 7

Inter Miami got back in the win column with a 4-1 victory over the New England Revolution on Saturday. For all of their flaws, no team in the league can hang with Miami’s attack when it’s firing on all cylinders. The Revs certainly couldn’t.

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Inter Miami CF vs. New England Revolution – Game Highlights

Inter Miami CF vs. New England Revolution – Game Highlights

Previous ranking: 3

Cincinnati pushed past the New York Red Bulls by a 1-0 scoreline thanks to a wonder-strike from Kevin Denkey. Of note, Pat Noonan’s team lost the xG battle for the fifth time in the last seven games, based on FBref’s data. Could that spell trouble come the playoffs?

Previous ranking: 6

The award for the most successful regular season by an expansion team in MLS history now belongs to San Diego, who pushed to the 60-point mark via a 4-2 win over the Dynamo on Saturday. They took the mantle from 2017 LAFC, who had the previous record at 57 points.

Previous ranking: 8

Thanks to a spill from Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, Marco Pašalić and Orlando City earned a 1-0 victory over the Crew. There wasn’t much separating the two teams, nor does it appear that much separates most of the East’s playoff field.

Previous ranking: 11

With Eric Ramsay experimenting in a 4-2-3-1 setup, the Loons bested Sporting Kansas City 3-0. Thanks to their usual set-piece dominance, Minnesota United never truly had to break out of first gear at Allianz Field.

Previous ranking: 9

Fresh off their triumph in the U.S. Open Cup, where they became the first Tennessee professional sports team to win a major trophy, Nashville SC drew 1-1 with CF Montrèal on Saturday afternoon. Those dropped points will make climbing into a top-four spot a tall task.

Previous ranking: 10

There’s no shame in losing to the Philadelphia Union, which is exactly what happened to NYCFC by a 1-0 scoreline on Saturday. While they had to endure Philly’s postgame Shield-winning euphoria, New York City shouldn’t be taken lightly as the playoffs near.

Previous ranking: 12

There was no shortage of late-game fireworks in the Fire’s 2-2 draw with Toronto on Saturday: Chicago’s second goal of the evening looked like a winner in the 89th minute, but a 100th-minute goal from former Fire midfielder Djordje Mihailovic meant shared points in the Windy City.

Previous ranking: 13

Helped by a pair of red cards handed out to D.C. United inside the game’s first half-hour, Charlotte cruised to a 1-0 win over their fellow Eastern Conference outfit. They don’t make wins easier than this.

Previous ranking: 14

Diego Rossi and Sean Zawadzki made their way back from injury and into Wilfried Nancy’s lineup for the Crew’s 1-1 draw with Orlando on Saturday. The result was far from perfect, but that this team is inching closer to full health is a major positive.

Previous ranking: 15

After a 2-1 win over the LA Galaxy, FC Dallas have gone eight games unbeaten and climbed well into the Western Conference playoff field. With an unyielding defense-first approach and Petar Musa’s game-changing ability up top, Eric Quill’s team is humming nicely.

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FC Dallas vs. LA Galaxy – Game Highlights

Watch the Game Highlights from FC Dallas vs. LA Galaxy, 10/04/2025

Previous ranking: 16

Austin couldn’t bounce back from their loss in Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup loss with anything but another loss in league play. They fell 3-1 to St. Louis City on Saturday, playing about as well as the scoreline indicates, and are on shaky ground as the postseason nears.

Previous ranking: 18

Coming into the weekend, the Timbers were unbeaten at Lumen Field for eight years running. That streak came to an end on Saturday when Portland fell to the Sounders by a 1-0 scoreline. Still, thanks to other results around the West, Phil Neville’s team clinched a spot in the postseason.

Previous ranking: 19

Already eliminated from postseason contention, the Red Bulls had nothing to play for against Cincinnati besides pride. That wasn’t enough, it turns out, to propel them to anything other than a 1-0 home defeat.

Previous ranking: 22

Wins don’t come much bigger than RSL’s 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids. Saturday’s result, fueled by a lovely strike from Diogo Goncalves, pushed Salt Lake above their rivals and into the final West’s final wildcard spot. They may just get playoff soccer in Utah after all.

Previous ranking: 21

While managing to retain the Rocky Mountain Cup, the Rapids fell 1-0 on the road in Salt Lake, a loss that could prove devastating to their postseason chances. Now below the West’s playoff line, Colorado no longer control their own destiny ahead of Decision Day.

Previous ranking: 17

Bruce Arena’s San Jose team fell 4-1 to the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday, continuing their theme of being downright porous defensively. A very faint glimmer of hope remains that the Quakes might make the playoffs. But if they don’t, they’ll have their defensive issues to blame.

Previous ranking: 20

After falling 4-2 to San Diego FC, the Dynamo found themselves mathematically eliminated from postseason qualification. Any loss where you concede three goals after the 84th minute stings, but this one stung all the more for a Houston team that has some major work to do over the winter.

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Anders Dreyer finds the back of the net for San Diego FC

Anders Dreyer finds the back of the net for San Diego FC

Previous ranking: 23

Toronto FC recorded their eighth straight draw in MLS play, tying 2-2 on the road with the Fire. With their season long over, why not keep the streak going as long as possible?

Previous ranking: 26

Thanks to a brace from Marcel Hartel, St. Louis claimed a 3-1 road victory over Austin FC. Amid a sea of mediocrity, the play of their German No. 10 continues to stand out for St. Louis City.

Previous ranking: 26

The Revs simply couldn’t hang with Inter Miami, falling 4-1 in Florida. At least new striker signing Dor Turgeman managed his second goal for New England in as many games. For the Revolution to truly threaten in 2026, the 21-year-old will likely have to deliver on his hefty price tag.

Previous ranking: 24

Despite taking the lead in the fourth minute via a Diego Fagundez effort, the LA Galaxy shipped a pair of goals before the first half of their meeting with FC Dallas came to a close and ended up losing by a 2-1 scoreline.

Previous ranking: 27

There have been precious few bright spots for Montrèal this year, but Dante Sealy’s performance on the wing has given fans something to smile about. The 22-year-old scored his ninth goal of the season in a 1-1 draw with Nashville.

Previous ranking: 28

To close out the weekend slate, Atlanta held strong against LAFC … for 85 minutes. The Five Stripes couldn’t keep Denis Bouanga from putting the ball into the back of Jayden Hibbert’s net late in the match, losing 1-0 in the process.

Previous ranking: 29

While SKC suffered yet another loss over the weekend when they fell 3-0 to Minnesota, there was positive news off the field: NYCFC chief soccer officer David Lee was appointed to run Kansas City’s front office. The club has finally taken a step forward in the post-Peter Vermes era.

Previous ranking: 30

Somehow, things keep getting worse for D.C. United. Without anything to play for in the East, Luis Barraza and Aaron Herrera were both sent off in the first 30 minutes of a 1-0 loss to Charlotte. D.C. has reached embarrassing levels of bad.



#MLS #Power #Rankings #Philly #wins #Shield #redhot #LAFC #rolling

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