Browsing: Orlando

Oct 19, 2025, 08:37 PM ET

It’s Sunday, and another round of NWSL action is in the books, 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 25 to come up with this week’s order of all 14 teams in the league. Let’s dive in.

Previous ranking:1

The Current fell 1-0 to the Houston Dash on Saturday, but it’s star Temwa Chawinga that may go down as the far more impactful loss. After suffering a non-contact injury in the first half, the forward was carried off the field. While the severity of the injury isn’t known, Kansas City head coach Vlatko Andonovski said after the game that Chawinga’s injury was in the “upper leg” rather than the knee. Even so, plenty of folks in Kansas City will be holding their breath.

Previous ranking:2

It’s been a no good, very bad last few days for the Washington Spirit. First, Trinity Rodman went down with a knee injury during a midweek Concacaf Champions Cup clash with Monterrey. Then they lost to the Orlando Pride on Saturday. An unfortunate deflection and a penalty concession turned a 2-1 lead at half-time into a 3-2 loss at full-time for the Spirit. Still, the first defeat in more than four months won’t sting nearly as much as the uncertainty surrounding Rodman’s return to play.

Previous ranking:4

If there was any doubt about Marta’s ability to take over a soccer game at age 39, that doubt should be put to rest after Orlando’s 3-2 win over the Washington Spirit on Saturday. The Brazil icon forced an own goal and scored the game-winning penalty to help the Pride collect all three points against a Washington side that hadn’t lost a game since June. Marta’s introduction at the break changed Orlando’s fate. Is anyone surprised?

Previous ranking:3

Few matchups this weekend were easier to predict than NJ/NY Gotham vs. Racing Louisville, at least in a tactical sense. Playing at home and as one of the league’s more possession-heavy outfits, Gotham held the lion’s share of the ball. Louisville, for its part, continued a theme of deeper, resolute defending. The result was a game where the hosts hit nearly twice as many passes as the visitors, though the scoreline finished deadlocked at 2-2. The good news for Gotham, though, is that the draw clinched them a playoff spot.

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1:12

NJ/NY Gotham FC vs. Racing Louisville FC – Game Highlights

Watch the Game Highlights from NJ/NY Gotham FC vs. Racing Louisville FC, 10/19/2025

Previous ranking:5

Make that four goals in three games for Olivia Moultrie. The 20-year-old attacking midfielder bagged a brace in Portland’s 2-0 win over Angel City on Sunday, finding the first finish via a long-range banger from open play and the second from the penalty spot. With the young United States international pulling the strings and enough defensive solidity to see out the result, the Portland Thorns nailed down playoff qualification this weekend.

Previous ranking:7

For the first time in club history, the Wave bagged six goals in a single game. They bested the Chicago Stars 6-1 at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday, dominating play in the attacking third in a game that was as one-sided as the scoreline indicates. Whether in open play or on set pieces, San Diego found looks early and often in Chicago’s danger area. Thanks to their dazzling attacking display, the Wave are officially bound for the postseason.

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1:16

San Diego Wave FC vs. Chicago Stars – Game Highlights

Watch the Game Highlights from San Diego Wave FC vs. Chicago Stars, 10/19/2025

Previous ranking:6

Thanks to a 2-1 win over the Utah Royals on Friday night, the Reign booked a spot in the postseason. While Seattle didn’t create a bevy of chances, a first career NWSL goal for Ainsley McCammon just before half-time gave the hosts a lead and a penalty from Sofia Huerta reclaimed it in the second half to finish the scoring. The Reign have been one of the league’s leakier defensive teams in 2025, but a victory against Utah could serve as a confidence boost with just one more match before the playoffs.

Previous ranking:9

Once again, Manaka Matsukubo came up big for the Courage, this time in a 4-1 win over Bay FC. The young Japanese attacker’s praises aren’t sung near enough: her hat trick, which could’ve been a four-goal game if not for a missed penalty, made the difference on Friday just as her attacking play has made the difference for her squad in so much of 2025. Matsukubo ranks second in the league in goal contributions this year and was a terror up the middle against Bay. She’s a bona fide star.

