The 2025 MLS season is firmly underway, which means it's time for ESPN's Power Rankings.
Who's climbing the table? Who's in free fall? Our writers studied the action from across Matchday 17 to come up with this week's order of all 30 teams in the league. Let's dive in.
1. Vancouver Whitecaps
Previous ranking: 1
We won't hold the Caps' Concacaf Champions Cup final defeat against them. Before making the long journey to Mexico City, they hosted Minnesota United and played out a 0-0 draw at home. After the loss to Cruz Azul, their attention snaps back to league play.
2. Philadelphia Union
Previous ranking: 2
Philadelphia had a somewhat frustrating trip to Texas, going up a man in the first half but failing to find the back of the net in a scoreless stalemate with FC Dallas. The last loss on April 12 remains a distant memory, and the team has been able to test some of its depth during this stretch.
3. Minnesota United
Previous ranking: 5
Any time you leave Cascadia with four points, it's a good trip. The Loons impressed in a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Sounders just days after drawing with No. 1 Vancouver Whitecaps. Tani Oluwaseyi had a double in that win and, including an Open Cup triumph, Minnesota is undefeated in its last five.
4. Inter Miami CF
Previous ranking: 10
Inter Miami is back. This weekend saw Lionel Messi and Co. demolish the Columbus Crew 5-1. Days earlier, they'd smashed CF Montreal 4-2. The goals are coming, with Messi notching up five in the last three matches and Luis Suárez adding three in the last two. Now, it's about figuring out how to defend well before the Club World Cup.
Lionel Messi scores twice to become Inter Miami's all-time leading MLS goal scorer in a 5-0 rout of the Columbus Crew.
5. Nashville SC
Previous ranking: 3
The goals are still coming for Nashville, but they're having trouble holding onto leads. Sam Surridge scored twice Saturday, but Nashville had to settle for a point after conceding two second-half goals to NYCFC. It was an unwanted mirror of a midweek draw with Columbus when Nashville twice squandered one-goal advantages.
6. Columbus Crew
Previous ranking: 4
No one ever wants to lose 5-1, but the fact that the Crew were undone by Eastern Conference rival Inter Miami only has to be more frustrating for Columbus. The Crew are now winless in their last six, including a draw midweek against Nashville. Moves may be needed in the summer window to reach the heights the club is used to reaching.
7. Seattle Sounders
Previous ranking: 6
The Club World Cup is on the horizon, but it may be difficult for the Sounders to hang with the best teams in the world. They fell 3-2 to Minnesota United, though they nearly pulled off a late rally. Players are advocating for a larger share of the bonus money FIFA will pay out to MLS, wearing shirts pre-match that showed the Monopoly man wearing an MLS hat and holding a bag of FIFA cash.
Watch the Game Highlights from Seattle Sounders FC vs. Minnesota United FC, 06/01/2025
8. San Diego FC
Previous ranking: 9
Will the expansion team contend? Each week it seems more likely. Mikey Varas' squad bounced back from a midweek loss to Seattle with a 2-0 victory over Austin FC. The only thing that diminished an otherwise fantastic night at Snapdragon Stadium was an injury to star Hirving "Chucky" Lozano before he prepares to join Mexico on international duty.
9. Orlando City
Previous ranking: 7
Orlando hoped to bounce back from a midweek loss to rival Atlanta United but instead was down three goals 32 minutes into what ended up being a 3-1 defeat to the Chicago Fire. Alex Freeman's goal will be small consolation as he prepares to join the U.S. national team.
10. LAFC
Previous ranking: 11
The black-and-gold enjoyed their weekend, topping Club América in a play-in match to get to the Club World Cup. Their match prior to the play-in wasn't exactly auspicious. LAFC had to rally from two goals down but secured a 2-2 draw with CF Montreal thanks to goals from Mark Delgado and Olivier Giroud.
11. FC Cincinnati
Previous ranking: 8
A weird midweek draw with their former star's new team and defeat to D.C. United 2-1 on Saturday has created something of a sour mood in Cincinnati. Pat Noonan's men still sit second in the East but haven't won in their past four contests, even with Kévin Denkey already pushing his goal total into the double-digits.
12. Portland Timbers
Previous ranking: 17
With their scheduled opponent the Vancouver Whitecaps otherwise occupied with Concacaf Champions Cup action, the Timbers had a surprise bye weekend. During the week, they controlled and won a match against the Colorado Rapids, 2-1.
13. Charlotte FC
Previous ranking: 13
Charlotte was able to take care of business against stragglers Toronto FC, earning a 2-0 win north of the border. Pep Biel and Patrick Agyemang both scored in the win -- as they did when Charlotte topped the Columbus Crew but not in a 4-2 midweek loss to the New York Red Bulls. Charlotte will hope other reliable attackers emerge.
14. San Jose Earthquakes
Previous ranking: 12
San Jose enjoyed a midweek rivalry win over the LA Galaxy but saw its unbeaten run snapped at eight in all competitions with a 2-1 loss Saturday to St. Louis City. One thing the Quakes can take heart from? Most of the match took place at the same time as the UEFA Champions League final, so perhaps no one really noticed.
