What a summer in MLS.
LA teams signed world-renowned stars, multiple fan bases were dissatisfied with their team’s transfer activity, and everyone is already talking about players who haven’t played a minute as elite contributors. It was truly a summer unlike any other.
The Power Rankings are voted on by around 20 MLS writers, editors and personalities and are not solely the fault of the column’s author. The 2024 Power Rankings Committee regrets the errors and really tried to rank your team higher (they promise).
Before breaking for the MLS All-Star Game presented by Target and Leagues Cup, Columbus were the best team in MLS. Now that we’re back, they’re still the best team in the league and are on the verge of their second major trophy in the last calendar year. And this time, they get to enjoy the comforts of home instead of visiting Pachuca.
Regardless of what happens against LAFC in Sunday’s Leagues Cup final, they’ve played in every game possible since the end of last year’s Leagues Cup. We’re watching an all-time great run right now. It wouldn’t be a shock to see them pick up another trophy or two this year.
Leagues Cup: Final | Next: 8/25 vs. LAFC
Olivier Giroud is in and, reportedly, Cristian Olivera might be out. It’s never boring at LAFC.
Meanwhile, they’ve been cruising through Leagues Cup and have an MLS Cup rematch waiting for them on Sunday. However, the aggregate score from their last two meetings against Columbus is 7-2 in favor of Columbus.
If they want to bring home a trophy, LAFC will need to work through some issues against a side they don’t match up well against and work through some personal demons in finals. Otherwise, they’ll be looking at a third-straight final where they’ve come up short.
Leagues Cup: Final | Next: 8/25 at CLB
Leagues Cup didn’t end how they wanted, but Cincy can take solace in bolstering two areas of need during the summer window. Signing center back Chidozie Awaziem to help with their injury crisis and new DP forward Nicholas Gioacchini to help with their Aaron Boupendza-sized hole makes them better than they were the last time we did the Power Rankings. We’ll have to wait and see if it makes Cincy good enough to win a trophy.
Leagues Cup: Round of 16 | Next: 8/24 at MIA
Inter Miami's Leagues Cup run ended against Columbus with a 3-2 loss that saw them blow a 2-0 lead late in the second half. That’s a tough way to go down, but at least it unfolded without new center back David Martínez on the pitch.
There’s reason to believe Martínez can solve some of the defensive/build-out issues. If Miami have their guy, they have the Supporters’ Shield locked up. If he’s shaky, Miami might drift back to the pack over these final nine games.
This seems important, too:
Leagues Cup: Round of 16 | Next: 8/24 vs. CIN
Marco Reus is one of the most superfluous signings in MLS history.
It’s great for those of us who enjoy the Galaxy putting up four goals a game, but also worrying for those concerned about the Galaxy spending resources on their areas of need. Either way, you have to respect that LA have decided to find out how fast this car can go even with some concerns about the steering.
This final stretch will be fun. Will "fun" be enough to hold off LAFC for the top spot in the West?
Leagues Cup: Round of 32 | Next: 8/24 vs. ATL
We step away for a month and RSL return with a completely reworked attack.
Andrés Goméz is gone to Ligue 1 after a breakout year that saw him put up 13 goals and nine assists across 22 starts. Now, Chicho Arango will have to get help in attack from new DP No. 10 Diogo Gonçalves and new U22 winger Dominik Marczuk.
It’s going to take outstanding performances to replace Goméz, but there’s at least a chance RSL got better here. They’re going to be a fascinating watch.
Leagues Cup: Group Stage | Next: 8/24 vs. SJ
The Rapids couldn’t quite stick the landing on their all-time excellent Leagues Cup run aka their "LIGA MX John Wick" act, but they still have a Third Place Match on Sunday with a Concacaf Champions Cup spot on the line. Any tournament where you can eliminate four consecutive LIGA MX sides – including Toluca and Club América – and play for a CCC spot is an unmitigated success.