Previous ranking: 8

A win on the road against Gotham would’ve seen Louisville officially qualify for the playoffs, but Sunday’s 2-2 draw will see Racing go down to the wire in search of the postseason when it comes time for their regular season finale next month. Louisville looked to be sitting pretty late against NJ/NY, but an 85th minute equalizer from Rose Lavelle turned a playoff party into a run-of-the-mill draw for Bev Yanez’s team.

Previous ranking:11

The Houston Dash didn’t impress against the Kansas City Current on Saturday — they were out-shot 20 to six. Still, they managed to claw to a 1-0 victory thanks to a strike from Ryan Gareis just minutes into her appearance off the bench. With the win, Houston did everything in their power to stay alive in the playoff race but results elsewhere around the league didn’t go the Dash’s way. As a result, they won’t make this year’s postseason.

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1:19

Houston Dash vs. Kansas City Current – Game Highlights

Watch the Game Highlights from Houston Dash vs. Kansas City Current, 10/19/2025

Previous ranking:10

With their hopes of qualifying for the postseason dashed before their matchup with the Portland Thorns even kicked off, it’s hard to blame Angel City for looking flat in a 2-0 loss on Sunday. Thanks to Racing Louisville’s draw earlier on Sunday, Angel City’s season effectively ended before they touched the ball at BMO Stadium. Allowing a brace to Moultrie simply placed the exclamation point on what has been a disappointing campaign.

Previous ranking:12

Utah’s three-game winning streak feels like ages ago, doesn’t it? The same could be said of their eight-game unbeaten run in the regular season, a run that came to an end in last weekend’s loss to San Diego. Following a 2-1 defeat in Seattle on Friday, the Royals have now kicked off a losing streak. Already eliminated from playoff contention, they were second-best in a sloppy affair against the Reign.

Previous ranking:13

Bay FC looked an awful lot like a team with nothing to play for on Friday night. With no hope of qualifying for the playoffs, the home side put together one of the sloppiest performances of any team this season. They fell 4-1 to the North Carolina Courage in a game that might have been even more lopsided if not for a missed North Carolina penalty. Between devastating turnovers in their own half and a mistake-filled performance in goal from Jordan Silkowitz, Bay fell behind early and never found their way back.

Previous ranking:14

Without hope of postseason qualification fueling their play, this time of year for Chicago is about identifying building blocks for the future. Saturday’s brutal 6-1 loss on the road in San Diego gave the Stars very, very few positive indicators for 2026 and beyond. Overrun in their own third and largely toothless when they did dare to venture forward into the Wave’s half, the sooner the memory of this game fades for Chicago, the better.

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The 2025-26 NBA season is here! We’re rolling out our previews — examining the biggest questions, best- and worst-case scenarios, and win projections for all 30 franchises — from the still-rebuilding teams to the true title contenders.

2024-25 finish

• Record: 41-41 (sixth in the East, lost to the Celtics in the first round)

Offseason moves

• Additions: Desmond Bane, Tyus Jones, Jase Richardson, Noah Penda, Orlando Robinson, Jamal Cain

• Subtractions: Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cory Joseph, Gary Harris, Caleb Houstan

Paolo Banchero played only 46 games last season. (Stefan Milic/Yahoo Sports Illustration)

The Big Question: Can the Magic construct a championship-caliber offense?

Iâ€ve written about this a few times over the years, and chances are youâ€ve heard it on an NBA podcast or broadcast or two: Orlando has not finished in the top half of the league in offensive efficiency since Dwight Howard left the Magic to join the Lakers.

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That happened in 2012.

