SOCCER · 9 hours ago

Worst Teams in MLS Right Now: Power Ranking Struggling Clubs

Joe Cervenka

Host · Writer

It's Your Turn! Who is the Worst Team in MLS?
Step into the Fan Zone: Who Turns It Around First?

We’ve laid out the 10 most struggling clubs across Major League Soccer, but soccer is unpredictable!

The Biggest Shock: Which former titan, Philadelphia Union or Columbus Crew, is most likely to salvage their season and crash the postseason?

The Defensive Crisis: Can Sporting KC (-26 GD) or Orlando City (44 GA) fix their backlines before the summer window closes?

The Wooden Spoon: Who finishes at the absolute bottom of the overall league table: Atlanta United or Sporting Kansas City?

Drop your hot takes, thoughts, and worst MLS team in the comments!
Ranking the Worst MLS Teams
Cold as Ice: Power Ranking the 10 Worst MLS Teams Right Now

While the top of the table is busy producing high-octane thrillers and Supporters' Shield clashes, somebody has to hold down the basement. The 2026 Major League Soccer season has been an absolute trial by fire for a handful of clubs plagued by leaky backlines, road-game nightmares, and scoring droughts that make 90 minutes feel like an eternity.

Whether it’s defensive meltdowns, tactical misfires, or former powerhouses falling completely off the cliff, these teams are searching for answers as the season slides away from them.

