After two weeks off, Just Women’s Sports‘ NWSL weekly power rankings are back and, in typical NWSL fashion, are full of chaos.

Most notably, the Chicago Red Stars move out of the top three for the first time since May as the Houston Dash surge into their spot. The Kansas City Current slide down for reasons outside of their control, while the North Carolina Courage rise despite playing to a 3-3 draw on Friday.

The full season is taken into account in these rankings, but teams’ recent performances are also heavily weighted, which means some squads might be two or three places off of where they sit in the league standings. (For the last installment of JWS’ power rankings, click here.)

Here we go.

12. Racing Louisville FC (2-6-5) -1

Since June 11, all of Louisville’s results have had a maximum one-goal difference, and none of those seven games have been a win. They dominated the beginning of the second half against the Portland Thorns on Friday, before giving up a second goal in the 2-1 loss. Louisville has a lot of promising pieces, but in a league as competitive as the NWSL, they need to put them all together on a consistent basis. The six losses they’ve recorded in their last nine games are the most of any team in the league in that stretch.

11. NJ/NY Gotham FC (4-7-0) -1

Gotham continues to lead the league in losses after falling 4-2 to the Houston Dash, their fifth defeat in the last nine games. Gotham controlled the tempo at the beginning of the first and second halves against Houston, and even scored a goal just four minutes in. But as both teams settled into their possession, the Dash quickly assumed the upper hand and outdid Gotham in all areas except for blocks (2-1), clearances (24-11) and ground duels won (52 percent).

10. North Carolina Courage (2-5-3) +2

The Courage’s two-spot rise up the power rankings is generous, considering their last game was a draw. It would have been one spot if Gotham and Louisville hadn’t both moved down. North Carolina also suffered in the last power rankings after they had to postpone their match due to COVID-19 protocols. Currently 12th in the league standings, they’ve played four fewer games than the Spirit and Wave and three fewer than most teams, so the team’s situation is not just about poor results. They’re the best at possession in the league and are lethal in transition. They were particularly relentless against Washington on Friday, refusing to let them walk away with the win and answering every goal the Spirit scored to complete the 3-3 draw.

9. Washington Spirit (1-5-8) —

The Washington Spirit have found success creating and finishing their chances, and that’s partly where the momentum ends. They scored three times against the Courage on Friday, but they also conceded three, and it cost them what could have been their first win since the season opener. The Spirit did well in possession, recording an 83.7 percent passing accuracy, but they also allowed the Courage to connect on 83 percent of their passes. Needless to say, The offense is there for Washington, especially with Trinity Rodman back in the mix, but they need the same energy on the other side of the ball.

8. Orlando Pride (3-5-5) —

The Pride found their stride in the first half against the Current on Sunday, scoring the opening goal in the 25th minute and doubling their lead just seconds into the second half. They couldn’t adjust to the pressure that Kansas City piled on afterwards, however, ultimately conceding two goals for a 2-2 draw. Orlando’s lack of hunger in the second half was concerning, since the Current are a lower-ranked playoff contender that Orlando should set their sights on chasing down.

7. Angel City FC (5-5-2) —

Angel City came out flying against OL Reign on Saturday, with Cari Roccaro scoring the opening goal nine minutes into the game and Savannah McCaskill putting them up 2-0 in the 28th. ACFC didn’t carry the momentum into the second half, however, giving up three goals to fall 3-2. Despite having less possession than the Reign, they connected on 76.5 percent of their passes and effectively used their space on the dribble. Overall, a loss like that should result in a drop in the rankings. But after Angel City fell two spots in the last power rankings due to a postponed game, they deserve a second chance.

Quick strike! 💥 @cari_roccaro opens the scoring early with her first career NWSL goal!@weareangelcity | #AngelCityFC pic.twitter.com/exet8TIflQ

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 31, 2022

6. Kansas City Current (5-4-4) -2

It took 45 minutes for the Current to wake up on Sunday, but once they hit their stride, they came back from a 2-0 deficit to draw 2-2 with the Pride and extend their unbeaten streak to eight games. By the second half, they cleaned up their passing and increased the tempo to put pressure on Orlando. As coach Matt Potter said Sunday, “You can see that we haven’t come away from too many games in the second half where we haven’t played in a manner that fits our identity.” They could have easily stayed at fourth in the power rankings, but with Houston moving up, the Reign or the Current had to get bumped down.

