Major League Soccer
·22 September 2026
Power Rankings: Where is your team as crunch time arrives?
Power Rankings: Where is your team as crunch time arrives? | OneFootball
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By J. Sam Jones
What a week in MLS.
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St. Louis CITY SC and the Philadelphia Union won, Seattle Sounders FC drew and FC Cincinnati played a wild match. It was truly a week unlike any other.
As always: The Power Rankings are voted on by, give or take, 15 people associated with MLSsoccer.com. The author doesn't decide the rankings, but he does get a little rush out of moving your team down a few spots when he can.
1. Nashville SC
Nashville are the first team to clinch an Audi MLS Cup Playoffs spot this year. They did it in style, pummeling Chicago 3-0. The Supporters’ Shield isn’t quite guaranteed; it just feels imminent.
Previous: 3-0 win vs. CHI | Next: 9/26 vs. TOR
2. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Maybe that's a stabilizing result? They haven’t strung together consistent results since returning from the World Cup, going 3W-2L-0D in their last five and 5W-4L-2D since the break.
Plenty of teams would be happy with that record, but expectations are higher for the Whitecaps these days.
Previous: 3-0 win at RSL | Next: 9/26 vs. DC
3. St. Louis CITY SC · 1▲
St. Louis haven’t lost since May 3, so it won’t surprise you to hear they rolled to a 3-1 win over Toronto. They even found time midweek to advance past Colorado in the US Open Cup semifinals.
They’re now a win away from a trophy and, considering the whole “they haven’t lost since May 3” thing, they’ll be favored to come out on top.
Previous: 3-1 win vs. TOR | Next: 9/26 at RBNY
4. New England Revolution · 2▲
It still feels like people aren’t paying close enough attention. The Revs are now second in the East after a 4-2 win over Orlando City. Both Carles Gil and 18-year-old rising star Peyton Miller scored a brace.
Miller, a fullback, now has six goal contributions in his last seven matches. He’s one of the league's most exciting young players and, with wheels like this, it won’t be long before European clubs are ready to make big-money offers to acquire him:
Previous: 4-2 win vs. ORL | Next: 9/26 at RSL
Somewhere along the way, Philadelphia turned into a horror-movie monster.
Sporting KC thought they had killed the Union off when they made it 3-0 in the 16th minute. But Philly came back to life and scored in the 64th, 66th, 68th and 73rd minutes to take a 4-3 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Nine wins. Two draws. And no losses since returning from the World Cup break.
Previous: 4-3 win at SKC | Next: 9/26 vs. ORL
6. Inter Miami CF · 3▼
Inter Miami got to celebrate a Michelob ULTRA Campeones Cup victory over Cruz Azul for a moment before returning to the question of why they struggle to win at home in MLS this year. A 2-2 draw with San Diego made it just four wins in 13 matches at Nu Stadium.
The Herons are the only team in the top seven of the Eastern Conference whose majority of home results aren’t wins. Meanwhile, they have the league's best road record. Strange times.
Previous: 2-2 draw vs. SD | Next: 9/27 at CLB
7. FC Dallas
Dallas played to a 0-0 draw with Austin. There’s nothing to really talk about from that, so here’s a bunch of footage of a rabbit.
Previous: 0-0 draw vs. ATX | Next: 9/26 vs. LAFC
8. Charlotte FC · 2▲
Allan Saint-Maximin scored his first MLS goal to help Charlotte win 2-1. It’s more of the same. Charlotte’s attack is rolling right now. They’ve scored 18 times in their last eight matches and gone 5W-3D-0L over that span. The East feels increasingly stacked these days, and Charlotte are as dangerous as anyone.
Previous: 2-1 win at DC | Next: 9/26 vs. CHI
9. Houston Dynamo FC
Houston drew with Cincy 2-2 after allowing a 97th-minute equalizer. The draw kept them in second place in the West. However, they’ve won only once in their last six, and they’re tied on points with St. Louis and Dallas. They’ll need to course-correct quickly to hang on to a home playoff spot. Fifth-place San Jose are lurking two points away.
