Power Rankings: Nashville overtake San Jose, Vancouver for top spot | OneFootball

By J. Sam Jones

What a week in MLS.

Multiple teams made coaching changes, Hugo Cuypers scored for Chicago, and a Red Bull New York youngster put in a standout performance. It was a 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 does not decide the rankings, but he does get a little rush out of moving your team in particular down a few spots when he can.

Decide the 2026 MLS All-Star Roster

Choose who represents MLS against LIGA MX on July 29th in Charlotte. There’s no voting limit - vote for your favorite players again and again.

Make Your Picks

1. Nashville SC · 2▲

Hany Mukhtar is one of the best signings in MLS history.

WATCH: Hany Mukhtar sores MUST-SEE hat trick for Nashville SC

Mukhtar’s hat trick – this was maybe his best-ever game in MLS – powered Nashville to an impressive 3-2 win over LAFC. That capped a huge week that started with Nashville whomping New England, 3-0, on the road.

Nashville keep reminding everyone they’re arguably the league’s most complete team. They lead the Supporters’ Shield standings after 13 matches.

Previous: 3-2 win vs. LAFC | Next: 5/23 vs. NYC

2. Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka picked up a red card in Houston, and the Whitecaps couldn’t hold onto a draw. They still picked up three points last week in a 3-2 win at Dallas, though. That win (and two San Jose losses) leaves Vancouver leading the Western Conference standings.

Previous: 1-0 loss at HOU | Next: 5/23 at SD

3. Inter Miami CF · 3▲

Inter Miami have been in strong form since their spectacular Florida Derby loss to Orlando City.

Make it three wins in a row with 11 goals scored, and the defending MLS Cup presented by Audi champions – at long last – have their first victory at Nu Stadium.

This Lionel Messi dude is playing pretty well, by the way:

Previous: 2-0 win vs. POR | Next: 5/24 vs. PHI

4. San Jose Earthquakes · 3▼

The first bad week of the season finally arrived for San Jose.

Osaze De Rosario’s late goal sealed a 3-2 loss at Seattle midweek, and then Sam Sarver’s 93rd-minute goal/Stone Cold Steve Austin impression sealed a 3-2 loss against FC Dallas on the weekend.

Things have understandably been difficult with both Timo Werner and Niko Tsakiris out injured.

Previous: 3-2 loss vs. DAL | Next: 5/23 at POR

5. New England Revolution

The Revs were taken to the woodshed by Nashville on Wednesday, but they responded nicely with a 2-1 win over Minnesota United over the weekend. That’s their eighth win of the year.

The Revs never feel all that overwhelming. They keep finding results anyway. Only Nashville, Vancouver and San Jose have more wins this year.

Previous: 2-1 win vs. MIN | Next: 5/23 at CLT

6. Real Salt Lake · 4▲

Zavier Gozo scored three times in two matches last week (just put him on the World Cup roster, Poch) as RSL rolled to a six-point week.

Seriously, though, those USMNT calls are getting serious.

Anywho, RSL crushed Houston in a 3-0 win and overcame an early deficit against Colorado to win 2-1. Only San Jose and Vancouver have more wins in the Western Conference.

Previous: 2-1 win vs. COL | Next: 5/23 at MIN

7. FC Dallas · 1▲

I mean, we could tell you about FC Dallas going toe-to-toe with Vancouver in a midweek loss and then earning a huge 3-2 win over San Jose on Saturday to cap a week that proved their bona fides as a real threat in the West.

But we know you’re just here for Sam Sarver:

Previous: 3-2 win at SJ | Next: 5/23 at COL

8. Seattle Sounders FC · 4▼

Seattle’s 22-game home unbeaten streak is over after a 2-0 loss to the Galaxy on Saturday. That setback came a few days after the Sounders beat San Jose. Maybe MLS will make sense someday. Today is not that day.

Previous: 2-0 loss vs. LA | Next: 5/24 at LAFC

9. Chicago Fire FC · 3▲

The last time Hugo Cuypers played in an MLS regular-season game and didn’t score? October 18, 2025.