5. OL Reign (5-3-5) —

The Reign have so much potential, and yet they’ve only won once in their last four games. With a dynamic attack outshooting Angel City 25-9 and registering an 81.6 percent passing accuracy on Sunday, OL Reign showed what their capable of in the 3-2 comeback win. They’re second in the league in shots on target per match, but their six draws this season indicate they need to be more clinical in the final third. That’s what happened Tuesday in a 1-1 draw with Racing Louisville, where the Reign outshot their opponents 25-6 — with 11 of them on target — but were unable to get around goalkeeper Katie Lund, who made a league-record 12 saves in the game.

4. Chicago Red Stars (5-3-5) -2

The Red Stars haven’t won a game since July 2. With a 1-0 loss to San Diego on Saturday, Chicago dropped to fifth place in the standings. They put up a fight, though, maintaining 59 percent of the possession and a 77.6 passing accuracy. Even though they outshot the Wave 20-9, only four of their shots were on target, tying them with the Wave for shots on goal.

3. Houston Dash (6-4-3) +3

With a 70.6 percent passing accuracy and 51 percent of the possession against Gotham on Sunday, the Dash stuck to their high-press game plan and it paid off. An early mistake in the opening four minutes cost the Dash a goal against, but they didn’t let it get to them as they went on to bury four straight, including two within four minutes of each other. They’ve now scored four goals or more in four games this season, picking up enough points to take the Red Stars’ place in the top three of the NWSL standings and these power rankings.

You are simply world class, @sophieschmidt13 🤌#HoldItDownpic.twitter.com/jMFXHhHBrG

— Houston Dash (@HoustonDash) July 31, 2022

2. San Diego Wave FC (7-3-4) +1

The Wave were lucky not to come away with a draw against the Red Stars on Saturday after sustaining 20 shots against. Thanks to Naomi Girma making goal-line saves and 17-year-old Jaedyn Shaw scoring her debut goal, the Wave came out on top, 1-0. Chicago had the majority of possession, but San Diego did well defensively to hold onto the lead, winning 54 duels, 10 tackles and 38 clearances.

1. Portland Thorns FC (6-1-6) —

With their 2-1 victory over Racing Louisville on Friday, the Thorns extended their unbeaten streak to nine games. They’ve scored two or more goals in nine of their last 10 matches, and they were missing seven of their star players in half of those games due to overlapping international tournaments. Over the last four games, 10 different Thorns players have scored. Meanwhile, Portland’s leading scorer, Sophia Smith, returned from the U.S. women’s national team Friday to record her ninth goal of the season. The club was on a tear in July, and now that world-class players like Smith are back on the pitch, the Thorns’ chances are looking better than ever.

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

Just 16 teams remain in the 2024 NCAA volleyball tournament​ after last week's opening rounds, setting the stage for this weekend's four Regional showdowns.

Hosted by the No. 1 seeds (Pitt, Nebraska, Penn State, and Louisville), each four-team mini-tournament will send one squad to next Thursday's national semifinals in Louisville.

Regional action kicks off in the ACC

The Pitt and Louisville Regionals will start the Sweet Sixteen action on Thursday, when the Panthers host No. 7 Missouri, No. 3 Kentucky, and No. 4 Oregon. Louisville helms the evening party, which includes No. 2 Stanford, No. 4 Purdue, and No. 6 Florida.

With Pittsburgh already in full swing, the Wildcats added a third defeat of Missouri to their 2024 tally on Thursday, ousting the Tigers 3-1 and extending their win streak to 14 matches in the process.

About to take the court are two of the nation's best blocking teams, with the overall No. 1 seed Panthers aiming for a repeat of their season-opening sweep of the Ducks.

Thursday night's action starts when Stanford, whose nine NCAA titles dwarf all other Division I programs, takes on a tough Florida side who upset No. 3 Kansas in a gritty five-set thriller last Saturday.