Kevin Durant has won four Olympic gold medals since the last time the Magic finished better than 15th in points scored per possession. If Iâ€m counting right, 50 Marvel movies have come and gone from theaters since the last time an Orlando team was mediocre at putting the ball in the basket. There are Central Floridian teenagers who have never seen an average NBA offense up close and personal … unless the visiting team brings one to town.

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If youâ€re thinking, “Seems like itâ€d be pretty hard to win very much if youâ€ve had a bad offense for almost 15 years,†well, thatâ€s because it is: The Magic have made the playoffs just four times in the last 13 seasons, and none of those four playoff runs advanced beyond the opening round.

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After consecutive postseason appearances in which they produced points at a rate that wouldâ€ve finished dead last in the NBA during the regular season — and last year fielding what was, according to the great John Schuhmann, “the worst offensive team … to make the playoffs in the 29 seasons for which we have play-by-play data†— president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and Co. decided that the time had come to throw caution to the wind. The goal was lofty: Find the perfect complementary piece to build an offense capable of complementing the elite defense that head coach Jamahl Mosley has built in Orlando. The price was even loftier: four unprotected first-round picks.

In comes Desmond Bane, a career 41% 3-point shooter whoâ€s 22nd in the NBA in total made triples over the last four seasons, to provide a desperately needed decongestant for an attack that finished dead last in 3-pointers per game and team 3-point accuracy, and 27th in half-court scoring efficiency. Bane has grown significantly over the years as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, complementary playmaker and north-south driver, too, making him a seemingly perfect fit next to max-salaried cornerstones Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

Baneâ€s shooting should help widen the driving lanes for the bruising big wings†forays to the basket. His off-ball movement should help inject some dynamism into a Magic attack that ranked in the middle of the pack in average distance traveled per game on offense last season, and 25th in average speed traveled, according to Second Spectrum. His ability to make something happen with the ball in his hands should reduce their overall shot-creation burden, and the possibilities of him partnering with them in screening actions — including as a screen-setter himself in inverted actions — should open up more opportunities for Orlando to put defenses in a bind.

Add in fellow former Grizzly Tyus Jones, whoâ€s shot 39.8% from 3-point range over the last four seasons — and who perpetually ranks at or near the top of the assist-to-turnover ratio leaderboard, which ought to help Orlandoâ€s bottom-third-of-the-league turnover rate — and first-round pick Jase Richardson, who shot 41.2% from the college 3-point line in his lone year at Michigan State (and whoâ€s shown some exciting flashes in preseason), and Orlando might actually have enough firepower to go toe-to-toe with expected beasts of the East like the Cavaliers and Knicks. Provided, of course, the Magic can keep their big guns on the court.

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Only three playoff teams (Oklahoma City, Memphis and the Lakers) lost more games due to injury last season than the Magic, according to Spotrac. Banchero and Wagner were both sidelined by torn oblique muscles, while All-Defensive teamer/attitudinal talisman Jalen Suggs was limited to just 35 games by a left knee injury that required season-ending surgery; all told, Orlandoâ€s top three players shared the court for just 97 minutes across just six games last season. The hope is that better health for the three franchise pillars — and continued availability for Bane, who played 69 games last season after missing significant time in each of the previous two seasons in Memphis — will allow the Magic to have the same kind of year-over-year surge that Cleveland enjoyed last season.

[Get more Magic news: Orlando team feed]

The fear is that, with Suggs still not back to full-contact 5-on-5 work more than seven months after surgery, and potentially still “weeks†away from getting back in the fold, we might not get to see the full-strength squad that Orlandoâ€s brass had drawn up for a while. (Key reserve Moe Wagner still being a ways off from returning after tearing the ACL in his left knee last December doesnâ€t help, either.) That, in turn, could prevent the Magic from developing the sort of chemistry and cohesion critical in creating a potent offense, and impede their expected progress up the Eastern standings.

If Banchero, Franz and Bane can quickly find some synergy, though, and if Suggs and Moe are able to return and provide both instant production and their customary pugilistic play, the Magic could have the right sort of recipe to become a team thatâ€s more than the sum of its parts.

