The 2025 National Women’s Soccer League regular season is in the books. For eight teams, now comes the playoffs. The big dance. Crunch time.
In a single-elimination quarterfinals, semifinals and final, there is plenty of room for upsets along the way. After all, only twice in the last five years has a No. 1 seed lifted the Shield trophy and then gone on to win the championship trophy as well (North Carolina Courage in 2019 and Orlando Pride in 2024).
When evaluating the eight teams, there is a clear favorite, a presumed No. 2 and then it really feels like it is anyone’s guess how to rank those final six teams. While 19 points separate the No. 1 seed from the No. 2 seed, just four points separate the No. 3 seed from the No. 8 seed. Outside of the favorites, this is a very jumbled field.
Here are your NWSL power rankings ahead of the 2025 playoffs.
1. Kansas City Current (21-3-2, No. 1 Seed)
This one is easy. No contest. The Kansas City Current have been far and away the best team in the NWSL this season, boasting the best statistics for goals scored and goals conceded. They will be primed to sweep the playoffs, especially with home advantage in the quarterfinals and the semifinals (should they advance).
Of course, there is some doubt surrounding this team because of the fitness of Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga, who suffered a hip injury against the Houston Dash a little over two weeks ago. If Chawinga isn't ready for the playoffs, then who will score the goals and lead the defensive press?
Making matters worse is Bia Zaneratto limping out of the Current’s final regular season game of the season, too. General manager Caitlin Carducci has done an admirable job of assembling a deep roster, but now Kansas City will be tested with attacking starters missing.
It will certainly please manager Vlatko Andonovski to see Nichelle Prince and Haley Hopkins come off the bench and make an impact as they did last weekend.
2. Washington Spirit (12-8-6, No. 2 Seed)
Despite clinching the No. 2 seed with two weeks to spare, it hasn’t been the most straightforward season for the Washington Spirit. A constant stream of injuries, both big and small, to key players has meant that manager Adrian González has named an unchanged XI just once this season. The only thing constant in Washington has been rotation.
But again, like the Current, the Spirit boast one of the highest-quality rosters in the NWSL and has weathered the storm of absences throughout 2025. A knee injury will almost certainly keep Trinity Rodman out of the quarterfinals, but the emergence of Sofia Cantore as an international star has helped to limit the loss.
The Spirit will also benefit greatly from playing at home at “Rowdy” Audi Field. This team has plenty of motivation after losing the NWSL championship final last year. And those fans will be key to igniting that extra drive to go deep into the playoffs.
3. Orlando Pride (11-8-7, No. 4 Seed)
Another team without its biggest star heading into the playoffs. Barbra Banda has been ruled out of the playoffs already, and the Orlando Pride’s goals have declined from 1.4 per game with Banda to 1.1 without.
One solution was manager Haley Carter acting swiftly to break the transfer record and bring in Lizbeth Jacqueline Ovalle from UANL Tigres for $1.5 million. Ovalle has adjusted somewhat well to the NWSL and has notched one goal and two assists in her first eight games.
Even with a regression from last year's record-breaking shield and championship-winning season, the Pride remain one of the most organized and consistent off-ball teams in the NWSL. There may not be quite as much flair, but the experience in this group is unmatched.
Probably one of the hardest teams in the NWSL to figure out. In 2025, the Portland Thorns had major availability issues and leaned on a young core of players to make a surprising climb up the standings to third place.
In 20-year-old Olivia Moultrie’s career season, with eight goals and the most key passes in the NWSL (55), she has exploded back into the U.S. women’s national team. Meanwhile, 24-year-old Reyna Reyes has quietly become a force in the air at both ends of the pitch and in one-on-one defensive situations.
Earlier this season, the Thorns went 10 matches undefeated at home, and home advantage will be a big bonus in the quarterfinals. However, the lack of clinical finishing could hold the Thorns back from taking out elite teams in high-pressure knockout games.
5. Racing Louisville (10-9-7, No. 7 Seed)
It's all about momentum for Racing Louisville. The Kentucky club is tied for the longest active undefeated streak in the NWSL (five games, tied with the Orlando Pride) and will head into the postseason with morale at an all-time high. Especially as this is the first playoff run in team history.
By no means the most talented roster in the NWSL, Racing advanced to the playoffs through grit, hard work and a very clear identity created by manager Bev Yanez. Louisville will hustle and grind the opposition down, pressing high and looking to capitalize on set pieces.
6. Gotham FC (9-8-9, No. 8 Seed)
A month or so ago, Gotham were one of the most exciting teams in the NWSL. After four wins in five matches, the blockbuster arrival of Jaedyn Shaw was combined with the return of Rose Lavelle. The midfield was singing. Finally, Gotham looked like the team they were meant to be.
But now, Gotham have closed out the regular season with four winless games and are struggling with the loss of top scorer Esther González to injury. One of the most inconsistent teams in the league, Gotham have a high ceiling but a low floor. Fans will be hoping that the errors that led to seven goals being conceded in the last three games have been cleaned up come the quarterfinals.
Gotham will be their usual unpredictable selves and look to cause an upset on the road. Just the way they like it.
7. San Diego Wave (10-9-7, No. 6 Seed)
It feels like a long time ago that the San Diego Wave were riding high as one of the best teams in the NWSL. Since the summer break, the Wave has won just three of 13 matches, having won seven of 13 in the first half of the year.
The Wave had the highest expected goals (xG) minus goals scored (+6.2) of any team in the NWSL, which either shows their shooting has been incredibly good or they have been rather lucky. As the luck has run out, the mirage of just how good the Wave are has dissolved.
It will be interesting to see how teams set up against Wave and their possession-heavy style. No team averaged more possession in 2025 than the Wave (59.5%). But, in the NWSL, counter-attacking and thriving in transition is often what rules the day.
8. Seattle Reign (10-7-9, No. 5 Seed)
The Seattle Reign enter the playoffs as the weakest attacking team on paper. The Reign rank last of the eight playoff teams for goals (32), xG (24.3), progressive passes (762), shots (222) or xG against (39.3).
Laura Harvey has set her team up to absorb pressure and take away the best components of the opponent without the intention of creating big chances of their own. Can this tactic be successful in the playoffs? Well, it's worked before, with Harvey having most recently gone to the NWSL championship final in 2023, where the Reign narrowly lost to Gotham.
This playoff run feels premature for a team in flux. A group that is bedding in a slew of bright young players, while also having one last serenade for a core of legends that are at the end of their careers.
