Week 22 MLS Power Rankings

The MLS season keeps rolling and so do the power rankings!

As a reminder, the rankings use an all new model I’ve obnoxiously titled the Overall Performance Index. Click here for a full breakdown of how the model works.

Week 22 Power Rankings

RankTeamScoreMovement
1New York City FC27.81
2LAFC24.11
3Philadelphia Union23.26
4Austin FC16.19
5New York Red Bulls15.00
6LA Galaxy11.32+1
7FC Dallas10.63-1
8Nashville SC9.64
9CF Montréal9.09
10Columbus Crew8.78
11Portland Timbers8.77
12Minnesota United8.30+1
13Real Salt Lake7.27+1
14Seattle Sounders6.73+3
15FC Cincinnati6.59
16Colorado Rapids6.44-3
17Atlanta United4.70-1
18Chicago Fire3.51+2
19New England Revolution2.80+1
20Houston Dynamo2.33+1
21Orlando City SC0.07+1
22Charlotte FC-0.21-3
23Inter Miami CF-2.51
24San Jose Earthquakes-3.45
25Vancouver Whitecaps-4.46
26Toronto FC-5.44+1
27DC United-6.72-1
28Sporting KC-11.31

NYCFC continue to outpace everyone else in the league, largely because their underlying metrics are off the charts. Haters will say the model values xG too much, but I’d like to think the model correctly predicted the MLS Cup champion last year. Put some respect on its name.

Along with NYCFC, LAFC and Philadelphia Union have taken a sizeable lead over the rest of the pack, with Austin FC falling off slightly. Things get really crowded outside of the top five; just 3.02 points separate sixth from 12th.

At the bottom of the table, Toronto FC improved their score by 3.37 points with a resounding 4-0 win over Charlotte. It wasn’t enough to move up more than one spot, climbing past an inept DC United, but with a more performances like that, they’ll start climbing quickly.

Author: Ben Wrightis the Director of Soccer Content and a Senior MLS Contributor for Broadway Sports covering Nashville SC and the US National Team. Previously Ben was the editor and a founder of Speedway Soccer, where he has covered Nashville SC and their time in USL before journeying to Major League Soccer since 2018. Raised in Louisville, KY Ben grew up playing before a knee injury ended his competitive career. When he is not talking soccer he is probably producing music, drinking coffee or hanging out with his wife and kids. Mastodon

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