“I think we should be a deep playoff team,†Banchero recently told Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “Hopefully, that means Finals. But if itâ€s anything shorter than that, then Eastern Conference finals. I want to play deep into the playoffs.â€

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Sprinkle in increased growth from connective-tissue youngsters like Anthony Black and Tristan da Silva, and efficient interior contributions from big men Wendell Carter Jr. and Goga Bitadze, and Orlando really might have a chance to damage defenses at a league-average level. Combine that with the kind of defense thatâ€s been Orlandoâ€s calling card under Mosley, and the Magic could be the kind of contender that fans have been waiting a very, very long time to see.

Best-case scenario

All of the aforementioned health questions break Orlandoâ€s way, giving Mosley the time, reps and raw materials with which to build a two-way monster; the Magic finish top five in defensive efficiency and top 10 on the other end, exorcising all the demons of terrible offenses past. Banchero, Wagner and Bane all make the All-Star team; Paolo (who takes a leap in his scoring efficiency and inside-out passing) and Franz (who finally irons out the kink in that jumper) make All-NBA; Mosley wins Coach of the Year. Orlando blows past 55 wins, takes the No. 1 seed in the East, and rides a miracle season to the NBA Finals, as Kevin Peltonâ€s Simulation No. 620 becomes blissful reality.

If everything falls apart

Suggs†knee is never right and, as a result, neither are the Magic. Banchero, Bane and Wagner all put up good numbers, but without Suggs†combination of elite point-of-attack defense, secondary playmaking and knockdown spot-up shooting, Mosley canâ€t quite find the right combinations to be able to field consistently potent two-way lineups without exploitable shortcomings on one end or the other. The offense improves a little, but the defense slips more, and Orlando again finds itself futzing around .500, unable to break through in a conference that once seemed ripe for the taking — and wondering if itâ€s gone all-in with a hand that ultimately might not be good enough to drag the pot.

2025-26 schedule

• Season opener: Oct. 22 vs. Miami

Orlando has won 52 or more games just four times in franchise history, all led by a transformational Hall of Fame center. Thereâ€s no Shaq or Dwight here … but if the injury bug doesnâ€t bite, thereâ€s enough talent here to be able to approach a mid-50s win total.

More season previews

East: Atlanta Hawks • Boston Celtics • Brooklyn Nets • Charlotte Hornets • Chicago Bulls • Cleveland Cavaliers • Detroit Pistons • Indiana Pacers • Miami Heat • Milwaukee Bucks • New York Knicks • Orlando Magic • Philadelphia 76ers • Toronto Raptors • Washington Wizards

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West: Dallas Mavericks • Denver Nuggets • Golden State Warriors • Houston Rockets • LA Clippers • Los Angeles Lakers • Memphis Grizzlies • Minnesota Timberwolves • New Orleans Pelicans • Oklahoma City Thunder • Phoenix Suns • Portland Trail Blazers • Sacramento Kings • San Antonio Spurs • Utah Jazz

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• Bruno Andrade and Cindy Garcia

Oct 8, 2025, 05:16 AM ET

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Orlando City wanted to bring Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison to Major League Soccer in the summer, sources told ESPN Brasil, although a move failed to materialise over a potential €40 million ($46.4m) transfer fee.

The MLS club wanted to sign the Brazil international to a long-term contract and make him the team’s leading figure in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup.

Orlando City were interested in signing Richarlison Photo by Shaun Brooks – CameraSport via Getty Images

Richarlison, 28, insisted in the last transfer window that he was keen to continue at Spurs for at least another season. He confirmed that he had turned down an offer from a Saudi Pro League club in August as he felt a move away from London could impact his chances of playing for Brazil at the World Cup.

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Richarlison is in his fourth season with the North London outfit, whom he joined in the summer of 2022 from Everton for a deal worth £60m ($80.4m).

