MLS Power Rankings: LAFC Soar to No. 1, Vancouver and Seattle Make Big Jumps

The MLS season is heating up with dramatic performances and key results. Los Angeles Football Club took the top spot after a 5-0 win over Orlando, while Vancouver Whitecaps and Seattle Sounders made major strides. Here’s how the league shapes up after Week 6.

1

Los Angeles Football Club (up from 6th)

LAFC stamped their claim as the league’s best with a stunning 5-0 win over Orlando City. Denis Bouanga scored a hat trick and added an assist, while Son Heung-Min tallied four assists. Bouanga now has 4 goals and 3 assists, and Son leads the league with 7 assists. LAFC has yet to concede a goal and sits at a league-high 16 points. They face Cruz Azul in the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals this week.

2

Vancouver Whitecaps FC (up from 12th)

Thomas Müller and Sebastian Berhalter led a late comeback against Portland with a 3-2 win. Berhalter’s stoppage-time goal gave Vancouver its fifth win of the season. The Whitecaps are +13 in goal differential through six games and remain undefeated at home. They’ll look to build on this momentum against New York City FC.

3

San Jose Earthquakes (up from 11th)

San Jose proved they can compete with the best by shutting out San Diego 3-0. Niko Tsakiris scored a brace and the Quakes have now allowed just one goal in six games. They rank third in the league with 13 points and have yet to lose a game. Their next test is a road match against Sporting Kansas City.

4

Nashville SC (down from 2nd)

Nashville suffered their first loss of the season, 1-0 at Chicago Fire. Their defense looked vulnerable for the first time this year and they’ll need to regroup quickly. They face Charlotte on Saturday in a key East matchup.

5

Seattle Sounders FC (up from 15th)

Paul Rothrock continues to be the Sounders’ go-to man, scoring the game-winner in a 1-0 road win at Houston. Rothrock leads the team with 3 goals and has two more in Concacaf Champions Cup play. Seattle now stands at 10 points and plays St. Louis next week.

6

Inter Miami CF (down from 2nd)

Despite a 2-2 draw with Austin at their new Nu Stadium, Inter Miami showed flashes of brilliance. Lionel Messi hit the post late in the second half, and Luis Suárez had a goal disallowed for offside. Miami remains at 10 points and faces Red Bull New York next.

7

Real Salt Lake (down from 7th)

Zavier Gozo continued his breakout season with a stunning goal in a 3-1 win over Sporting Kansas City. The 19-year-old has two goals and three assists this year, and his performance has drawn attention from national team scouts. RSL will test San Diego next.

8

FC Dallas (down from 5th)

Petar Musa scored his seventh goal of the season in a 4-0 win over D.C. United. Musa and Logan Farrington, who has four goals and two assists in five starts, form one of the league’s most dangerous attacking duos. Dallas plays St. Louis on Saturday.

9

San Diego FC (down from 3rd)

A 3-0 loss to San Jose was San Diego’s first of the season. A red card to Manu Duah in the 32nd minute derailed their chances and they’ve now received four red cards in their last five matches. They face Minnesota in their next game.

10

New York City Football Club (up from 13th)

NYCFC drew 1-1 with St. Louis after Wilfried Zaha equalized in stoppage time. They’ll look to build on this result in a tough road match at Vancouver this weekend.

Next up:

The league’s top teams continue to face off with key matches including LAFC vs. Portland, San Jose vs. Kansas City, and Nashville vs. Charlotte.