15. New York Red Bulls
Previous ranking: 15
The Red Bulls made it three in a row with a 2-0 victory against Atlanta United, following on from a midweek win over Charlotte FC. Eric Choupo-Moting is up to 10 goals this season after two during the week and one in the weekend match.
16. Chicago Fire
Previous ranking: 19
The Fire scored three unanswered and rolled to a 3-1 victory Saturday away to Orlando City. The Philip Zinckernagel-Hugo Cuypers connection is rolling along again, with the Dane assisting both of the Belgian's goals this weekend.
17. New England Revolution
Previous ranking: 17
Attackers aren't scoring? Leave it to the defense! The Revolution got three goals from defenders in a 3-0 victory over 10-man CF Montreal, with Ilay Feingold scoring a double and assisting fellow wing back Peyton Miller on the other. It's now nine matches straight without defeat.
18. New York City FC
Previous ranking: 16
Things were ugly during the week in a 3-0 loss to the Houston Dynamo, and Saturday started down the same path. But Hannes Wolf scored a pair of goals to push NYCFC to a 2-2 draw with Nashville SC, giving him three goals in as many matches and giving NYCFC hope they may have a new attacker they can rely on.
19. Austin FC
Previous ranking: 14
Austin continues to struggle in front of the net, getting blanked 2-0 by San Diego FC on the weekend after a 1-1 home draw with Real Salt Lake. Two shots on target for .25 xG shows just how much they struggled in Southern California.
Watch the Game Highlights from San Diego FC vs. Austin FC, 05/31/2025
20. Colorado Rapids
Previous ranking: 18
While the Rapids weren't in action this weekend, they might have preferred to play and wash the taste of a 2-1 midweek loss to the Portland Timbers out of their mouths. The Rapids had scored first but Portland dominated before and after a 67th-minute red card to Wayne Frederick.
21. Houston Dynamo
Previous ranking: 21
The Dynamo fell 3-1 at home to Sporting Kansas City, just days after a 3-0 win on the road against New York City FC. One team has scored three goals in each of the Dynamo's last four matches, but it's only been Houston themselves half the time as the rollercoaster ride of a season continues.
22. Atlanta United
Previous ranking: 22
Just when it looked like the Five Stripes would be able to put a winning streak together, they fell 2-0 to the New York Red Bulls in Harrison, New Jersey. Atlanta won the xG battle, but after conceding twice in the first 15 minutes, it's small consolation.
23. FC Dallas
Previous ranking: 23
Despite losing defender Lalas Abubakar to a second yellow card after a crunching tackle in the 39th minute, FCD was able to defend home turf against the high-flying Philadelphia Union and earn a scoreless draw. Goalkeeper Maarten Paes was busy -- as he was during a 3-3 midweek draw with FC Cincinnati -- but the Indonesia international was up to the task and goes on international duty in good form.
24. D.C. United
Previous ranking: 26
An early Gabriel Pirani goal off a set piece routine and one he assisted for Conner Antley were enough to earn D.C. a shock 2-1 victory on the road at FC Cincinnati. Could the Brazilian be the answer to DCU's attacking woes, especially with Christian Benteke injured?
25. Real Salt Lake
Previous ranking: 24
RSL had gotten into a nasty habit of letting points slip away but wasn't even in control of Saturday's 2-0 loss to the previously winless LA Galaxy. They had many more shots than the Galaxy but couldn't generate any real danger. It's now seven in a row without a victory.
Watch the Game Highlights from LA Galaxy vs. Real Salt Lake, 05/31/2025
26. Sporting Kansas City
Previous ranking: 28
After three draws the past three times out, Sporting enjoyed a victory with a 3-1 road triumph over the Houston Dynamo on Saturday. Dejan Joveljic netted a double, while May arrival Santi Muñoz scored his debut goal. If those two forwards get going, SKC will climb the rankings.
27. Toronto FC
Previous ranking: 25
Toronto is half of a great defensive team. This weekend's 2-0 loss to Charlotte FC saw TFC hold their rival scoreless for the first 45 minutes for the third time in a row. Soccer matches are 90 minutes, though, and TFC has conceded twice in the second half in each of those three matches and still has just three wins for the season.
28. St. Louis City SC
Previous ranking: 29
A new manager may make all the difference, with St. Louis City showing spunk in a 2-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes. New (interim) boss David Critchley had to deal with a first-half injury, a late equalizer and a late red card but still earned three points on debut after Olof Mellberg got his marching orders.
29. CF Montréal
Previous ranking: 27
CF Montreal manager Marco Donadel implied after the game that he feels that a first-half red card shown to Giacomo Vrioni changed everything in a 3-0 loss to the New England Revolution, giving only a short statement in order to avoid a fine. The call was harsh, but so is Montreal's start to the season with just one win through 17 and a minus-20 goal differential.
30. LA Galaxy
Previous ranking: 30
A win! The Galaxy did it! It took 17 tries, but the defending champions are off the mark after a 2-0 victory over Real Salt Lake. Lucas Sanabria and Joseph Paintsil scored, while the back line kept its first clean sheet of the year. The Galaxy are still propping up the Power Rankings, but they have something to build on.