It’s fair to wonder how they’ll fair after this deep run, especially with Moïse Bombito getting a club-record transfer to Ligue 1. For now, there’s really only one thing to say:
Leagues Cup: Third Place Match | Next: 8/25 at PHI
The Sounders have 10 wins and just one loss in their last 12 games against non-LAFC competition. Against LAFC competition, they’ve lost back-to-back games by 3-0 scorelines.
It’s tough to know what to make of that stretch for Seattle, who have seemingly turned a corner as long as they don’t have to face LAFC (or Necaxa). It’s not that they haven’t beaten good teams – they eliminated Pumas and the Galaxy in style during Leagues Cup – but it is probably telling that they couldn't keep up with LAFC when it mattered.
Seattle are still good. They’re also still a step below the best of the best. That might make an empty summer window hard to swallow for Sounders fans, but it could be worse? And maybe, just maybe, one day, we could see Pedro de la Vega get consistent minutes. Maybe?
Leagues Cup: Quarterfinals | Next: 8/24 at MIN
New York City FC’s Leagues Cup run ended in Columbus on penalties. That’s a valiant result for a team that still has plenty of room to grow.
From here on out, they’ll be in a brawl for the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference. If they can keep trending upward, their ceiling probably has them taking that spot and giving whoever’s at the top of the East a nightmare game in Round One of the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
Leagues Cup: Quarterfinals | Next: 8/24 vs. CHI
Well, they didn’t bring in the DP No. 9 fans were hoping for, but they did sign DP midfielder Felipe Carballo on a year-long loan from Grêmio. The move should more than make up for the loss of Frankie Amaya. Is that enough to make New York a contender, though? Is it even enough to hold off NYCFC and Charlotte for the fourth spot in the East?
Leagues Cup: Group Stage | Next: 8/24 at CLT
Charlotte came achingly close to an earth-shaking transfer window. However, their move for Feyenoord No. 10 Calvin Stengs fell apart at the last minute, and their efforts to bring in Miguel Almirón and Giovani Lo Celso never got as far.
Instead, Charlotte ended up with No. 10 Pep Biel on loan from Olympiacos for the rest of the year. Biel could be a superstar, but Charlotte fans are right to be left wanting more. The good news is Biel isn’t the only big move Charlotte made. They solidified an already elite defense by bringing in USMNT center back Tim Ream from Fulham.
This was nearly an A-tier transfer window. By the time we reach the postseason, they could become a genuine contender anyways.
Leagues Cup: Group Stage | Next: 8/24 vs. RBNY
Now, they’ve had a second to dust themselves off and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them push for the fourth spot in the West. They have a ton of firepower and generally trended upward over the last few months.
Leagues Cup: Round of 32 | Next: 8/24 vs. STL
You have to love when a team doesn't overthink things. Houston needed help in attack. So, they spent their summer bringing in DP forward Ezequiel Ponce alongside U22 attackers Lawrence Ennali and Exon Arzú. If any of these three hit (especially Ponce) Houston will end up as of the most dangerous sides in the Western Conference.
Leagues Cup: Round of 32 | Next: 8/24 vs. TOR
The Whitecaps stayed largely quiet during the summer transfer window and Leagues Cup. They're still a piece short of being so much more.
Leagues Cup: Round of 32 | Next: 8/27 vs. PAC
Philadelphia jumped 13 spots in the Power Rankings after reaching the Leagues Cup semifinals. They can win their second straight Third Place Match on Sunday (hang the banner?) and earn their fourth Concacaf Champions Cup appearance in five years. It’s largely thanks to Tai Baribo, who’s scored five times in five Leagues Cup games, and Andre Blake again doing Andre Blake things.
It’s been a much-needed stretch for Philly in a tough year, and maybe they've turned the corner.
Also, José Martínez is the latest departure from a team that’s hitting the soft reboot button. I’ll miss him dearly.
Leagues Cup: Third Place Match | Next: 8/25 vs. COL
Not much is new with Orlando. But they at least signed Duncan McGuire to a long-term deal. It may not actually end up being all that long-term, but it makes transfer interest in McGuire from other teams a little less stressful.
