The 2025 MLS season continues to chug along, 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.
1. San Diego FC
Previous ranking: 2
Anders Dreyer's argument for league MVP grows louder every weekend, and he scored the game-winning goal for San Diego in a 2-1 win against San Jose. That's six straight away wins for the expansion club, who finished the weekend in first place in the Supporters' Shield standings.
2. Inter Miami CF
Previous ranking: 3
Lionel Messi is back, and the Argentine made his presence known in Miami's 3-1 win against the LA Galaxy. The Herons outshot last year's champs 29 shots to five (eight to three on target) and scored a gorgeous early goal thanks to a quintessential Sergio Busquets assist to Jordi Alba. But Messi made a massive second-half impact as he reclaimed the lead after Joseph Paintsil's equalizer and assisted Luis Suárez to make it 3-1 five minutes later. He may not be 100%, but there's no doubting the impact when he's playing.
Lionel Messi made his return from injury by scoring in a 3-1 win for Inter Miami against the LA Galaxy. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
3. FC Cincinnati
Previous ranking: 4
Kevin Kelsy's brace of goals diminished the scoreline to 3-2, but Cincinnati led 3-0 within 36 minutes while playing in Portland, and moved into first place in the East with the win. Fittingly, former Timbers player Evander's goal ended up being the match-winner for Cincinnati, and the Brazilian was treated to a shroud of boos by his former fanbase after scoring it.
4. Philadelphia Union
Previous ranking: 1
Days after beating their rivals in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal, Philly lost 1-0 on the road to the New York Red Bulls. That's their first loss to NYRB in six years and they fumbled first place in the Supporters' Shield standings in the process.
5. Seattle Sounders
Previous ranking: 5
A week after beating the Galaxy 4-0, Minnesota handed Seattle their first regular-season defeat since June 8. They dominated possession, created more chances, and outshot the Loons, but goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair kept them at bay. They'll look to recover in the Leagues Cup quarterfinal on Wednesday night against Puebla.
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6. Vancouver Whitecaps
Previous ranking: 6
After the game, Thomas Müller said he had "mixed feelings" about his MLS debut for the Canadian side, which ended in a 1-1 draw against Houston thanks to a 91st-minute goal from the visitors. The draw isn't what they hoped for, but the future looks bright for the Whitecaps and their new German star, who made his debut in the 61st minute.
7. Orlando City
Previous ranking: 7
A week after downing their Floridian rivals, Orlando beat Kansas City 3-1 to mark their third straight regular-season game with three or more goals. They can certainly score (they're tied with Miami for most in the league), and they're in crisp form as they turn to a Leagues Cup quarterfinal in the midweek against Toluca, and a fascinating test in Nashville after that.
8. Minnesota United
Previous ranking: 11
The Loons ended Seattle's blistering form with a 1-0 win over the weekend with a goal from, you guessed it, a set piece. The steady hand of Canadian goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair was as necessary as their solid set pieces, as he made four key saves to keep a clean sheet while the Sounders outproduced them in the final third.
9. Charlotte FC
Previous ranking: 10
Few teams are in better form than Charlotte, who picked up its sixth straight in the regular season with a 1-0 victory against Real Salt Lake. It wasn't a perfect performance, but it'll do as they prepare to maintain their streak against the Red Bulls next weekend.
10. LAFC
Previous ranking: 12
LA's new star signing, Son Heung-Min (who reportedly has the best-selling sports jersey in the world right now), clocked his first start for LAFC in a 2-0 win against the Revs. He made himself known and recorded a first, selfless assist in the victory. It's still early days in the Son era, but LA's stock is surging.
11. Columbus Crew
Previous ranking: 9
Columbus controlled this game and scored early, but failed to secure all three points in Toronto, after conceding an equalizer in the 77th minute. Fumbling those points against the 12th-place team in the East will sting for the Crew, as they're still battling for the Shield and looking to climb up a dense top of the table in the East.
12. Nashville SC
Previous ranking: 8
Nashville had all the momentum for the first 30 minutes in New York, and led early thanks to Jacob Shaffelburg's second goal of the season. However, Andrés Perea equalized in the 40th minute, and after a weather delay, the visitors failed to regain their momentum, ultimately losing 2-1.
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New York City FC vs. Nashville SC - Game Highlights
Watch the Game Highlights from New York City FC vs. Nashville SC, 08/17/2025
13. Chicago Fire
Previous ranking: 14
The Fire finished the weekend inside the playoff positions after beating STL 3-2 this weekend, thanks to Brian Gutiérrez's match-winner. They're undefeated in five games, but head to Philly next.
14. San Jose Earthquakes
Previous ranking: 13
This one will hurt. The Quakes were the better team playing at home, outshooting 16 to five while producing higher quality chances. But they conceded two goals in three minutes from the 81st minute on, losing 2-1 to San Diego.
