MLS Power Rankings: Sullivan’s Red-Hot Philadelphia Union and More After Matchday 26

This week’s MLS action will be remembered for Cavan Sullivan. The 16-year-old Philadelphia Union phenom scored twice and added four assists in the double-match week, helping his side launch into the upper echelons of the Eastern Conference.

While Sullivan’s impressive showings in two 5–0 wins over FC Cincinnati and San Diego FC took center stage, the week also saw a dramatic pair of draws for Inter Miami, a wild Nashville SC loss to Toronto FC and more. There was even a soccer-loving squirrel that halted play for a few minutes.

With Matchdays 25 and 26 in the books, here’s where teams stack in Sports Illustrated’s latest MLS Power Rankings.

MLS Power Rankings Matchday 26: Clubs 30–11

30. CF Montréal (Previous: 29)
29. Atlanta United (Previous: 28)
28. Sporting Kansas City (Previous: 30)
27. Columbus Crew (Previous: 26)
26. D.C. United (Previous: 27)
25. L.A. Galaxy (Previous: 21)
24. Colorado Rapids (Previous: 25)
23. Red Bull New York (Previous: 23)
22. Austin FC (Previous: 24)
21. Seattle Sounders (Previous: 19)
20. San Diego FC (Previous: 16)
19. Minnesota United (Previous: 15)
18. Toronto FC (Previous: 20)
17. Orlando City (Previous: 22)
16. Real Salt Lake (Previous: 14)
15. San Jose Earthquakes (Previous: 18)
14. FC Cincinnati (Previous: 11)
13. New York City FC (Previous: 12)
12. Portland Timbers (Previous: 13)
11. LAFC (Previous: 8)

10. Philadelphia Union (Previous: 17) ⬆️

CAVAN SULLIVAN BACKHEEL?! 😲

The 16-year-old gives @PhilaUnion the lead in San Diego just before halftime! pic.twitter.com/oSvyKnvfRp
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 14, 2026

Mauricio Pochettino spoke of “arrogance” and “confidence” when asked about integrating young players into the U.S. men’s national team for the upcoming September international friendlies. Cavan Sullivan, whom Pochettino may have been subtly referencing, is backing up his attitude with brilliance on the field, though.

As has been the case for several weeks, Sullivan was the heartbeat of the Philadelphia Union’s two victories this week over FC Cincinnati and San Diego FC. There are few players in better form right now than Sullivan, and this week proved he’s experiencing more than just a break-out summer—he’s a bona fide superstar.

With Sullivan’s impeccable form, the Union’s surge continues. The team is now undefeated in the last 10 league matches, dating back to May, and sits seventh in the Eastern Conference standings.

Just how high can they go? Nothing is stopping Philadelphia right now.

9. St. Louis CITY SC (Previous: 10) ⬆️

Rafael Navarro, St. Louis CITY SC — Rafael Navarro (right) has gotten off to a hot start with St. Louis CITY SC. | Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

Spending $12 million on a cash-for-player trade was a lot of money for St . Louis CITY SC, but it is already paying off. Star striker acquisition Rafael Navarro scored four goals in two games, bringing his season total to 14 after starting the year with the Colorado Rapids.

While manager Yoann Damet’s side went through a complete rebuild in the summer, with Carlo Holse and Navarro replacing Marcel Hartel and Eduard Löwen, the new core has hit full stride without any hiccups. This week, a draw against the Portland Timbers and a win against Minnesota United pushed St. Louis up to fifth in the Western Conference.

8. Charlotte FC (Previous: 8) 🤝

Allan Saint-Maximin, Charlotte FC — Allan Saint-Maximin has continued to provide an attacking energy for Charlotte FC. | Jeff Dean/MLS/Getty Images

Allan Saint-Maximin has changed how Charlotte FC approach games, with the bravery to attack half-spaces and shift into more central playmaking roles. At the same time, he has allowed Pep Biel and Liel Abada to adapt into more balanced attacking roles, which led to a 2–1 win over CF Montréal and a rather disappointing 3–3 draw with an FC Cincinnati side they were better than for most of the match.

Unfortunately, Charlotte’s path forward could get harder. Abada exited the draw with Cincinnati with an injury, and Saint-Maximin’s impact wasn’t as noticeable through the second half. They’ll hope Abada can come back as soon as possible, with next week’s clash against D.C. United offering them a chance to punch into the Eastern Conference’s top three.

7. FC Dallas (Previous: 8) ⬆️

FC Dallas’ identity has entirely shifted post-World Cup, as Croatian attacker Petar Musa is no longer their sole attacking threat. Logan Farrington, Kaick Ferreira and Santiago Moreno showed their game-changing abilities in a pair of 2–1 wins this week against Minnesota United and the Portland Timbers.

With the wins, Dallas were the only team in the West to win all three of their games in the last eight days, and they could be set to rocket up the standings even beyond their current third place in the Western Conference. After playing no home games between May and last weekend’s win over Sporting Kansas City, they now look toward a schedule in more familiar terrain.

6. Houston Dynamo (Previous: 5) 📉

Guilherme isn’t scoring at the same pace as he was early in the season. | Trinity Machan/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

The Houston Dynamo seem to be missing Jack McGlynn. On the weekend their former attacker scored his first overseas goal for Stoke City in the EFL Championship, the club suffered a 1–0 clean-sheet loss to the San Jose Earthquakes.

As brilliant as MLS Newcomer of the Year favorite Guilherme has been, he has cooled off in recent weeks, with his goal and assist against Real Salt Lake midweek as his only contributions in the last six games, while the Dynamo’s attack has struggled in general to create chances.