Leagues Cup: Round of 32 | Next: 8/24 at SKC
Minnesota started the year red-hot, only to fade into the background during a miserable June. They’ve since collected themselves and added five new players, including DP forward Kelvin Yeboah and DP midfielder Joaquín Pereyra. It will be up to them to drag the Loons out of a Wild Card spot.
Leagues Cup: Group Stage | Next: 8/24 vs. SEA
We’ll get a full look at new DP winger Osman Bukari over this final nine-game stretch. Austin have their fingers crossed that he can lead them to a playoff spot. They’re only two points behind Minnesota.
Leagues Cup: Round of 32 | Next: 8/24 at NSH
Nothing all that major to report for Toronto. They’re still sitting eighth in the Eastern Conference despite a -13 goal differential. Holding off the rest of the conference will take a heckuva effort down the stretch.
Leagues Cup: Round of 32 | Next: 8/24 at HOU
Dallas are only three points out of a playoff spot and added several new pieces in midfielder Manuel Cafumana and right back Ruan. Maybe that will push them over the line.
Also, getting Alan Velasco back after last year's ACL tear is massive:
Leagues Cup: Group Stage | Next: 8/24 at DC
Atlanta United entered the summer window with an extra $50 million (or thereabouts) to spend. They used some of it on DP No. 10 Alexey Miranchuk from Atalanta and then… nothing. Making a panic buy would have been worse than nothing, but nothing still feels bad.
Atlanta have a ton of work to do over the next few months while they look to add two new DPs, two new U22s and a new head coach, among other things.
Leagues Cup: Group Stage | Next: 8/24 at LA
Other than a weird public dust-up between Laurent Courtois and Josef Martínez, it's been relatively quiet for Montréal. That is, aside from some very MLS moves.
They traded Ruan to Dallas and brought in Caden Clark and Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty as young, high-upside pieces. They also signed defenders Tom Pearce and Dawid Bugaj.
Leagues Cup: Round of 32 | Next: 8/24 vs. NE
The B.J. Callaghan era is officially underway. The first reinforcement Nashville brought in for him is Australian midfielder Patrick Yazbek. It’s been quiet otherwise.
Leagues Cup: Group Stage | Next: 8/24 vs. ATX
D.C. United got out of their Leagues Cup group, but went down embarrassingly to Mazatlán in the Round of 32. It’s been a tough year.
Leagues Cup: Round of 32 | Next: 8/24 vs. DAL
St. Louis hit the refresh button on their first-ever roster and seem to be moving in the right direction.
Yeah, it probably would have been better to have tried this heading into year two instead of during it. But things are trending up with the arrivals of DP midfielder Marcel Hartel, center back Henry Kessler and more.
The rest of the year is about getting better and preparing for what’s hopefully another progress-oriented offseason.
Leagues Cup: Round of 16 | Next: 8/24 at POR
The Revs are kinda in rebuild mode, huh?
Henry Kessler and DeJuan Jones are gone. Tim Parker and new U22 forward Luca Langoni are in, as is Nigerian international midfielder Alhassan Yusuf. They gave Boca Juniors a reported club-record $7 million transfer fee for Langoni, so expectations are high. But he’s probably not ready to save this team’s season. Not yet.
Leagues Cup: Round of 32 | Next: 8/24 at MTL
Sporting KC stayed quiet during the transfer window. They have a big US Open Cup semifinal meeting with Indy Eleven waiting for them on Tuesday.
Leagues Cup: Round of 32 | Next: 8/24 vs. ORL
Xherdan Shaqiri is officially gone. They’ll have a new sporting director by winter. And they’re only three points out of a playoff spot. I don’t know why they’re 28th when everything is coming up Chicago Fire FC.
Leagues Cup: Group Stage | Next: 8/24 at NYC
In a year like this, life is about finding joy in the little things. A solid run to the Leagues Cup Round of 16 is one of those little things.
Leagues Cup: Round of 16 | Next: 8/24 at RSL