Previous: 2-2 draw vs. CIN | Next: 9/26 vs. SKC
10. Chicago Fire FC · 2▼
The Fire have been in a tough stretch. They’ve followed four consecutive draws with two straight losses, both against the East's top teams. They had three big tests in a row against Miami, New England and Nashville. They earned one point.
Up next: Charlotte, Vancouver, NYCFC, Philly and New England again. They have plenty more tests ahead. They’ll need to pass most of them to earn a home playoff spot.
Previous: 3-0 loss at NSH | Next: 9/26 at CLT
11. San Jose Earthquakes · 3▲
Reid Roberts. From deep.
San Jose's young center back rescued a point eight minutes into stoppage time in what was nearly a deflating defeat.
LAFC went down to 10 men in the 36th minute and still managed to take a 2-0 lead. But Preston Judd and Roberts saved the day, keeping them a point ahead of sixth-place LAFC.
Previous: 2-2 draw vs. LAFC | Next: 9/26 vs. POR
12. Los Angeles Football Club · 1▼
LAFC nearly pulled off a minor miracle against San Jose. They were seconds away from a 2-1 road win despite Aaron Long’s 36th-minute red card. However, Reid Roberts' long-range equalizer spoiled the moment.
This team has one league victory since beating Sporting KC on July 25. They’re sixth in the West and running out of time to secure a home playoff spot.
Previous: 2-2 draw at SJ | Next: 9/26 at DAL
13. Colorado Rapids
There isn’t much to celebrate from a week in which the Rapids lost a US Open Cup semifinal and couldn't hold onto a 3-1 lead against Seattle.
Fortunately for Colorado, new DP attacker Morgan Whittaker made his first start. The reported $10.7 million signing scored a brace and drew rave reviews.
Previous: 3-3 draw vs. SEA | Next: 9/26 at LA
14. Orlando City · 2▼
They were without Antoine Griezmann in their 4-2 loss to the Revs. Griezmann picked up a knock in their 2-1 loss at Columbus in the US Open Cup semifinals.
The Lions have had many great weeks recently. This wasn’t one of them.
Previous: 4-2 loss at NE | Next: 9/26 at PHI
15. FC Cincinnati · 1▲
Cincy got a 97th-minute equalizer from Kévin Denkey to save a point at Houston. They’re down to ninth place in the East.
Previous: 2-2 draw at HOU | Next: 9/26 at MTL
16. LA Galaxy · 5▲
João Klauss and Marco Reus swooped in to save the day with a 3-2 comeback win at Minnesota. Klauss scored in the 76th minute, and Reus found the winner four minutes later to send them over the playoff line and into eighth place.
LA have played a game more than most of their nearest rivals, but things are looking up for now.
Previous: 3-2 win at MIN | Next: 9/26 vs. COL
17. San Diego FC
Anders Dreyer’s brace, including an 82nd-minute equalizer, powered San Diego to a road point in Miami.
Dreyer’s brilliance, combined with some heroic saves from CJ Dos Santos, provided just enough juice in a match where San Diego were largely outplayed.
Dreyer hasn’t quite matched his MVP-caliber 2025 (19g/19a), but he’s now at a very solid 11g/11a this season.
Previous: 2-2 draw at MIA | Next: 9/26 at ATX
18. Red Bull New York · 5▲
In a critical Hudson River Derby, Julian Hall pounced on an ill-advised back pass and scored the game’s lone goal. Suddenly, things are looking up for the Red Bulls again. They’ve won two in a row, they’re back above the playoff line and they’re one point ahead of NYCFC in the table.
Previous: 1-0 win at NYC | Next: 9/26 vs. STL
19. Portland Timbers · 1▼
Portland were the more creative side against Atlanta United. They couldn’t find a breakthrough, though. The frustrating 1-0 home loss – their second defeat in a row – has the Timbers in ninth, one point ahead of San Diego.
