The NWSL is heading into its final week of action before an international break during the last week of June.

In Week 8, some teams are beginning to find a rhythm and others are still figuring things out. While top playoff contenders are in the early stages of making their case, match results remain unpredictable and, as always in the NWSL, anything can happen.

Below are this week’s power rankings, determined by teams’ recent performances and their cumulative results so far this season. (Click here for the last edition of the power rankings.)

12. Orlando Pride (2-4-2) -2

The Pride score a lot of goals (nine). They also allow a lot of goals (18). Orlando has work to do in shutting down dangerous attackers and coming into the first half of games with higher energy. Too often the Pride are playing catch-up, and in a league as competitive as the NWSL, that’s not a good habit to get into.

11. Racing Louisville FC (2-4-2) -4

For some time, it looked like Racing Louisville might be able to work their way up the standings throughout the season. They’ll still have that chance considering that a lot of the goals they’ve given up recently were the result of small mistakes in the box. After losses to the Kansas City Current and North Carolina Courage, Louisville has fallen and joined the Pride, Current and Spirit with eight points this season. Head coach Kim Björkegren will be tasked with implementing a better strategy when the team’s high press isn’t working. Playing forward Ebony Salmon more often could help.

10. Washington Spirit (1-3-5) -6

Sitting quietly in eighth place with eight points, the Spirit are coming off two losses and three draws in recent weeks. They haven’t won since their regular season opener. At least, most of their results since then have been draws and not losses, as the Spirit have logged the most ties (five) of any team in the league. They’ve dealt with injuries and the most compact schedule, having played five games in the span of two and a half weeks. Once they get healthier and back on a more normal schedule, Washington has the tools to rebound. One sign pointing in that direction is that the Spirit have registered the most shots in the NWSL this season at 96.

Coach Ward was impressed with how the team ramped up in the second half.

Hear his thoughts and more below ⬇️

Press Pass 🎙️
▪️ @KWardSpirit
▪️ @ash_hatch33
▪️ @harding1818 pic.twitter.com/gec6Fi24AC

— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) June 12, 2022

9. Kansas City Current (2-4-2) +3

A heavily talented squad featuring Elyse Bennett, Kristen Hamilton and Desiree Scott, the Current have a lot of potential and have been proving it recently, holding first-place San Diego to a 2-2 draw and defeating Racing Louisville 1-0. Forward Cece Kizer, acquired in a trade with Racing Louisville, might be just the game-changer Kansas City needs in close matches. She made an immediate difference in the team’s 1-0 win over Gotham on Saturday.

8. NJ/NY Gotham FC (3-3-0) +3

Two wins and two goals in these last three weeks give Gotham a little bit of hope, especially since their 1-0 loss to the Current could have easily been a tie as they registered four dangerous shots on goal. To turn their better play into wins, the midfielders and forwards will have to level up. Currently, Gotham is one of the worst teams in the league at creating scoring chances.

7. North Carolina Courage (2-3-1) -1

The Courage’s No. 7 ranking might be the most controversial part of this list. While they’re at the bottom of the NWSL standings, they’ve played only six games. Catching up in points won’t be a problem if they keep up their current pace, notching two wins and a draw during the most recent stretch. Since starting the season with three losses, North Carolina has rebounded from its mid-May COVID-19 issues and star forward Kerolin has returned for the first time since the season opener. And when Kerolin is on the field and the Courage’s foot is on the gas, the 2022 Challenge Cup champions are as dangerous as any team in the league.

KK comes in cluuutch 👏

Second game-winner in a row for @KaleighKurtz! pic.twitter.com/3E6VxTn77R

— NC Courage (@TheNCCourage) June 13, 2022

6. Angel City FC (4-3-1) -1

Angel City has fallen into a bit of a rough patch, recording two losses, a draw and a win in the past three weeks. They’ve now lost Christen Press, who’s been a force in creating chances, for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. It’s up to other stars like Jun Endo, Simone Charley and Savannah McCaskill to lead the team’s attack. Angel City is more than capable of meeting the challenge, but the remaining players will have to double their shots on goal to get anywhere close to Press’ 10 this season.

