The 2019 USL Championship Power Rankings are compiled each week by staff writers John Arlia and Nicholas Murray. Check back every Monday during the regular season to see who’s hot, and who’s not, as the biggest season in the league’s history progresses.
Rank |
Team |
Change |
Summary |
|
1 | Phoenix Rising FC (16-2-5) Week 24: W, 4-2 RNO Week 25: SAC |
Last Week: 1 |
Another $1 Beer Night, another victory. Rising FC outlasted Reno to claim its 14th straight victory and extend its perfect record to 13-0-0 on $1 Beer Nights at Casino Arizona Field. | |
2 | Nashville SC (13-5-6) Week 24: W, 3-1 @CLT Week 25: NY, CHS |
1 Last Week: 3 |
Nashville’s shutout streak ended at 489 minutes but a brace from Daniel Rios ensured NSC’s unbeaten streak reached six games. | |
3 | Fresno FC (12-3-8) Week 24: T, 1-1 SLC Week 25: COS |
1 Last Week: 4 |
Jaime Chavez has scored four goals over the past three games for the Foxes and is now tied for the team lead with seven tallies on the season. | |
4 | Tampa Bay Rowdies (13-3-7) Week 24: -- Week 25: @NC, MEM |
2 Last Week: 6 |
The Rowdies have had plenty of time to prepare for Wednesday’s trip to North Carolina, which handed Tampa Bay the first of its three losses back in June. | |
5 | North Carolina FC (12-5-7) Week 24: W, 5-0 PIT Week 25: TBR, @LOU |
3 Last Week: 8 |
North Carolina put a season-high five goals past Pittsburgh on Saturday and will try to carry that momentum into a busy week that sees it host Tampa Bay and visit Louisville. | |
6 | Indy Eleven (13-4-4) Week 24: W, 2-1 STL Week 25: CLT |
1 Last Week: 7 |
Tyler Pasher continues to deliver timely goals for the Eleven and may be flying under the radar when it comes to league-wide recognition. He’s been the top player on a top team. | |
7 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (11-4-8) Week 24: W, 2-1 @NY, L, 0-5 @NC Week 25: LDN |
2 Last Week: 5 |
The Hounds earned a massive away victory against the Red Bulls II in midweek but saw their five-game winning streak snapped in a five-goal defeat to North Carolina. | |
8 | New York Red Bulls II (14-5-5) Week 24: L, 1-2 PIT Week 25: @NSH, @SPR |
6 Last Week: 2 |
Despite its loss to Pittsburgh, New York enters this week atop the Eastern Conference and will look to get back on track as it opens a three-game road trip in Nashville. | |
9 | Birmingham Legion FC (8-10-5) Week 24: W, 1-0 MEM Week 25: @BST |
1 Last Week: 10 |
Legion FC’s current 555-minute shutout streak is the sixth-longest in league history and has put Birmingham in good position to fight for a playoff spot. | |
10 | Real Monarchs SLC (10-7-5) Week 24: T, 1-1 @FRS Week 25: @OC |
2 Last Week: 12 |
Douglas Martinez’s return was a welcome one for the Monarchs, who nicked a point in Fresno to extend their unbeaten run to three games. | |
11 | Reno 1868 FC (13-7-5) Week 24: L, 2-4 @PHX Week 25: -- |
2 Last Week: 9 |
1868 FC gave Phoenix all it could handle on Friday night but enters this week nine points behind the conference leader despite having played two additional games. | |
12 | Louisville City FC (11-7-6) Week 24: W, 2-1 @CHS Week 25: NC |
1 Last Week: 13 |
Louisville brings a three-game winning streak into a pivotal stretch of the season where it will play North Carolina, Indy and Pittsburgh over the next three weeks. | |
13 | Ottawa Fury FC (9-4-9) Week 24: W, 3-1 @LDN Week 25: STL |
1 Last Week: 14 |
Fury FC finally found the back of the net as it looked impressive after falling behind early to Loudoun, ending its four-game goal drought and winless run in all competitions in one fell swoop. | |
14 | Austin Bold FC (10-8-6) Week 24: W, 5-1 TUL Week 25: @OKC |
3 Last Week: 17 |
Austin has scored 26 of its 35 goals this season at Bold Stadium, with five of those tallies coming in Saturday’s win over Tulsa. That’s some fine home cooking. | |
15 | San Antonio FC (8-9-7) Week 24: T, 2-2 RGV Week 25: NM |
4 Last Week: 11 |
San Antonio had a two-goal lead and a man advantage heading into halftime against RGVFC on Saturday. Not taking three points from that situation could be a big regret. | |
16 | New Mexico United (8-6-10) Week 24: T, 2-2 LA Week 25: @SA |
1 Last Week: 15 |
United came back twice to earn a home point against Los Dos but now has more draws (5) than wins (4) at Isotopes Park this season. | |
17 | LA Galaxy II (8-8-9) Week 24: T, 2-2 @NM Week 25: -- |
1 Last Week: 16 |
The Galaxy II are 4-0-2 over their last six road games but will need to start getting results at Dignity Health Sports Park to reach the postseason. | |
18 | Sacramento Republic FC (10-9-4) Week 24: W, 4-0 COS Week 25: @PHX |
2 Last Week: 20 |
Welcome back to the Western Conference, Thomas Enevoldsen. | |
19 | El Paso Locomotive FC (8-7-8) Week 24: W, 2-0 TAC Week 25: @RGV |
Last Week: 19 |
Edson Partida’s game-winning bicycle kick was just the moment El Paso needed for its community and its playoff chances. | |