Cuypers has played in 10 MLS games this year and scored in all 10. He’s up to 13 goals this season and leads the Golden Boot presented by Audi race. In just 10 matches, he’s beaten his 2024 total by three goals and is four away from matching his 17-goal output last season.

On a related note: Chicago beat D.C. United and CF Montréal last week. They’re fourth in the Eastern Conference after earning 23 points through 13 matches.

Previous: 2-0 win at MTL | Next: 5/23 vs. TOR

10. Los Angeles Football Club · 3▼

It's not going great. 

LAFC have one point from their last four games following losses to St. Louis and Nashville last week. That drops them down to seventh in the Western Conference standings.

Nonetheless, Denis Bouanga is preaching calm:

Previous: 3-2 loss at NSH | Next: 5/24 vs. SEA

11. Houston Dynamo FC

Don’t look now, but Houston's win over Vancouver last weekend pushed them to 15 points in their last seven MLS games and 21 points on the season.

Guilherme is a big reason why:

The Dynamo have quietly worked their way up to sixth place in the West. Things are falling into place for this group just before the 2026 FIFA World Cup break.

Previous: 1-0 win vs. VAN | Next: 5/23 at LA

12. Minnesota United FC · 3▼

Tough, tough week for the Loons. They fell to both Colorado and New England and have just one win in their last five MLS matches.

Previous: 2-1 loss at NE | Next: 5/23 vs. RSL

13. LA Galaxy · 1▲

The Galaxy lost at Sporting KC and then turned around and beat Seattle on the road. Maybe MLS will make sense someday. Today is not that day.

Previous: 2-0 win at SEA | Next: 5/23 vs. HOU

14. New York City Football Club · 2▲

All of the positive vibes possible to New York City FC legend Maxi Moralez. The veteran midfielder left the team's 1-1 draw against the Red Bulls with a non-contact knee injury.

If that’s it for Moralez in MLS, it’s been a “statue outside of the new stadium” kind of career. He's been an every-game starter, even at age 39. Unreal stuff.

Previous: 1-1 draw at RBNY | Next: 5/23 at NSH

15. Charlotte FC · 3▲

Last week felt emblematic of Charlotte FC in 2026. They lost 1-0 to NYCFC, then turned it around in a 3-1 win over a depleted Toronto team. They're generally competitive game-to-game, but don’t look like a true contender.

Previous: 3-1 win vs. TOR | Next: 5/23 vs. NE

16. FC Cincinnati · 3▼

Cincy used to win a ton of one-goal games. It’s much harder to do that, though, when you’re allowing 2.5 goals per match.

They just allowed eight goals in a one-point week that featured a 5-3 loss to Inter Miami. Only Orlando City have allowed more goals in MLS this year.

Previous: 3-3 draw at SD | Next: 5/23 vs. ORL

17. Red Bull New York · 2▲

Last week, Julian Hall became the youngest player in MLS history to record a hat trick. He scored all three goals in RBNY's 3-2 win over Columbus. The 18-year-old homegrown striker is up to 9g/2a this season.

The Red Bulls couldn’t carry that momentum into a win in the Hudson River Derby, but it’s tough to complain about a four-point week.

WATCH: Julian Hall makes history with hat trick

Previous: 1-1 draw vs. NYC | Next: 5/23 at SKC

18. San Diego FC · 6▲

San Diego steamrolled Austin in a 5-0 win midweek and were seconds away from following it up with a 3-2 win over FC Cincinnati. Instead, they allowed a 98th-minute equalizer just two minutes after Marcus Ingvartsen seemingly put San Diego ahead for good.

At least it’s become clear that they can count on Ingvartsen. The veteran striker has delivered 11g/4a in 12 starts after being injured for long stretches last year.

Previous: 3-3 draw vs. CIN | Next: 5/23 vs. SD

19. D.C. United · 4▼

D.C. got thumped by Chicago midweek and were in danger of going empty-handed on Saturday, too. However, João Peglow’s 90th-minute equalizer rescued a point against St. Louis.