5. OL Reign (2-2-4) -2

The Reign just can’t seem to score. They have some of the league’s best creative playmakers in the attacking third, and although they’re second in the league with 93 shots and 42 shots on goal, they have only six goals to show for it — the second-worst mark in the NWSL. Otherwise, the squad has weapons up and down the park and will be even more dangerous when recent signings — USWNT star Tobin Heath and Kim Little, once the league’s leading goal scorer — join them on the pitch.

4. Houston Dash (3-2-3) +5

With a draw, a 5-0 win, another draw and a 4-0 loss, the Dash have been to the highest of highs, the lowest of lows and everywhere in between in the last couple of weeks. They’ve gotten the job done so far by capitalizing on the counterattack. In the 4-0 loss to the Thorns, an early own goal quickly derailed their game plan. More than half their goals conceded across eight matches came in that game, a performance that was out of character and shouldn’t define their otherwise dominant season so far.

3. San Diego Wave FC (4-2-3) -2

Dominant at the beginning of the season, the Wave now haven’t won a game since May 22. Their 2-2 draw with the Portland Thorns last Wednesday was nearly a 3-2 victory, but a ball that appeared to cross Portland’s goal line on the broadcast was not seen by the referees. Regardless, the Wave’s loss to the Reign and draw with the 10th-place Current have them ranked lower than the Thorns in these power rankings.

2. Portland Thorns (3-1-4) —

Following a 2-0 loss to the Houston Dash, the Thorns woke up to record two draws and two (very dominant) shutout wins, most recently getting vengeance on the Dash with a 4-0 victory. Portland would seem to create more chances by getting numbers get up the field to support an often isolated Sophia Smith, but there’s also an advantage in having an attacker so fast that no one can catch them. Even scarier for their opponents, the Thorns are still in the process of realizing their full potential.

1. Chicago Red Stars (4-1-3) +7

Making the biggest jump in these power rankings, the Red Stars are starting to look like they could be finals contenders. Having lost just once to the first-place Wave, the club appears to be getting stronger every week. After notching their first shutout of the season in a 1-0 win over OL Reign on June 4, the Red Stars proceeded to go on a three-game shutout streak. They are one of the best teams at creating dangerous chances, and they are able to capitalize on them with the highest shot conversion rate in the league at 11.3 percent.

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins breaks down the newly reported indefinite absence of NWSL star Trinity Rodman from the Washington Spirit, with the 22-year-old attacker rehabbing an ongoing back injury that could reshape the prospects of both the Spirit and the USWNT.

Calling her "the face of the NWSL," Watkins details the Spirit star's long-term back injury, which has led Rodman to seek treatment with a team doctor in London — all while acknowledging that she doesn't think her "back will ever be 100%."

Watkins digs into the potential contributing factors to Rodman's current injury status, including the USWNT's heavy use of the forward during the 2024 Olympic gold medal-winning run in Paris — and whether the team will make different decisions going forward due to the fallout on players like Rodman.

"I'm really curious if [USWNT manager Emma] Hayes and her coaching staff will adjust the way they approach strikers in the future, or forwards in the future, or rotation — or if this is just one of those many stories of a player giving it all for the United States and living with the consequences," says Watkins.

As for Washington, Watkins note that — in the wake of copious injuries — the Spirit is still finding ways to win, with club owner Michele Kang and the coaching staff shrewdly managing the depleted roster.

"I think they would be a juggernaut if they were healthy, but they can win pretty, they can win ugly," notes Watkins.

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'An NWSL breaking point'

Watkins also points out that she thinks Rodman's choice to seek treatment in London could be significant, as the forward is currently in a contract year.

With multiple NWSL standouts recently defecting to European clubs, Watkins argues that the US league is hitting a "breaking point" when it comes to retaining top players.

"I am just really, really curious if, by the end of this season, this situation has led Rodman back to the Spirit or if this is the beginning of a player having to progress forward in a different environment," Watkins sums up.

About 'The Late Sub' with Claire Watkins

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes on the USWNT, NWSL, and all things women's soccer. Special guest appearances featuring the biggest names in women’s sports make TLS a must-listen for every soccer fan.

Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.

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There's a traffic jam in the middle of the NWSL standings, with this weekend's slate bound to create some distance among mid-table teams jockeying to break free from the pack.

Between rising underdogs and top-dog rivalries, expect the 2025 NWSL season's sixth matchday to leave it all on the field:

• No. 2 Orlando Pride vs. No. 6 Angel City, Friday at 8 PM ET (Prime): With both teams coming off demoralizing losses last weekend, the 2024 NWSL champs will fight to bounce back against the LA upstarts in Friday's marquee matchup.

• No. 10 Houston Dash vs. No. 11 Utah Royals, Friday at 8 PM ET (NWSL+): Tied up at four points apiece, the pair of struggling teams just below playoff contention on the NWSL table will battle for a boost above the cutoff line as the recently sold Royals take a trip to Texas on Friday.

• No. 3 Washington Spirit vs. No. 4 Gotham FC, Saturday at 1 PM ET (CBS): This week's top-table showdown features two injury-struck East Coast rivals getting rowdy at Audi — can Gotham turn things around or will Washington keep persevering?

• No. 9 Bay FC vs. No. 8 Seattle Reign, Saturday at 10 PM ET (ION): Seattle holds a slim tie-break over Bay FC as both teams hug the playoff line, with the Reign looking to build on last week’s Cascadia Clash victory over Portland.

This weekend has the potential to divide the contenders from the pretenders, while the league's top three clubs continue to hold court over the rest of the field.

Saturday's soccer lineup underlines a brewing East Coast rivalry, as the Washington Spirit hosts Gotham FC for the first time since knocking the Bats out of the 2024 NWSL semifinals.

"Just playing against them, you feel that fire," Spirit forward Makenna Morris told JWS this week, with Washington's Audi Field anticipating a large crowd for Saturday's match.

Both clubs know each other well, with 2021 NWSL champions Washington and 2023 trophy-winners Gotham seeing a number of big-name players migrating between New York and DC in recent years.

After finishing 2024 in the league's top four, both teams continue to lurk near the top of NWSL table this season, cementing the idea that the best rivalries blossom between winning sides.

"The [team] that poses the most challenge to you, it just makes you want to beat them so bad," said Washington midfielder Gabby Carle.

"You hate to play them because they're good, but you also love it because it's so competitive," echoed Morris.

Ultimately, familiarity is breeding healthy resentment between two of the NWSL's winningest sides, providing a little extra incentive to secure all three points in this weekend’s matchup.

How to watch NWSL rivals Washington vs. Gotham this weekend

The Spirit will host East Coast rival Gotham at 1 PM ET on Saturday, with live coverage of the 2024 NWSL semifinals rematch airing on CBS.

As the 2024/25 UEFA Women's Champions League (UWCL) wraps up its two-leg semifinals on Sunday, the English teams still in the running find themselves on the brink of elimination from Europe's most prestigious club competition.

Facing a 4-1 deficit against reigning champs Barcelona, Chelsea will aim to close the gap — and keep their historic quadruple hopes alive — at home this weekend.

Meanwhile, Arsenal will try to overcome a more manageable 2-1 deficit against eight-time Champions League winners Lyon, traveling to France to keep their UWCL campaign alive.

An English side hasn't won the UWCL since 2007, when Arsenal took home the WSL's lone European championship trophy.

"Huge respect for their history and what they have been doing and producing in the Champions League, in Europe," Arsenal manager Renée Slegers said of Lyon. "I think they're still a very strong side."

"Subconsciously, you always have that thing when you fall short, like last year," said Lyon midfielder and USWNT captain Lindsey Heaps, reflecting back on last season’s title loss to Barcelona. "You lose a game, you lose a tournament – the feeling is there until you're back in the the games that can fix that feeling."

How to watch the 2024/25 Champions League semifinals

Sunday's second leg of the 2024/25 Champions League semifinals kicks off with Chelsea vs. Barcelona at 9 AM ET, before Arsenal faces Lyon at 12 PM ET.

Both matches will air live on DAZN.