Finally, while no team is immune to upsets at this level, Thursday's closer between Purdue and Louisville is especially vulnerable after the Cardinals barely survived Northern Iowa on Saturday.

The Big Ten begins hosting on Friday

Big Ten courts will serve as the stage for Friday's Regional semifinals, with Penn State hosting No. 2 Creighton, No. 3 Texas, and No. 5 Marquette before Nebraska welcomes No. 2 Wisconsin, No. 5 Dayton, and No. 6 Texas A&M to Cornhusker country.

Friday's opener pits two offensive powerhouses who've swept their way through the NCAA bracket against each other. The Bluejays, who are riding a 24-match win streak, will try to harness that momentum to end the back-to-back defending champs Longhorns' hopes of a three-peat.

Soon after, the Nittany Lions will again defend home court — a feat they've accomplished in every 2024 home match — in Friday's second tilt against the Golden Eagles.

Like Penn State, fellow Big Ten behemoth Wisconsin is likely to emerge victorious from their Regional semifinal, a rematch of the Badgers's September sweep of Texas A&M.

Capping the weekend's first matches is a battle of experience against this year's Cinderella squad. In their 40th Sweet Sixteen appearance, Nebraska's superstar-stacked roster will take on Regional debutants Dayton, who outlasted No. 4 Baylor in five gritty sets to earn the trip. The Flyers boast the fifth-best defense in the country, and they'll need every ounce of it to snap the Huskers' 43-match home win streak.

How to watch the 2024 NCAA volleyball Regionals

Thursday's action is in full swing, and No. 2 Creighton vs. No. 3 Texas will jumpstart Friday's slate at 1 PM ET before Saturday and Sunday each feature a pair of Regional finals.

The full schedule will stream live on ESPN+, with ESPN2 also airing all matches through Saturday.

Sunday's games received a broadcast bump, with the Nebraska Regional final airing at 3 PM ET on ABC and the Penn State-hosted finale taking the 8:30 PM ET slot on ESPN.

The 2027 Women's World Cup has officially claimed its calendar spot, with FIFA announcing Tuesday that the tournament's Brazil-hosted 10th edition — the first-ever in South America — will run from June 24th through July 25th.

"The FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027 is already taking shape and we can’t wait for the opening match," said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Looking to break 2023's record-setting attendance and viewership numbers, Infantino also noted, "This historic tournament will have a massive impact not only in South America, but around the whole world, taking the women's game to the next level in terms of participation and popularity."

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Prepping for the 2027 World Cup qualifiers

The international soccer governing body also allocated the competition's 32 available spots, with CONMEBOL's Brazil earning automatic entry as one of the three slots granted to the continental confederation.

UEFA leads the pool with 11 teams, followed by AFC with six, CAF and Concacaf with four each, and OFC's one.

The final three squads will be determined by a 10-team, two-round play-in tournament taking place in late 2026 and February 2027.

The road to Brazil kicks off in 2025

With details including host cities and venues still to come, the road to the 2027 World Cup is ramping up with qualifying matches looming just around the corner.

Next year's UEFA Nations League play will determine the 11 European teams bound for Brazil, including 2023 world champions Spain. Meanwhile, the path to a fifth star for the world No. 1 USWNT crest begins with Concacaf W Qualifiers in late 2025.

Similarly, 2025 qualifying matches for the 2026 AFC Asian Cup and 2026 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off World Cup entrances for teams in those federations. CONMEBOL will look to the 2025 Copa América tournament to determine the remaining two entrants that will compete alongside host Brazil, while OFC is likely to set their World Cup qualifying matches for next year.

Superstar exits pave the way for new World Cup stars

Both expected and surprise entrants will book their 2027 World Cup spots over the next two years, but the Brazil tournament's sidelines are already set to feature fresh faces after a flood of soccer greats called game in 2024.

The host nation will compete in their first World Cup since 1999 without legendary attacker Marta, whose 17 goals lead the tournament's all-time scoring list.

Canada is suffering the same fate with 2027 marking the first edition in 28 years without leading international goalscorer Christine Sinclair.

Two-time trophy-winners Germany — the only team other than the US with more than one world title — recently bid adieu to star Alexandra Popp, who retired as a four-time World Cup competitor.

