Manchester City remain the team to beat in the Barclays Women’s Super League, and Chelsea have bounced back after a slow start. Manchester United, meanwhile, are slipping fast.
That is the takeaway from the latest WSL Power Rankings, which rank teams based on performances and lackluster efforts. The list comes after the opening weeks of the 2026-27 season, and it shows a league with plenty of surprises already.
Manchester City Stay Unstoppable
Manchester City hold the top spot, and the defending champions are continuing their dominant start. Mary Fowler and Khadija “Bunny” Shaw continue to dominate the attack, showing no signs of slowing down.
The duo have been the engine behind City’s early-season form, and their performances are the main reason the team remains at the top of the rankings.
Chelsea Bounce Back With a Blowout Win
Chelsea FC move up one spot after a huge performance in a blowout win. Lucy Bronze led the team with 120 touches and got on the scoreboard, delivering a bounce-back display engineered by the veteran.
Bronze’s return to form has been a major boost for Chelsea, who looked shaky at the start of the campaign. Her leadership and attacking instincts have helped the team find their rhythm again.
Arsenal Struggle to Finish
Arsenal drop one spot after a scoreless draw at Emirates Stadium. Manager Renee Slegers admitted the result was not enough, saying: “A point is not enough for us.”
The Gunners had 30 shots but managed just three attempts on target, despite creating plenty of chances. Their inability to convert those opportunities has cost them points in the early stages of the season.
Tottenham Keep Creating
Tottenham move up one spot after a strong performance. Signe Gaupset has been the driving force, putting in the effort on and off the ball.
Gaupset’s contributions are exactly what Spurs need to maintain their momentum throughout a long season.
Liverpool Rise on the Back of Nagano
Liverpool climb two spots thanks to Fuka Nagano’s early-season form. Nagano has been clever on the ball and has shown vision to survey sequences one or two actions ahead.
Her ability to generate and disrupt attacks has made her one of the standout performers for the Reds. Nagano’s influence is growing with each passing match.
London City Lionesses Fall
London City Lionesses drop two spots after a disappointing result. Danielle Van de Donk has become the most important player on a roster full of stars, but the team is struggling to perform at the level expected of them.
The pressure to overachieve is clearly weighing on the squad, though the rankings note that a roster with this much talent should not be letting opponents outperform them.
Everton’s Strange First Win
Everton climb two spots after notching their first win of the season without registering a single shot on goal. That kind of victory takes a special, or weird, kind of moment, and Holly McNamara’s forced own goal generated just that.
The win was unexpected, to say the least. Everton’s attacking struggles have been a recurring theme this season, but this result proves that sometimes fortune favors the brave.
Manchester United Slipping Fast
Manchester United fall two spots after a tough loss to start the season. The rankings note that there are tough losses and outright bad losses, and United will have to make adjustments quickly to recover from the downward roller coaster they are on.
The team will need to find stability soon if they want to compete with the top teams.
Brighton and Crystal Palace Perform
Brighton & Hove Albion drop one spot after a mixed performance. Kiko Seike has been a bright spot for the club, but the team will need to manage games against newly promoted sides better.
Crystal Palace climb one spot as an underdog squad punching above their weight. They are already a pest of a squad, and they are threatening in position.
West Ham and Aston Villa Show Fluctuation
West Ham United climb one spot after a solid performance. Viviane Asseyi scored the game-winner, turning momentum into a decisive result for manager Rita Guarino and the squad.
Aston Villa drop two spots after a poor weekend. Amalie Vangsgaard provided an honorable effort, but Cbssports’s ranking notes that things will just get more difficult from here.
Birmingham City and Charlton’s Early Season
Birmingham City stay put after another weekend showcasing Oceane Hurtre’s attacking talents. However, it is another rude welcome to the league, with a two-goal lead evaporating in stoppage time.
Charlton Athletic stay put after a weekend that saw two players sent off. The rankings note the irony of a team that cannot score goals collecting red cards instead.
How to Watch the WSL
CBS Sports covers the Barclays Women’s Super League, and fans can watch all the latest games there. Paramount+ will live stream all 183 matches each season, the most matches ever made available in the competition’s newly expanded format.
CBS Sports Network will air one match per week, with select fixtures also broadcast on CBS Sports Golazo Network.
The Rankings Are About Shifts
The power rankings are designed to capture movement, and this edition shows plenty of it. Teams are climbing and falling based on individual performances and recent results.
The system rewards breakout appearances and penalizes lackluster efforts, which means the rankings can shift quickly from week to week.
What to Expect Next
The WSL continues to deliver surprising performances and underdog stories. The rankings will update after each matchweek, offering a snapshot of where every team stands.
The early-season narrative is taking shape, but there is still a whole season ahead. Any team can produce a shocking result, and the underdogs will keep looking to punch above their weight.
For now, Manchester City remain the team to beat, Chelsea have bounced back, and Manchester United need to adjust quickly to recover from their downward roller coaster.
KEY FACTS BOX
– League: Barclays Women’s Super League
– Season: 2026-27
– Matches streamed: 183 on Paramount+
– Rankings update: After each matchweek
– Top spot: Manchester City
– Largest climb: Liverpool (+2), Everton (+2)
– Largest drop: Manchester United (-2)
– Biggest riser: Liverpool (+2)
– Biggest faller: Aston Villa (-2)
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