After getting picked apart in the loss to San Jose, the Dynamo’s five-game, clean-sheet win streak from last month feels like a distant memory. They’ll try to rekindle their defensive form and chance creation next week against FC Cincinnati.

5. Chicago Fire (Previous: 4) 📉

Robert Lewandowski, New England Revolution — Robert Lewandowski was unable to find the back of the net in a critical clash against the New England Revolution. | Geoff Stellfox/MLS/Getty Images

It was a “prove it” week for the Chicago Fire. If they had come away with wins against Inter Miami and the New England Revolution, then they would be a clear MLS Cup contender. Right now, though, with a dramatic 1–1 draw against Miami and a 2–1 loss to the Revs, plenty of questions remain about manager Gregg Berhalter’s outlook for the group.

The decision to bring in Robert Lewandowski and sell Hugo Cuypers at the striker position continues to loom over every game. Lewandowski doesn’t contribute as much as Cuypers in pressing or defensive efforts but has a similar goal rate with six goals in eight games. That shift has changed how Chicago generates chances.

Looking ahead, it’s a scary road for the Fire. Next week, it’s a battle with the Supporters’ Shield-leading Nashville SC, then a duel with Charlotte FC, followed by a clash with the currently Western Conference-leading Vancouver Whitecaps. In the next few weeks, it will become clear how good the Fire truly are.

4. Inter Miami (Previous: 2)📉

Lionel Messi, Inter Miami — Lionel Messi’s efforts aren’t enough for Inter Miami anymore. | Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

It’s a disastrous time for Inter Miami. A 1–1 draw against Chicago Fire and a 2–2 draw against Nashville SC sent them to third in the league table and keep them nine points behind the Supporters’ Shield lead with nine games to go.

While Lionel Messi’s ability to dominate a game remains exceptional, Miami have collectively lost the winning edge that defined them through many stints of the Messi era thus far. It’s evident that frustrations have caught on as well, with Messi in tears after Nashville’s late-tying goal and Rodrigo De Paul sparking a fight with Lewandowski in the Chicago game.

Miami have already pulled the coaching change card but have yet to get Kily González on the touchline as he awaits U.S. work permits, leaving the Herons to struggle with interim manager Guillermo Hoyos at the helm. It’s nine games across all competitions without a win now, and there’s no clear pathway out of the rut, other than Messi. Can Miami figure this one out in time for the playoffs?

3. New England Revolution (Previous: 6) ⬆️

Dor Turgeman, New England Revolution — Dor Turgeman pushed the New England Revolution to a pivotal win over the Chicago Fire. | Zoe Davis/Getty Images

The New England Revolution were unlucky to fall 2–1 to the L.A. Galaxy last weekend, but their Eastern Conference tour de force pushed them back to form with vital 2–1 wins over New York City FC and the Chicago Fire this week. With those victories, they’re up to fourth in the Supporters’ Shield and third in the Eastern Conference, while making winning look relatively easy.

Against NYCFC, Dániel Gazdag netted a winner in second-half stoppage time, and his approach to the game looks reenergized compared to the year he spent with the Columbus Crew before the recent move. His addition emphasizes how deep and multifaceted New England’s attack can be, allowing Carles Gil to drift into central spaces, while Gazdag and Jack Harrison wreak havoc out wide.

Combine the attacking restructure with the outstanding form of Matt Turner—who made 11 saves this week—and there’s plenty of reason for the Revolution to be dreaming of a long playoff run in manager Marko Mitrović’s first season.

2. Vancouver Whitecaps (Previous: 3) ⬆️

Brian White, Vancouver Whitecaps — Brian White scored three goals across Vancouver’s two games this week. | Rich Lam/Getty Images

The Vancouver Whitecaps had a mixed week. On Wednesday, a full-strength lineup thrashed the L.A. Galaxy 3–0, with Bruno Caicedo’s penalty earning plenty of attention for counting as a goal without actually hitting the net or post. Then Sunday, they fell 2–1 to Austin FC, despite dominating the shots 20 to four.

While the Whitecaps remain the best team in the Western Conference, they haven’t been able to fully separate from the pack, and they’ve struggled to win consistently and finish chances with ease.

With that inconsistency, it’s difficult to pinpoint where the team stands in MLS Cup playoff hopes. At their best, they’re good enough to win the whole thing, but keeping consistent form through the remainder of the regular season and into the playoffs could prove a mighty challenge.

In addition to the inconsistencies, Thomas Müller could be out for a while. He missed the match against Austin with a quad issue after leaving the Galaxy clash in the first half.

1. Nashville SC (Previous: 1) 🤝

Sam Surridge, Nashville SC — Sam Surridge ensured Nashville SC didn’t lose any ground in the race for the Supporters’ Shield. | Michael Pimentel/ISI Photos/Getty Images

Nashville SC picked up just a single point from a possible six this week. Yet, the dramatic 91st-minute goal from Sam Surridge to secure a 2–2 draw against Inter Miami in the weekend’s headline fixture saved an otherwise awkward week—and their place atop these MLS Power Rankings.

Midweek, Nashville were gifted an own goal from a ghastly Toronto FC defensive error, but went on to lose 2–1, marking just their fourth loss of the season. It didn’t rock them too much, though, as manager B.J. Callaghan’s group quickly rebounded, ensuring they wouldn’t lose a massive lead in the Supporters’ Shield race. They ended the weekend with an eight-point buffer over second-place Vancouver Whitecaps.

While Surridge was the key difference-maker against Miami, concern is growing about the depth of Nashville’s attack outside of Surridge, Hany Mukhtar, Cristian Espinoza and Elias Saad, whom they may be over-reliant on. Whether Nashville ever run into a situation where a supporting cast is truly called upon remains the sticking point.

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