As for the USWNT, they'll look to follow their 2024 Olympic gold medal with a 2027 World Cup title, but without star striker Alex Morgan, defender Kelley O'Hara, or goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who followed 2023 retirees Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz out the door this year.

The fourth-annual FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup tips off Thursday in Puerto Rico,​ with 2022 winners Canada and three-time silver medalists Brazil aiming to dethrone defending three-time champs Team USA.

The US is led by three WNBA standouts. Veteran Mystics guard Brittney Sykes's 12.2 points per game was second on Washington's 2024 roster, while Sparks forward Azurá Stevens is strong on both ends of the court as LA's best three-point shooter also boasts the team's second-best rebound rate.

Meanwhile, Dallas Wings forward Maddy Siegrist is coming off a shooting hot streak, sinking over 50% from the field in her second WNBA season.

Former record-breaking Ivy League sharpshooter Abbey Hsu rounds out Team USA's roster, with the Belgian league rookie​ earning the spot over nine WNBA players.

The road to the 3×3 podium

Fifteen teams traveled to San Juan, Puerto Rico, but only 12 will compete in the tournament's main draw. Thursday's court is reserved for the four teams vying to qualify, with either Guatemala, Cuba, Costa Rica, or the Cayman Islands surviving.

With the 12 tournament teams split into four groups of three, pool play takes over on Friday and Saturday. Pools B (Canada, Mexico, and Jamaica) and D (Puerto Rico, Argentina, and the final qualifying team) will play their round-robin round on Friday. Then, Pools A (USA, Uruguay, and the Dominican Republic) and C (Chile, Brazil, and Colombia) will do the same on Saturday.

The top two teams from each pool will advance to Sunday's knockout rounds. All elimination games will feature on Sunday's court, including the quarterfinals, semifinals, third-place game, and championship showdown.

How to watch Team USA in the 2024 FIBA 3×3AmeriCup

The tournament tips off at 12:30 PM ET on Thursday, but Team USA doesn't feature until Saturday, when they face the Dominican Republic at 3:30 PM ET before taking on Uruguay at 6:35 PM ET.

All FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup games — including Sunday's 8 PM ET championship — will stream live on YouTube.

All 14 NWSL teams issued final​ end-of-year roster decisions on Tuesday, as the 2025 free agency period shifts into full gear.

Athletes who are currently out-of-contract are now technically on the chopping block, faced with either negotiating new terms to return to their teams or taking the leap and brokering a fresh deal elsewhere.

Standouts listed as out-of-contact include 2024 NWSL champion and Orlando Pride captain Marta as well as NC Courage striker and the league's 2023 MVP Kerolin. Several current and former USWNT stars also face offseason negotiations, like Gotham FC forward Midge Purce, Portland Thorns center back Becky Sauerbrunn, and Angel City forward Christen Press.

Multiple teams have already acknowledged an intent to retain top players by announcing ongoing negotiations in their final 2024 roster announcements, with Press, Marta, and Kerolin in talks to stay with their clubs.

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New CBA means more NWSL movement

Under the league's new CBA, when a team declines a player's contract option, that player automatically becomes an unrestricted free agent, guaranteeing roster shakeups despite this year's lack of expansion and college drafts.

Both athletes whose contracts have expired and those whose options have been declined are considered out-of-contract. While those players will be weighing their options on the open market, teams will be doing the same, deciding who to try to retain and who to officially waive.

Clubs will make many of those decisions imminently, as the waiver wire will open and close this week, before the trade window opens again on December 13th.

The league will take a transaction moratorium from December 20th to 27th, after which teams can resume signings.

Between the CBA-induced influx of free agents and the lack of drafts forcing front offices into what could be lengthy recruiting and negotiating processes to attract young talent, the business of building an NWSL roster has become more complicated.

That said, some clubs seem to be capitalizing on the shake-up. After finishing the season in last place, the Houston Dash have already seen significant roster action — including nabbing defender Christen Westphal from San Diego and signing ex-Gotham free agent Delanie Sheehan — setting an aggressive rebuilding example as the NWSL embraces a new era.