WSL Power Rankings: Chelsea slow out the gates despite Lauren James' performance, Tottenham rise

WSL opening weekend offered plenty of shifts in the rankings Sep 9, 2026 at 2:47 pm ET • 4 min read Opening weekend of the Barclays Women's Super League didn't disappoint. There were some expected results with some pleasant surprises sprinkled throughout, so that means it's time to roll out the power rankings. Following each matchweek, I'll rank teams based on general performances, or lack thereof. Sometimes a blowout win by a reigning champion over a newly promoted side might not move me as much as a hard-fought draw by a lower-table team over a perennial contender, so congrats to Aston Villa. CBS Sports is the home of the Barclays Women's Super League, and fans can watch all the latest games. 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 additionally air one match per week, with select fixtures also broadcast on CBS Sports Golazo Network.The latest rankings offer a chance to comment on results, performances, and questions heading into matchweek two. Make sure to check back as the season progresses and keep up with all the matches across CBS Sports platforms. If you want to keep up with all the changes, be sure to check out my previous power rankings. The first matchweek offered plenty of glimpses into how some teams will navigate the season, while others still haven't quite established their identity. It's not just newly promoted Birmingham City or Charlton Athletic that have work to do; it's also longer-established clubs -- sorry to Chelsea FC.London City Lionesses kicked off their campaign with a win against Manchester United, and despite all the flashy offseason signings, it came down to previously rostered players who made the difference. Still, it felt like the first true power shift in the league. Despite third and fourth-place finishes in the previous two seasons, it could be a slow but steady decline for Manchester United moving forward, while the future looks bright for London City. Now onto the latest rankings:1. Manchester CityLooks like last year's league champions are picking up right where they left off. Bunny Shaw is already establishing the Golden Boot race with two goals, and Mary Fowler could be setting up a comeback season after scoring following her return from an ACL injury in February. 2. ArsenalWatch out for Lisa Baum, who already scored in her debut for Arsenal after her near $700,000 transfer to the club. The 19-year-old's promising start could be a strong omen for the club.3. Chelsea FCA positive sign for the Blues is that Lauren James is back on the scoresheet to start the season. A less positive sign is defender Veerle Buurman also there following an own goal. Overall, it was not a convincing start to the year. 4. London City LionessesAn own goal forced by Alana Kennedy was truly not what anyone predicted for London City's first tally of the year, but maybe that unpredictability will keep folks tuning in. Delphine Cascarino and Danielle van de Donk's goal combination already has us wanting more.5. Tottenham HotspurA great opening weekend for Tottenham and an even better start for Kirsty Hanson. The Scottish international scored two goals and if she and Signe Gaupset keep finding one another on the pitch, then Spurs could finally be more than a spoiler.6. Manchester UnitedManager Eva Olid got her official welcome-to-the-league moment with a loss to a "newer" team in London City. But the bigger concern could be the defensive shape. Typically a staple for United teams of the past, it looked shaky, and it's hard to gauge the team's identity in this new era after one game. 7. LiverpoolOkay, sure, Liverpool racked up goals against a newly promoted side, but you can only rate the performance in front of you, and a team that handles business is alright with me. A good debut and goal for Vivien Endemann following her leap from Wolfsburg to WSL.8. Brighton & Hove AlbionThe season is only one game old, but if the measuring stick is to see how a club holds up against other top teams, a loss is still a loss no matter how narrow it is. Despite good efforts by Manuela Vargas and Kiko Seike, how manager Arturo Ruiz gets the team to bounce back will be crucial.9. EvertonGood teams find a way, but despite best efforts by Ruby Mace and Ornella Vignola, Everton just couldn't get the ball in the back of the net. Hopefully it's just an opening-week problem and not a season-long issue. 10. Aston VillaManager Natalia Arroyo made a change in the second half, and it paid off. Noelle Maritz's involvement higher up the pitch eventually led to an own goal because of the power behind her shot, and it gives Aston Villa some respect moving into week two.11. Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace are making the most of their recent promotion. Lexi Lloyd-Smith's breakaway finish was clinical, and big efforts by goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin could make future games difficult for "middle" tier teams. 12. West Ham UnitedFiguring out how to get into games quicker will be the biggest task for manager Rita Guarino and the squad. A consolation goal manufactured by Saki Kumagai and finished by Viviane Asseyi just won't be enough. 13. Birmingham CityIn a truly welcome-to-the-league moment, Birmingham got a taste of what it's like to go up against the champions. A silver lining is Oceane Hurtre and her "leaving here with something" efforts. 14. Charlton AthleticSometimes you have to get that first game after promotion out of the way, and that has to be Charlton's attitude moving forward. Going to be a long season.