Mick's Matchday 3 MLS 2025 Power Rankings
A Series of Expected Results.
Mick’s Matchday 3 MLS Power Rankings are in! Overall, Matchday 3 was a little more on the boring side of things, unless you are Seattle or Miami fan. Expect some changes to this week’s power rankings because the table is still shaking up.
1. Philadelphia Union (3-0-0, 9 points)
Philly’s on fire! The Union are still perfect after three games, cruising to a 2-0 win over New England in classic Union fashion - 19 shots, 8 on target, and another goal for Baribo. Baribo is making an early case for the Golden Boot. The Union are flying high right now, and it’s tough to see anyone slowing them down.
2. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (3-0-0, 9 points)
Vancouver’s joining Philly in the unbeaten club, and they’re doing it with style. A slick 2-0 takedown of Montreal locked them atop the West. Could this be the start they need to finally claim the conference? Early signs say yes - they look like the real deal.
3. Inter Miami CF (2-1-0, 7 points)
Miami doesn’t need a perfect record to flex their star power. Even without Messi and down to 10 men, they edged Charlotte 1-0 thanks to Allende’s 46th-minute strike. Big props to Charlotte for hanging in there and putting on a show, but Miami’s roster just screams “never count us out.”
4. FC Cincinnati (2-0-1, 6 points)
Cincy’s offseason splash on Evander and Kévin Denkey is paying dividends. A 2-0 win over Toronto showcased their attacking potential, though Luciano Acosta’s departure still looms large. They’re climbing the ranks, but can they keep it steady? I’d say they’re settling into “consistently good” territory—whether that’s enough to go deep, we’ll see.
5. Seattle Sounders FC (1-1-1, 4 points)
Seattle’s 5-2 dismantling of LAFC was the statement win of the weekend and it earned them a massive jump in my power rankings. Jordan Morris cemented his legend status as the club’s all-time leading scorer, and the team straight-up outclassed LAFC. I wasn’t sold on them before, but this performance officially changed my mind.
6. Charlotte FC (1-1-1, 4 points)
Charlotte couldn’t capitalize on Miami’s red card, but they still looked lively. No drastic drop here - they just need to sharpen their finishing. If they want a top spot in the East, burying chances has to be priority one.
7. LAFC (2-0-1, 6 points)
LAFC fans might want to skip this one. That 5-2 beatdown by Seattle was ugly, and honestly, they deserve to be lower than 7th. But let’s not overreact - they’re still a solid squad. Next up is Austin. Time to dust off and get back in the groove.
8. San Diego FC (2-1-0, 7 points)
San Diego might deserve better than 8th, but it’s tricky ranking an expansion team. Still, they’re impressing attacking flair was on full display even without Lozano. Mikey Varas has this crew buzzing early. Watch out for these guys in the Western Conference.
9. San Jose Earthquakes (2-0-1, 6 points)
San Jose stumbled with a 1-0 loss to Minnesota, a good team, sure, but it’s a hit nonetheless. This squad’s got that Bruce Arena vibe we all know (and love or hate). Now it’s about unlocking their creative spark to push forward.
10. Minnesota United FC (2-0-1, 6 points)
Maybe I should’ve flipped Minnesota and San Jose after that win, but I’m sticking to my gut. MUFC made the most of their chances despite just 33.2% possession - Yeboah’s goal sealed it. Efficiency’s their game, and it’s working.
11. Atlanta United (1-1-1, 4 Points)
Atlanta’s a puzzle. Their transition D got shredded early on, but with Amador and Williams back, things are stabilizing (just missing Brooks Lennon now). Amador’s a game-changer, shutting down attacks and opening space along Atlanta’s left flank. The attack’s still quiet. Two goalless games in a row - that’s has to change with the firepower in the lineup.
12. New York Red Bulls (1-1-1, 4 Points)
Simple story here: injuries galore, yet they blanked Atlanta thanks to Carlos Coronel’s heroics in net. Though Brad Guzan didn’t even break a sweat on the other end. Once their stars heal up, this team’s playoff-bound - no doubt.
13. Columbus Crew (2-1-0, 7 points)
13th feels brutal for a 7-point team, but it’s been a rough week. LAFC smoked them in the Champions Cup, and they couldn’t crack Houston’s defense. Where are the goals without Cucho Hernandez? That’s the million-dollar question.