Previous: 1-0 loss vs. ATL | Next: 9/26 at SJ
20. New York City Football Club · 5▼
NYCFC out-created the Red Bulls by a wide margin in the latest Hudson River Derby. Unfortunately for them, a misplayed back pass handed the Red Bulls a 1-0 win and sent NYCFC down to 10th in the East.
They have one win in their last nine matches.
Previous: 1-0 loss vs. RBNY | Next: 9/26 at ATL
21. Minnesota United FC · 2▼
The Loons have lost four straight after falling to the Galaxy.
They’re down to 14th in the West, three points below the playoff line. Maybe it will give Minnesota fans hope that the underlying numbers favor them a lot more than the standings do?
They need that progression to the mean to come in a hurry.
Previous: 3-2 loss vs. LA | Next: 9/26 at SEA
22. Austin FC
Austin have thrown together a seven-match unbeaten run. That stretch includes wins over Seattle, Portland and Vancouver. Suddenly, they’re a win away from a playoff spot. They’re in 11th place and just two points behind ninth-place Portland.
Previous: 0-0 draw at DAL | Next: 9/26 vs. SD
23. Columbus Crew · 4▲
The Crew needed a week like that. They took down Orlando to earn hosting rights for the US Open Cup final, then took care of business against CF Montréal in a 2-0 win. The playoffs are still a long shot, but a trophy isn’t.
Previous: 2-0 win at MTL | Next: 9/27 vs. MIA
24. Seattle Sounders FC · 1▲
Seattle rescued a point in a 3-3 comeback draw at Colorado. They haven’t lost in a while now. They haven’t won either, though. The Sounders have now drawn in five straight games.
Those five points have kept them within three points of the playoff line. They’ve got at least a couple of games in hand on everyone they’re chasing. And they’ve got a double-game week against struggling RSL and Minnesota up next before facing Sporting KC next week.
Is that light at the end of the tunnel?
Previous: 3-3 draw at COL | Next: 9/23 vs. RSL
25. Atlanta United · 3▲
Atlanta weren’t the better side for most of their 1-0 win in Portland, but Alexey Miranchuk’s curler and some finishing variance earned them three points.
To their credit, the Five Stripes are showing small but notable signs of progress. Things feel steadier these days.
Previous: 1-0 win at POR | Next: 9/26 vs. NYC
26. Toronto FC · 6▼
Toronto had the unfortunate task of facing St. Louis. That went how it goes for everyone right now. The Reds have lost two straight since an impressive seven-match unbeaten run featured wins over the top three teams in the East.
To their credit, they’ve largely survived a brutal schedule post-World Cup. But they’re still sitting four points below the playoff line with eight games left. And the schedule will only ease up a little down the stretch.
Previous: 3-1 loss at STL | Next: 9/26 at NSH
27. D.C. United · 1▼
Somehow, D.C. United managed to take 34 shots against Charlotte and lose 2-1. Calling them “incredibly unlucky” in this one is an understatement. It won’t make folks in D.C. feel much better.
"I've never spoken about the playoffs, and I'm not going to start now," head coach Rene Weiler said after the match.
D.C. are four points below the playoff line with nine games left.
Previous: 2-1 loss vs. CLT | Next: 9/26 at VAN
28. Real Salt Lake · 4▼
A 3-0 loss to Vancouver made it 12 matches without a win. They’re three points below the playoff line.
Previous: 3-0 loss vs. VAN | Next: 9/23 at SEA
29. CF Montréal
Montréal may end the year with a trophy. They advanced to the Canadian Championship final after ousting Vancouver.
Previous: 2-0 loss vs. CLB | Next: 9/26 vs. CIN
30. Sporting Kansas City
So, this was just cool as all hell.
Things only got better from there (until they got much, much worse). SKC blew a 3-0 lead to Philadelphia in a 4-3 loss that encapsulated their 2026 season. At least new DP winger André Luiz looks like a superstar.
Previous: 4-3 loss vs. PHI | Next: 9/26 at HOU
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