Under contract with Spurs until June 2027, Richarlison has scored three goals and has one assist in seven Premier League appearances this season.

He is with Brazil’s squad preparing for the upcoming international friendlies against South Korea and Japan.

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It’s Monday, and another round of NWSL action is in the books, 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 21 to come up with this week’s order of all 14 teams in the league. Let’s dive in.

Previous ranking:1
Next match:Friday Sept. 26 vs. Chicago Stars, 8 p.m. ET

This is Kansas City’s season, and we’re just living in it. After beating Seattle 2-0 on Saturday, the Current are the fastest-ever team to collect the NWSL Shield based on the number of games left to play. Fittingly, Temwa Chawinga celebrated her birthday by scoring her 13th goal of the season in the win, bringing her level with Esther González at the top of the scoring charts once again. Vlatko Andonovski’s side now have 17 wins, two draws and two losses from 21 games played, and show no signs of slowing down ahead of the postseason.

Previous ranking:2
Next match:Sunday Sept. 28 vs. Houston Dash, 1 p.m. ET

Playing on a rare Thursday night without midfielder Hal Hershfelt (who was serving a red card suspension), the Spirit traded goals with Angel City and walked away with a 2-2 draw in California. Trinity Rodman broke through first, following up her own blocked penalty for her third goal in three games. Croix Bethune followed in the second half to clinch a point after the Spirit had fallen behind, as both players hit a hot stride of form ahead of the postseason after working back from injuries earlier in the year. The Spirit are now undefeated in nine-straight NWSL games, though six of those games have been draws.

Previous ranking:3
Next match:Friday Sept. 26 vs. Portland Thorns, 8 p.m. ET

After scoring her first goal of the season two weeks ago, Rose Lavelle got back on the scoresheet in Gotham’s 1-1 draw in California Sunday evening. That’s two goals in 11 games played for the United States midfielder who was sidelined with injury earlier in the year. After three straight games on the road (including the Concacaf W Champions Cup midweek) Gotham heads home to face Portland next, as they prepare to finish off their season against a string of playoff contenders.

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1:16

Bay FC vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC – Game Highlights

Watch the Game Highlights from Bay FC vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC, 09/22/2025

Previous ranking:4
Next match:Friday Sept. 26 vs. Orlando Pride, 10.30 p.m. ET

They outproduced the hosts, especially early in the game, but failed to get more than a point in Portland as Mackenzie Arnold’s six saves limited their attack. After suffering three defeats in four games, a 1-1 draw against Portland in Oregon isn’t the worst result for San Diego. But they haven’t won a game since Aug. 16, and every point counts as only five points separate them from teams outside the playoff positions. The Wave play the also-struggling (even more so) Orlando Pride next weekend, who’ve gone nine games since their last victory.

Previous ranking:7
Next match:Friday Sept. 26 vs. Gotham FC, 8 p.m. ET

Reyna Reyes scored her third goal of the year in the 86th minute to steal a point at home against San Diego. They struggled to get shots off early, with Olivia Moultrie’s 33rd minute free kick their first clocked shot, though they did get three on target by the end of the game. At the other end, Matildas keeper Arnold made six saves and was key to keeping San Diego to one goal before Reyes’ late equalizer. After Saturday’s 1-1 draw, the fourth-place Thorns finished the weekend still even on points and resting just above San Diego in the table.

Previous ranking:8
Next match:Sunday Sept. 28 vs. Washington Spirit, 1 p.m. ET

Yazmeen Ryan’s team-leading fourth goal of the season came in the 28th minute against Chicago and was enough to seal a 1-0 victory in Texas. One week after losing to the Utah Royals, they’re back in the win column and sitting just below the playoff positions, but they’ve got a tough test next weekend against the Washington Spirit.