20 | Charleston Battery (7-6-9) Week 24: W, 2-1 @LDN, L, 1-2 LOU Week 25: @NSH |
2 Last Week: 18 |
The Battery are closer to the playoff line than the top six and face a tough trip to Nashville this coming weekend. | |
21 | OKC Energy FC (8-8-9) Week 24: W, 4-2 @POR Week 25: AUS |
4 Last Week: 25 |
Christian Eissele’s two-goal outing engineered an impressive fightback from Energy FC on Friday night in Portland as OKC gave its playoff chances a shot in the arm. | |
22 | Orange County SC (7-8-9) Week 24: W, 3-0 LV Week 25: SLC |
4 Last Week: 26 |
Orange County’s first shutout victory since April 10 couldn’t have come at a better time as it bounced back from a disappointing defeat to Tacoma, but now it must build on that win. | |
23 | Saint Louis FC (6-8-8) Week 24: L, 1-2 @IND Week 25: @OTT |
2 Last Week: 21 |
Saint Louis is winless in its last four games and now has just a 50-percent chance of reaching the postseason, according to fivethirtyeight.com. Coin flip. | |
24 | Portland Timbers 2 (8-8-8) Week 24: L, 2-4 OKC Week 25: @LV |
Last Week: 24 |
Portland has a 4-4-4 record at home this season and is 4-4-4 on the road. If that’s not balance, I don’t know what is. | |
25 | Charlotte Independence (5-10-10) Week 24: L, 1-3 NSH Week 25: @IND |
3 Last Week: 22 |
A third loss in four games isn’t helping the Independence’s already slim playoff hopes. Sunday’s trip to Indy probably won’t help either. | |
26 | Loudoun United FC (5-11-5) Week 24: L, 1-2 CHS, L, 1-3 OTT Week 25: @PIT |
3 Last Week: 23 |
Loudoun has yet to christen its new home of Segra Field with its first win and United will have to wait at least a week to do so as it heads to Pittsburgh on Friday. | |
27 | Rio Grande Valley FC (6-11-7) Week 24: T, 2-2 @SA Week 25: ELP |
3 Last Week: 30 |
Rio Grande Valley showed a lot of guts to earn a point in San Antonio after being two goals and a man down at halftime, but the Toros need wins to get back in the playoff hunt. | |
28 | Memphis 901 FC (4-12-7) Week 24: L, 0-1 @BHM Week 25: @TBR |
1 Last Week: 29 |
901 FC’s struggles in front of goal continued Saturday in Birmingham as the side has now failed to score in 11 of 23 games this season. | |
29 | Las Vegas Lights FC (7-10-6) Week 24: L, 0-3 @OC Week 25: POR |
2 Last Week: 27 |
Lights FC has been shown five red cards over its past five games and now sits tied with Louisville for the most sending offs in the league this season (6). | |
30 | Tacoma Defiance (4-14-5) Week 24: L, 0-2 @ELP Week 25: -- |
2 Last Week: 28 |
Tacoma just can’t seem to find that elusive first road victory of the season as it suffered its ninth away defeat in 12 tries. | |
31 | Hartford Athletic (4-17-4) Week 24: -- Week 25: ATL |
Last Week: 31 |
A 5-1 friendly victory over the Puerto Rico National Team should give the Athletic some confidence heading into the final stretch of the season. | |
32 | Atlanta United 2 (5-13-5) Week 24: W, 2-1 SPR Week 25: @HFD |
1 Last Week: 33 |
Atlanta is unbeaten in its last three games at Fifth Third Bank Stadium (2-0-1) and will open a three-game homestand after Saturday’s trip to Hartford. | |
33 | Bethlehem Steel FC (6-12-5) Week 24: -- Week 25: BHM |
1 Last Week: 32 |
Steel FC has been held scoreless over its past three games and is the only Championship club without a goal in the month of August. That won’t come easily against Birmingham. | |
34 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (6-15-4) Week 24: L, 0-4 @SAC Week 25: @FRS |
Last Week: 34 |
The Switchbacks have lost nine of their 12 road games this season (1-9-2) and are tied for the second-worst goal differential away from home in the league (-22). | |
35 | Tulsa Roughnecks FC (4-13-7) Week 24: L, 1-5 @AUS Week 25: -- |
Last Week: 35 |
The Roughnecks have lost 10 of their last 12 games and haven’t recorded a win since April 24. The playoff hopes held at the start of the season have evaporated. | |
36 | Swope Park Rangers (3-13-6) Week 24: L, 1-2 @ATL Week 25: NY |
Last Week: 36 |
The Rangers have lost four straight games and probably aren’t looking forward to New York’s visit on Saturday after allowing three goals and 15 shots on target in their first meeting of the season. |
Tag(s): Nashville SC Power Rankings San Antonio FC CO Spring Switchbacks LA Galaxy II OKC Energy FC Orange County SC Phoenix Rising FC Portland Timbers 2 Real Monarchs SLC Reno 1868 FC Rio Grande Valley FC Sacramento Republic FC Swope Park Rangers FC Tulsa Philadelphia Union II Charleston Battery Charlotte Independence Louisville City FC New York Red Bulls II Ottawa Fury FC Pittsburgh Riverhounds Saint Louis FC Tampa Bay Rowdies Fresno FC Las Vegas Lights FC Birmingham Legion FC Austin Bold FC Atlanta United 2 North Carolina FC Indy Eleven Memphis 901 FC El Paso Locomotive FC New Mexico United Loudoun United FC Hartford Athletic Tacoma Defiance