It’s Monday, MLS action is back, and it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings.
Which team looks the strongest? Which one is in for a long year? Our writers studied the action from across Matchday 12 to come up with this week’s order. Let’s dive in.
– Messi tracker: Goals, assists, key moments in 2026
– Who is Chicago Fire and Bafana defender Mbekezeli ‘TLB’ Mbokazi?
– Miami overwhelms but Herons must heed Toronto’s cautionary tale
Previous ranking: 1
Missing Thomas Müller, the Whitecaps earned a hard-fought point via a 1-1 draw on the road in San Jose. Vancouver’s final-third threat is limited without its German superstar, but Jesper Sørensen’s team still managed to control the match, reminding everyone of just how dangerous it can be.
Previous ranking: 2
Despite playing without the injured Timo Werner and Niko Tsakiris, San Jose muscled its way to a 1-1 draw with the Whitecaps. In a battle of the top two teams in the Supporters’ Shield race, the Quakes looked like they belonged.
Previous ranking: 3
It was a draining week for Nashville, as it bowed out of the Concacaf Champions Cup at the semifinal stage on Tuesday before enduring a 2-2 draw with D.C. United on Saturday. That Nashville picked up a point on short rest, though, is a testament to their quality.
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Warren Madrigal scores late equalizer for Nashville
Warren Madrigal scores late equalizer for Nashville
Previous ranking: 5
Inter Miami bounced back from their embarrassing defeat to Orlando with a resounding 4-2 win over Toronto on Saturday afternoon. Their second-half display featured impressive segments of combination play and an attack that looked truly cohesive. That’s progress for the Herons.
Previous ranking: 4
Between a brutal loss to Toluca in the Concacaf Champions Cup and a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Houston Dynamo on Sunday, it was a week to forget for LAFC. Notably, Son Heung-min is still yet to score in MLS play this season.
Previous ranking: 7
Seattle showed plenty of fight in a 1-1 draw with San Diego. Despite going down a goal in the first half, the Sounders hammered the opposing box in the second half to the point where three points wasn’t an impossibility. Still, they had to settle for one.
Previous ranking: 6
There’s been a whole lot of good for Salt Lake in 2026, but Saturday’s 3-1 loss at the hands of FC Dallas certainly didn’t fall under that umbrella. RSL struggled to deal with Dallas’ transition attacks, conceding a trio of goals despite allowing their hosts to keep just 27% of the ball. Pablo Mastroeni needs a healthy, first-choice center back trio at his disposal.
Previous ranking: 11
With lightning-quick transition attacks flowing through Petar Musa and Santiago Moreno, Dallas carved its way through Salt Lake en route to a 3-1 win. While Eric Quill has diversified his tactical approach in 2026, a healthy dose of deep defending served the hosts well on Saturday.
Previous ranking: 9
Thanks to the introduction of Marco Reus partway through the second half and Gabriel Pec finding some of his 2024 form, the LA Galaxy pushed to a 2-1 road win over Atlanta United. In the midst of an impressive three-game unbeaten streak, things are looking up in Carson.
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Gabriel Pec scores winner for Galaxy in Atlanta
Gabriel Pec scores winner for Galaxy in Atlanta
Previous ranking: 8
Trailing against Austin, the Loons brought on James RodrÃguez for the final 30 minutes of what might be one of his final appearances in MLS — and the Colombian made his mark. Rodriguez recorded a pair of assists as Minnesota managed a 2-2 draw.
Previous ranking: 10
A lack of attacking sharpness doomed Chicago in a 3-1 home loss to Red Bull New York. Despite dominating the ball, the Fire rarely threatened the visiting back line. Still, Hugo Cuypers‘ streak of scoring in every MLS game he has played this season continues thanks to a late consolation effort.
Previous ranking: 14
Don’t look now, but the Revs are second in the East and fourth in the Supporters’ Shield race after the first third of the season. New England’s 2-1 win over the Union was the latest in a series of strong results for one of the league’s youngest teams.
Previous ranking: 13
While FC Cincy will be pleased to extend their unbeaten streak to six games, they will be equally frustrated that Saturday’s matchup with Charlotte netted them a lone point instead of three. Despite taking a 2-0 lead before halftime, Pat Noonan’s team conceded a pair of goals quickly in the second half and ended up with a 2-2 draw.