Previous ranking:5
Next match:Friday Sept. 26 vs. San Diego Wave, 10.30 p.m. ET

Orlando Pride have stretched their winless rut to a calamitous nine straight games after losing 1-0 to the North Carolina Courage on Friday. The defeat arrived in the 89th minute, as the Courage pounced on a rebound in front of goal. The Pride are still in the playoff positions but are desperate for a win as they sink down to seventh place after holding second earlier in the season.

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Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage – Game Highlights

Watch the Game Highlights from Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage, 09/20/2025

Previous ranking: 6
Next match:Saturday Sept. 27 vs. Angel City FC, 7.30 p.m. ET

With five games to go, Louisville’s form has hit a lull. After losing to Seattle in their rescheduled match from last weekend, they lost 3-2 to Utah this weekend, marking their third loss in three games amid a four-game winless run. With time dwindling, they seem remarkably on track for a fifth-straight ninth-place finish, potentially carrying forward a curse of finishing each season just short of the playoffs. Their postseason hopes are far from over, but they’ve got pivotal tests before them, with Angel City waiting first next weekend.

Previous ranking:10
Next match:Sunday Sept. 28 vs. Seattle Reign, 8 p.m. ET

North Carolina has had hard times this season. They recently went on a six-game winless run, sacked their coach, and lost Jaedyn Shaw to Gotham. But they beat the reigning champs 1-0 on Friday with a goal from 20-year-old Japanese midfielder Shinomi Koyama (her first for the team) to mark two wins in two games, finishing the weekend just inside the playoff positions.

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Previous ranking:9
Next match:Sunday Sept. 28 vs. NC Courage, 8 p.m. ET

Earlier in the week, Seattle beat Racing Louisville 1-0 in their rescheduled match thanks to a 90th minute goal from Jess Fishlock. But they fell 2-0 to Kansas City on the weekend (despite a six-save performance from Claudia Dickey). Losing to Kansas City is understandable — the Shield winners have only lost twice this season and clinched the Shield in record-time with Saturday’s victory against the Reign. Seattle are still in a respectable sixth place as they prepare for eighth-place North Carolina next weekend.

Previous ranking:11
Next match:Saturday Sept. 27 vs. Racing Louisville, 7.30 p.m. ET

After falling behind early thanks to Rodman’s rebound goal, Angel City fought back to briefly lead 2-1, before settling for a 2-2 draw in California. Gisele Thompson set up Evelyn Shores for the first, marking her team-leading fifth assist of the season. Thompson’s six goal contributions are second only to her sister, who recently signed for Chelsea, and team top-scorer Riley Tiernan. ACFC goalkeeper Angelina Anderson was also immense in the draw, making eight saves to stymie the Spirit advance. They finished the weekend in 11th place and will need to battle to break into the playoffs (there’s a four-point gap between them and eighth-place North Carolina), but postseason possibility remains intact.

Previous ranking:12
Next match:Saturday Sept. 27 vs. Bay FC, 10 p.m. ET

After spending most of the season at the bottom of the table, Utah beat Racing Louisville 3-2 to finish the weekend ahead of the Chicago Stars in 13th place. Their momentum is more impressive than their ranking: with the victory, the Royals are six games undefeated with three wins and three draws, including three victories from their last four games.

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Utah Royals vs. Racing Louisville FC – Game Highlights

Watch the Game Highlights from Utah Royals vs. Racing Louisville FC, 09/20/2025

Previous ranking:13
Next match: Saturday Sept. 27 vs. Utah Royals, 10 p.m. ET

They still haven’t won a game since June 7 (four draws, six defeats in that run). But Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Gotham was a respectable result, as Racheal Kundananji’s fourth goal of the season and second in as many games brought them back from behind in California.

Previous ranking:14
Next match: Friday Sept. 26 vs. KC Current, 8 p.m. ET

Alyssa Naeher can be trusted to unfurl memorable penalty heroics, and she did just that against Houston as she denied Dash forward Ryan from the spot as part of a five-save performance in Texas. Unfortunately, Naeher’s steady hands weren’t enough to collect any points in a 1-0 defeat to the Dash.

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