15. New York City FC
Previous ranking: 15
This was a tale of two halves with a weather delay thrown in. The Pigeons lacked bite early on and conceded a 10th-minute goal against Nashville, but found their footing just before a weather delay and looked like a different team in the second half, securing a much-needed 2-1 win against the third-place team in the East.
16. New York Red Bulls
Previous ranking: 16
They lost in the U.S. Open Cup but won on the weekend in back-to-back meetings with their rivals, the Philadelphia Union. Beyond the joy of finally beating your rivals (for the first time since 2019), the Red Bulls will relish the points as they finished the weekend in ninth place of the Eastern Conference (the final playoff spot), while hoping to keep their postseason streak alive.
17. Colorado Rapids
Previous ranking: 18
On a night when they retired Marcelo Balboa's number, Colorado beat a struggling Atlanta 3-1. That's two straight wins for the Rapids, who've got some manageable games in the next few weeks while trying to hang on to their playoff position.
18. Austin FC
Previous ranking: 17
Austin may have deserved more from a 1-1 draw with Dallas, as they outproduced and outshot their Texan counterparts. But they conceded first and settled for a draw. They're hanging on to eighth place in the West and scrapping their way toward the playoffs.
play1:09
Austin, Dallas can't find a winner in 1-1 draw
Owen Wolff equalizes for Austin, who draw 1-1 against Dallas.
19. Portland Timbers
Previous ranking: 19
I'm not sure what stings more for Timbers fans: losing this match, or doing so because Evander scored on them. Regardless, conceding three goals within the first 36 minutes while playing at home is a tough, tough hole to crawl out of, even if Kelsy did his best with a come-from-behind brace.
20. Real Salt Lake
Previous ranking: 20
RSL were missing Diego Luna (who was suspended for a red card) in a 1-0 loss to Charlotte. They finished the weekend one spot and one point short of the playoff spots, but have a tough few games ahead in Minnesota and Seattle.
21. FC Dallas
Previous ranking: 21
Shaq Moore gave Dallas the early lead in this Texas battle, but they settled for a draw while getting out-possessed and outshot by Austin. Next up? LAFC, with Son looking for his first goal.
22. Houston Dynamo
Previous ranking: 22
Houston are sitting three spots but just three points below the playoff positions and salvaged a much-needed point in a 1-1 draw with the West's third-place Vancouver this weekend. After conceding an early penalty, Artur scored a seismic first goal of the year in the 91st minute. With eight games to play, the Dynamo could squeeze into the playoffs, but it'll take every point they can get.
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Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Houston Dynamo - Game Highlights
Watch the Game Highlights from Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Houston Dynamo, 08/17/2025
23. LA Galaxy
Previous ranking: 23
The beleaguered reigning champs did reasonably well against the Herons and capitalized on some poor defending for a Paintsil goal to cancel out Alba's. But Messi's emergence in the second half sunk them; the Argentine scored Miami's second go-ahead goal and then provided a slick pass to assist Suarez minutes later.
24. New England Revolution
Previous ranking: 25
Matt Turner made four saves for the Revs in a 2-0 defeat to LAFC, but it wasn't enough to stymie the squad with a new superstar in MLS. After keeping a clean sheet in his return-to-MLS debut, the defeat marked the first goals conceded for New England's keeper, with the Revs still just two spots but 11 points shy of the playoff positions.
25. Toronto FC
Previous ranking: 27
They've been outside the playoff positions all season and will need to find a new gear to change that, but they wrestled a point from the Crew in a 1-1 draw at home thanks to Jules-Anthony Vilsaint's goal in the 77th minute.
26. CF Montréal
Previous ranking: 24
They conceded first against one of the only teams ranked below them this season (D.C. United), but managed a point thanks to Luca Petrasso's 40th-minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw. They haven't shown much hope of climbing out of the Eastern Conference basement, and are short on time to turn that around.
27. Sporting Kansas City
Previous ranking: 26
After a three-hour weather delay, Kansas City took less than two minutes to concede a goal in what became a 3-1 defeat in Orlando. Orlando tends to score on everyone, but SKC has now conceded the third-most goals in the league, trailing only LA Galaxy and D.C. United. Silver lining? Dejan Joveljic scored again, his 14th of the season.
28. St. Louis City SC
Previous ranking: 28
A week after beating Nashville 3-1, they lost to Chicago 3-2. They briefly led 2-1 while playing on the road, but conceded two late goals to walk away with no points and dwindling momentum.
29. Atlanta United
Previous ranking: 29
It seems unlikely things will turn around for Atlanta this season, as they haven't won a game since May 28 and picked up another loss in a 3-1 defeat to Colorado.
30. D.C. United
Previous ranking: 30
In a battle of the East Coast's bottom two teams, D.C. United managed a 1-1 draw with Montréal. That'll do for new, but hope isn't bright in their future. They face Miami next, and close out their season with NYCFC, Orlando, Miami again, Philly, then Charlotte.