Another double game week of MLS action means a lot of movement in this week’s Power Rankings.
How the rankings work
These power rankings aren’t a subjective result of one person’s opinion, but use a stats-based model for each team to get a more in-depth look at where clubs actually stand. The model weighs points per game and strength of schedule most heavily, with goal difference and expected goal difference weighted incrementally less. This is an attempt to show not just how teams have done in the table, but how they’ve played on the field. If you’re interested in the methodology, the full model can be viewed here.
These power rankings aren’t an attempt to predict the final table, just to provide readers with a different angle from which to judge teams. A helpful way to think of it is if a team is significantly higher in the rankings than they are in the table, they’re probably underperforming. If they’re significantly lower in the rankings than in the table, they’re overperforming.
Week 32 Power Rankings*
*This power rankings update includes results from both Week 31 (the midweek slate of games) and Week 32 (games from weekend).
- Seattle Sounders (-)
- New England Revolution (-)
- NYCFC (↑2)
- Sporting KC (-)
- Nashville SC (↓2)
- Colorado Rapids (↑1)
- LA Galaxy (↑1)
- Philadelphia Union (↑1)
- DC United (↓3)
- New York Red Bulls (-)
- Atlanta United (-)
- Minnesota United (↑1)
- CF Montréal (↓1)
- LAFC (↑2)
- Real Salt Lake (↓1)
- Orlando City SC (↓1)
- Vancouver Whitecaps (↑1)
- Portland Timbers (↓1)
- Columbus Crew (-)
- FC Dallas (-)
- San Jose Earthquakes (↑1)
- Houston Dynamo (↓1)
- Chicago Fire (-)
- Austin FC (-)
- Inter Miami CF (↑1)
- Toronto FC (↓1)
- FC Cincinnati (-)
Seattle Sounders barely hold onto the top spot with a draw against Colorado Rapids and a loss to Sporting KC, just edging out New England Revolution, who clinched 2021 Supporters Shield and came back from 2-0 down to draw Orlando City.
NYCFC push into the top three with a 6-0 demolition of DC United, who also lost to New England midweek and drop three spots into ninth place and are in danger of missing out on the postseason (more on that later). Nashville SC drew Columbus Crew at home midweek and lost to Philadelphia Union on Saturday and fall two spots.
LAFC are the other big movers, jumping two spots after a 3-2 win over FC Dallas and a 1-1 draw with Minnesota United. Inter Miami were far enough at the bottom that wins over Toronto FC and FC Cincinnati were only enough to push them up one spot.
Projected standings
Nashville and Philadelphia are now projected to both finish the season with 53 points, dropping Nashville into third place. DC United are on pace to miss the postseason by two points after taking nothing from two vital matches this week.
LAFC are set to miss the playoffs by three points, but could still turn things around and sneak in. Meanwhile, San Jose are just a single result from elimination.
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