Previous ranking: 19
Thanks to a hat trick from Hannes Wolf, New York City took down Columbus by 3-0 Sunday. The chemistry between Wolf and false 9 Nicolás Fernández was off the charts and could point to Pascal Jansen’s team getting back on track.
Previous ranking: 18
A clever tactical tweak from Michael Bradley helped steer the Red Bulls to a 3-1 win over Chicago. With Dylan Nealis shifting from center back to right back, Bradley’s team was far more stout defensively and allowed fewer than two goals for the first time since March.
Previous ranking: 15
San Diego’s hunt for its first batch of three points since March continues after its 1-1 draw with Seattle. Despite a strong start that featured yet another goal for striker Marcus Ingvartsen, an inconsistent finish let down the second-year outfit.
Previous ranking: 16
In a 2-2 draw with Cincinnati, Charlotte benefited from getting U.S. men’s national team center back Tim Ream back in the lineup after his injured spell. Ream secured an assist off a set piece header to help his side get back into the match.
Previous ranking: 24
Back in Ben Olsen’s starting lineup for the second straight league game after an injury layoff, Jack McGlynn took matters into his own hands by scoring an exquisite brace in Houston’s 4-1 win over LAFC. You could certainly have a worse day with Mauricio Pochettino’s top assistant in the stands.
Previous ranking: 20
The Timbers took out all their frustration on Kansas City via a 6-0 win Saturday. While Portland’s goal differential is still negative following its scoring outburst, it has at least managed to win three of its past five games.
Previous ranking: 22
Club-record signing Louis Munteanu scoring his fourth goal in three games in D.C.’s 2-2 draw with Nashville is an obvious positive. Relinquishing a 2-0 lead to a team on short rest? That’s much less positive.
Previous ranking: 12
After a sluggish start, a red card from Rob Holding turned bad to worse for the Rapids against St. Louis on Saturday. While they found a few looks later in the match, it was too little, too late for the Rapids in a 1-0 home defeat.
Previous ranking: 21
Though Austin let Sunday’s clash in Minnesota get away from them, a 2-2 draw is still a useful result. Add in another round of substitute appearances from the trio of Brandon Vázquez, Owen Wolff and Dani Pereira, and there are reasons for optimism.
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Minnesota United FC and Austin FC play to a 2-2 draw
Minnesota United FC and Austin FC play to a 2-2 draw
Previous ranking: 26
Manager Yoann Damet is still feeling out his first-choice attacking trio. But in the meantime, winger Jeong Sang-bin bagged his first goal of the regular season in just his third start on Saturday against Colorado. That goal turned out to be the game winner in a 1-0 affair.
Previous ranking: 23
After conceding twice in the first 17 minutes on the road in New York City, Columbus simply never found its way back into the match. The result was a 3-0 loss that featured the sort of limp attacking that might just define the Crew’s 2026 season in the absence of Wessam Abou Ali.
Previous ranking: 17
Between an earlier-than-expected loss in the Canadian Championship and a 4-2 loss to Inter Miami, it was a brutal week for Toronto. With a score of key players out, they simply can’t get healthy fast enough.
Previous ranking: 29
Make that three wins in the past four games for Montréal, which bested Orlando by a 2-0 scoreline. With nine points from its four home games this year, Montréa seems to have its recipe for success.
Previous ranking: 25
Inconsistency rules for Orlando this year. A week after toppling Inter Miami in epic fashion, the Lions fell 2-0 to CF Montréal on the back of two concessions in second-half stoppage time. Defensive reinforcements can’t get to Florida soon enough.
Previous ranking: 27
Despite keeping an airtight lid on things for the first hour of their meeting with the Galaxy, Atlanta crumbled under the weight of Marco Reus and Gabriel Pec late in the game Saturday. Outside of the Five Stripes’ central midfield group, there’s still much to worry about.
Previous ranking: 30
Following a 2-1 defeat to New England, Philadelphia has just six points through 12 games this season. One year after winning the Supporters’ Shield, the bottom has fallen out for the Union.
Previous ranking: 28
Kansas City already had the worst goal differential in MLS before the weekend began. Then it lost 6-0 to Portland to further a historically poor campaign.
