MLS NEXT February 2026 Power Rankings Deep Dive
February delivered real movement across the league. 8 new top-10 entrants, major surges from Inter Miami CF and South Florida Football Academy, and only one age group that changed leaders.
February delivered real movement across the league. The top of each age group mostly held, but the fight for top-10 spots was intense and constant from week to week.
Across U13-U19, there were 8 new top-10 entrants compared with the January baseline snapshots, and the average top-10 club shifted about 2-3 positions. Only one age group changed leaders, but nearly every group saw serious pressure from teams climbing into contention.
Movement Pulse: Overall Feel
- Most age groups had a stable No. 1, but not a stable top 10.
- Teams that paired strong scoring pace with lower goals allowed moved fastest.
- Clubs with good records but less defensive control were more likely to slide.
- The biggest top-10 surge came in U19: Inter Miami CF moved from #20 to #5.
This was a month where consistency mattered more than one big weekend. The clubs that stacked clean results over multiple matchdays separated themselves.
February Leaders Snapshot
| Age Group | #1 Team | Record | Goals For/Game | Goals Against/Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U13 | LA Galaxy | 18-2-1 | 5.10 | 1.57 |
| U14 | LA Galaxy | 20-0-0 | 4.90 | 0.45 |
| U15 | Cedar Stars Academy Bergen | 12-1-0 | 2.92 | 0.54 |
| U16 | Total Futbol Academy | 16-1-2 | 4.90 | 1.26 |
| U17 | ALBION SC San Diego | 20-0-0 | 2.70 | 0.85 |
| U19 | Orlando City SC | 18-3-0 | 3.10 | 0.86 |
U13: New Team at No. 1
U13 produced the biggest headline at the top. LA Galaxy moved into #1, while January leader Weston FC slid to #5 and Atlanta United climbed into #3. Inter Miami CF also surged to #2 with an unbeaten 13-1-0 profile.
How they got there: the front of the table stayed aggressive and efficient, with top teams turning high-volume scoring runs into clean results over multiple matchdays. This group felt less like one upset and more like sustained pressure from several contenders at once.
Key movement
- New #1: LA Galaxy (up from #3)
- Biggest top-10 rise: Strikers FC (#17 -> #10)
- New top-10 team: Strikers FC
- Out of top 10: Total Futbol Academy (#8 -> #11)
U14: No. 1 Holds, Chase Group Changes
U14 stayed anchored by LA Galaxy at #1, and they looked dominant doing it at 20-0-0. The biggest shift came right behind the leader, where Strikers FC jumped from #13 to #3 and San Jose Earthquakes climbed into the top 10.
How they got there: this group rewarded complete performances. The biggest climbers combined strong scoring rates with tighter defensive numbers over the month, while teams that started high but leaked chances slipped from the top tier.
Key movement
- Leader unchanged: LA Galaxy (#1)
- Biggest rise in range: Inter Miami CF (#30 -> #18)
- New top-10 teams: Strikers FC, San Jose Earthquakes
- Out of top 10: New York City FC, Total Futbol Academy
U15: Top Three Stay Strong, Middle Tier Reorders
U15 was the most stable at the very top. Cedar Stars Academy Bergen held #1, with City SC San Diego and Barca Residency Academy still in the top three.
How they got there: the leading teams continued to collect points while keeping goals against low, which preserved their edge. Most of the volatility happened from roughly #5 through #20, where consistency swings led to meaningful rank changes.
Key movement
- Leader unchanged: Cedar Stars Academy Bergen (#1)
- Biggest rise in range: Athletum FC Academy (#22 -> #15)
- New top-10 team: ALBION SC Los Angeles
- Out of top 10: Weston FC
U16: Strongest Climbing Wave of Any Group
U16 kept Total Futbol Academy at #1, but this age group had one of the strongest upward pushes overall. South Florida Football Academy jumped from #35 to #12, while Phoenix Rising FC and De Anza Force both broke into the top 10.
How they got there: teams that turned close matches into full-point results rose quickly. U16 also rewarded clubs that maintained offensive output while reducing defensive volatility over several match windows.
Key movement
- Leader unchanged: Total Futbol Academy (#1)
- Biggest rise in range: South Florida Football Academy (#35 -> #12)
- New top-10 teams: Phoenix Rising FC, De Anza Force
- Out of top 10: Atlanta United, Strikers FC
U17: Elite No. 1, Tight Race at the Cut Line
U17 remained led by ALBION SC San Diego, who held #1 with a perfect 20-0-0 profile. The bigger action happened around the top-10 cut line, where LA Galaxy climbed from #17 to #10 and Cedar Stars Academy Bergen dropped out.
How they got there: this age group rewarded teams that maintained momentum across multiple rounds rather than single spikes. Seattle Sounders FC's rise to #3 and LA Galaxy's jump into the top 10 reflected that sustained push.
Key movement
- Leader unchanged: ALBION SC San Diego (#1)
- Biggest rise in range: LA Galaxy (#17 -> #10)
- New top-10 team: LA Galaxy
- Out of top 10: Cedar Stars Academy Bergen
U19: Contender Shuffle Behind a Stable No. 1
U19 stayed led by Orlando City SC at #1, but the contender order changed in a big way. Inter Miami CF surged from #20 to #5 and entered the top 10, while Columbus Crew moved out.
How they got there: this was the clearest example of sustained form creating fast movement. Clubs that consistently paired chance creation with defensive control climbed quickly, while teams with mixed month-to-month outputs lost ground.
Key movement
- Leader unchanged: Orlando City SC (#1)
- Biggest rise in range: ALBION SC Los Angeles (#44 -> #22)
- New top-10 team: Inter Miami CF
- Out of top 10: Columbus Crew
Keep an Eye On: Teams Ranked #20–#45 With Momentum
These are the clubs outside the top 10 that are stacking results and could make a real push in the next update window:
- U14 Weston FC (#20, 12-5-3): Up from #28 and now back on the edge of the top tier after a strong run of results.
- U14 Athletum FC Academy (#24, 11-4-3): One of the better climbing profiles in this range and still trending upward.
- U13 Los Angeles Football Club (#24, 12-2-5): Quietly improved from #32 and has the record base to keep climbing.
- U16 Houston Dynamo FC (#26, 10-1-4): Moved up from #33 and has been difficult to beat over the last stretch.
- U19 ALBION SC Los Angeles (#22, 11-4-4): Major jump from #44 and one of the strongest momentum teams in the entire #20–#45 band.
- U19 Athletum FC Academy (#24, 10-4-3): Up from #45 with a steady winning profile that can translate into another move.
What February Told Us
February was not about random volatility. It was about pressure from below. The leaders mostly held, but the teams underneath kept forcing change across every table.
The biggest takeaway heading into March: expect another reshuffle around the top-10 line in every age group, especially where top-three gaps are still narrow and in-form clubs are still rising.
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