14. Colorado Rapids (1-2-0, 5 points)
Colorado feels comfy in the middle. Rafael Navarro’s third goal in three games lifted them past Austin. He’s the heartbeat of this attack and a potential Golden Boot candidate, and their defense is holding steady. Playoff chatter? Don’t rule it out if they keep this up.
15. St. Louis (1-2-0, 5 points)
Beating the defending champs sounds cool until you realize that the Galaxy is a trainwreck. Still, three goals show St. Louis can finally attack. Defense has been their thing, but this week, they flipped the script despite barely holding the ball.
16. New York City FC (1-1-1, 4 Points)
NYCFC jumps from 25th to 16th after a gritty 2-1 win over Orlando, even with O’Toole’s red card. Alonso Martinez and Hannes Wolf delivered, and Martinez might just be that guy this season. Expect him to be finding the back of the net often. Keep an eye out on this team.
17. Orlando City (1-0-2, 3 Points)
Orlando’s attack has teeth, but the rest? Meh. They’ve got the pieces for a run, guys who can scrap and score, but it’s an “if,” not a “when,” on climbing higher.
18. D.C. United (1-2-0, 5 Points)
D.C. squeaked past Sporting KC, but I’m still not sold on them. Christian Benteke’s a beast, no doubt, but this squad’s underwhelmed me so far.
19. Chicago Fire (1-1-1, 4 Points)
Chicago’s 3-1 win over Dallas was a little bit chaotic given they scored 3 goals in the last 10 minutes. Are they dropping a 3-0 gem or eating a 5-2 loss (looking at you, LAFC)? Flipping a coin gives you better odds than guessing their scorelines. They’ve got firepower; it’s just about gelling. Trust in Gregg Berhalter.
20. FC. Dallas (1-1-1, 4 Points)
It is so early in the season, and I see Dallas like I see D.C. United, they just need to step up their game. They lost one to Chicago this past week despite being up 1 - 0 going into the last 10 minutes of the game. Unfortunately, they gave 3 goals during that short time span, so these guys just need to keep their heads up and go to the next one.
21. Nashville SC (1-1-1, 4 Points)
Nashville finally nabbed a W against a shaky Portland side. It’s a start, but can they ride the momentum into Philly this weekend? They’ll need all the mojo they can gather to be able to take on the Union.
22. Austin (1-0-2, 3 Points)
Back-to-back 0 - 1 losses have to feel bad, especially when one of them comes from Portland. They spent big in the offseason, they just need to start performing to justify it.
23. Houston Dynamo (0-1-2, 1 Points)
Houston scrapped a draw with Columbus, but they’re still getting out-possessed every week. The midfield is a mess, Ben Olsen’s has to sort it out or they’re stuck in neutral.
24. Real Salt Lake (1-0-2, 3 Points)
I miss the Kyle Beckerman days—RSL’s just not clicking yet. Diego Luna and Ariath Piol are carrying the load, but it’s not enough so far.
25. New England (0-1-2, 1 Points)
New England got downed by Philadelphia this past weekend, and no one can blame them there. However, this team hasn’t felt like they were in any of their three games so far this year. Carles Gil is going to have to put in a heck of a shift to bring the attacking players around him up.
26. Portland Timbers (1-0-2, 3 Points)
Portland couldn’t snag a point off Nashville, and man, they’re tough to watch. No creativity, a shaky defense, it is bad for Timbers fans.
27. CF Montreal (0-0-3, 0 Points)
Welcome to the basement of the MLS. Montréal’s young, so there’s hope, but this season is going to look grim. Rough road ahead. If you’re a Montreal fan just lower your expectations and go along for the ride.
28. LA Galaxy (0-0-3, 0 Points)
The Galaxy’s start to the season is mind-boggling bad. The defending champs are without their heart and soul - Puig. However, there are more than enough good names on this roster - Marco Reus, Diego Fagundez, and Gabriel Pec to name a few. They just can’t seem to get it together. Even fans of the Galaxy may want to avoid their uncoordinated mess.
29. Toronto FC (0-1-2, 1 Points)
Toronto’s only above 30th because they scraped a point. That’s it.
30. Sporting Kansas City (0-0-3, 0 Points)
Rock bottom.
Three games in, and the season’s taking shape. The champs are imploding and maybe there are a few surprise teams towards the top. What are you biggest headlines so far this season?