Now, taking 17 points from 14 matches isn’t spectacular. But relative to expectations, the first half of the year has been a solid one for the Black-and-Red under head coach René Weiler.

Previous: 1-1 draw vs. STL | Next: 5/23 vs. MTL

20. Colorado Rapids

The Rapids earned a solid win over Minnesota on Wednesday, but couldn’t build on it in their Rocky Mountain Cup matchup at RSL on Saturday.

Make it just one win in their last seven games.

Previous: 2-1 loss at RSL | Next: 5/23 vs. DAL

21. Portland Timbers

Portland followed up their 6-0 win over SKC with a 2-2 draw against CF Montréal and a 2-0 loss to Inter Miami. It's been a season full of stops and starts.

Previous: 2-0 loss at MIA | Next: 5/23 vs. SJ

22. St. Louis CITY SC · 4▲

A four-point week with a win over LAFC and a draw that could have easily been a win against D.C. is a really solid week.

St. Louis are starting to find their footing a bit, it seems. They’ve earned seven points from their last three matches.

Previous: 1-1 draw at DC | Next: 5/23 vs. ATX

23. CF Montréal

It’s been far from perfect for CF Montréal this year, but they don’t go down easily and they aren’t in Wooden Spoon territory. All things considered, it could be far worse. After a one-point week, they’ve earned seven points from their last five matches.

Previous: 2-0 loss vs. CHI | Next: 5/23 at DC

24. Toronto FC · 2▼

Toronto are so incredibly injured right now that it’s tough to assess anything they’re doing. We do know they haven’t won since April 4, though. The summer break is going to be very, very welcome.

Previous: 3-1 loss at CLT | Next: 5/23 at CHI

25. Orlando City · 3▲

Allowing three goals to Philadelphia this year isn’t ideal, but Martín Ojeda’s 90th-minute winner – his ninth goal of the season – earned Orlando a needed 4-3 win on Wednesday. They followed it up with a 1-1 draw against Atlanta. Four points are four points, though.

Previous: 1-1 draw vs. ATL | Next: 5/23 at CIN

26. Austin FC · 9▼

Losing 5-0 at San Diego is one thing, but following it up with a 2-1 loss against Sporting KC after leading is… well, less than ideal.

Suffice it to say, it wasn’t all that surprising when Austin parted ways with sporting director Rodolfo Borrell and head coach Nico Estevez on Monday morning.

We've got a new direction for the Verde & Black.

Previous: 2-1 loss vs. SKC | Next: 5/23 at STL

27. Columbus Crew · 2▼

Henrik Rydström’s tenure in Columbus lasted just 14 matches.

After a one-point week that included a loss at the Red Bulls and a draw at Philadelphia, Columbus parted ways with their new head coach.

The Crew have certainly underperformed, but it seems this decision may have been more influenced by how the locker room received Rydström’s approach.

“Lastly, culturally, it did not click. We believe a change was much-needed,” Columbus general manager Issa Tall told The Athletic.

Former CF Montréal head coach Laurent Courtois is now in charge on an interim basis.

Previous: 1-1 draw at PHI | Next: 5/24 vs. ATL

28. Sporting Kansas City · 2▲

SIX-POINT WEEK. THERE WERE NEVER ANY DOUBTS.

Okay, there may have been some doubts. But, hey, full credit to Sporting KC for pulling themselves out of the cellar.

Previous: 2-1 win at ATX | Next: 5/23 vs. RBNY

29. Atlanta United · 2▼

The summer transfer window looms large for Atlanta.

In the meantime, they know they can rely on Jay Fortune. He’s bounced back nicely from a rough injury last year, scoring in back-to-back games.

Previous: 1-1 draw at ORL | Next: 5/24 at CLB

30. Philadelphia Union · 1▼

Still not going well. They’re now four points "ahead" in the race for last place.

Previous: 1-1 draw vs. CLB | Next: 5/24 at MIA