We audited match tape, defensive metrics, away records, and overall points-per-game output to rank the 10 coldest, most struggling teams in MLS right now. Grab a cold drink and brace yourself—here is the bottom tier of the league matrix.
10. Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew Overview
- Conference: Eastern Conference (11th)
- 2026 Record: 5-8-4 (19 PTS, 1.12 PPG)
- Goal Difference: -2 (24 GF / 26 GA)
Rounding out our list, the Crew find themselves in uncharacteristically cold territory. Known for tactical fluency and high-end chances under Wilfried Nancy's system, Columbus has hit a wall of finishing inefficiency. Sitting 11th in the East with just 1 win on the road (1-5-2), the Crew need a rapid spark to climb back into the playoff picture.
9. Orlando City SC
Orlando City SC Overview
- Conference: Eastern Conference (10th)
- 2026 Record: 6-9-2 (20 PTS, 1.18 PPG)
- Goal Difference: -16 (28 GF / 44 GA)
Orlando City features one of the most lopsided stat lines in MLS. Up front, Martín Ojeda has been an absolute star, pouring in 11 goals. However, at the back, Orlando is tied with Sporting KC for the most goals allowed in the entire league (44 GA). When your defense bleeds 2.5 goals per match, even an elite attacking effort isn't enough to secure results.
8. LA Galaxy
LA Galaxy Overview
- Conference: Western Conference (11th)
- 2026 Record: 5-7-6 (21 PTS, 1.17 PPG)
- Goal Difference: -5 (24 GF / 29 GA)
Despite boasting marquee star power like Marco Reus and Joseph Paintsil, the Galaxy have struggled to string together convincing performances. Sitting 11th out West with an uninspiring 2-4-3 home record at Dignity Health Sports Park, LA has frequently lacked the defensive composure needed to kill off games.
7. Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids Overview
- Conference: Western Conference (13th)
- 2026 Record: 6-10-1 (19 PTS, 1.12 PPG)
- Goal Difference: +1 (26 GF / 25 GA)
The Rapids present a bizarre statistical paradox. They actually hold a positive goal differential (+1) thanks to a couple of high-margin victories, yet they've still suffered 10 losses in 17 outings. Their feast-or-famine nature has led to major volatility—when the attack doesn't put up multi-goal games, Colorado frequently drops points late.
6. CF Montréal
CF Montréal Overview
- Conference: Eastern Conference (13th)
- 2026 Record: 4-10-3 (15 PTS, 0.88 PPG)
- Goal Difference: -11 (22 GF / 33 GA)
CF Montréal continues to struggle with consistency, racking up 10 losses in 17 matches. Despite Prince Owusu delivering strong individual moments with 9 goals up front, Montréal's porous transition defense (33 GA) and brutal away form (1-7-1) continue to derail any positive momentum they build at home.
5. Toronto FC
Toronto FC Overview
- Conference: Eastern Conference (12th)
- 2026 Record: 3-7-7 (16 PTS, 0.94 PPG)
- Goal Difference: -8 (23 GF / 31 GA)
Toronto FC has been caught in a cycle of frustrating stalemates, leading the league in draws with 7 ties clogged on their stat sheet. While they aren't getting blown out every weekend, turning potential wins into points split down the middle has kept TFC under the 1.00 PPG threshold. With only 3 victories across 17 matches, finding a killer instinct remains their biggest hurdle.
4. Philadelphia Union
Philadelphia Union Overview
- Conference: Eastern Conference (14th)
- 2026 Record: 3-10-4 (13 PTS, 0.76 PPG)
- Goal Difference: -9 (22 GF / 31 GA)
Seeing the Union anywhere near the bottom of the table feels completely foreign given their recent history of elite consistency, but 2025-26 has been unforgiving. Sitting 14th in the East with just 3 wins from 17 fixtures, Philadelphia's usually ironclad press has lost its bite. Even with Milan Iloski netting 9 goals, their 1-7-1 road record has kept them buried in the standings.
3. Austin FC
Austin FC Overview
- Conference: Western Conference (14th)
- 2026 Record: 4-8-5 (17 PTS, 1.00 PPG)
- Goal Difference: -13 (22 GF / 35 GA)
Austin FC's home support at Q2 Stadium remains world-class, but their away form has been an absolute disaster zone. Sitting winless on the road at 0-6-3, Verde & Black simply lose their structural integrity away from home. Having already shipped 35 goals, Austin's defensive setup leaves them constantly chasing games from behind.
2. Atlanta United FC
Atlanta United FC Overview
- Conference: Eastern Conference (15th)
- 2026 Record: 3-11-3 (12 PTS, 0.71 PPG)
- Goal Difference: -13 (17 GF / 30 GA)
The fall from grace in Mercedes-Benz Stadium has been tough to watch. Atlanta United holds the lowest points total (12) and PPG mark (0.71) in the entire league through 17 matches. Producing a league-low 17 goals, the Five Stripes have lacked sharp creative ideas in the final third, dropping 11 losses already and managing just a single win on the road (1-6-2).
1. Sporting Kansas City
Sporting Kansas City Overview
- Conference: Western Conference (15th)
- 2026 Record: 4-11-2 (14 PTS, 0.82 PPG)
- Goal Difference: -26 (18 GF / 44 GA)
Holding down the absolute bottom spot on our cold board, Sporting Kansas City is suffering through an absolute nightmare campaign. Conceding a jaw-dropping 44 goals in just 17 matches, SKC's backline has looked completely exposed week in and week out. With a league-worst -26 goal differential and only 18 goals scored all year, Kansas City simply cannot stem the tide when opposing attacks start flowing.
It's Your Turn! Who is the Worst Team in MLS?
Step into the Fan Zone: Who Turns It Around First?

We’ve laid out the 10 most struggling clubs across Major League Soccer, but soccer is unpredictable!

The Biggest Shock: Which former titan, Philadelphia Union or Columbus Crew, is most likely to salvage their season and crash the postseason?

The Defensive Crisis: Can Sporting KC (-26 GD) or Orlando City (44 GA) fix their backlines before the summer window closes?

The Wooden Spoon: Who finishes at the absolute bottom of the overall league table: Atlanta United or Sporting Kansas City?

Drop your hot takes, thoughts, and worst MLS team in the comments!
Ranking the Worst MLS Teams
Cold as Ice: Power Ranking the 10 Worst MLS Teams Right Now

While the top of the table is busy producing high-octane thrillers and Supporters' Shield clashes, somebody has to hold down the basement. The 2026 Major League Soccer season has been an absolute trial by fire for a handful of clubs plagued by leaky backlines, road-game nightmares, and scoring droughts that make 90 minutes feel like an eternity.

Whether it’s defensive meltdowns, tactical misfires, or former powerhouses falling completely off the cliff, these teams are searching for answers as the season slides away from them.

We audited match tape, defensive metrics, away records, and overall points-per-game output to rank the 10 coldest, most struggling teams in MLS right now. Grab a cold drink and brace yourself—here is the bottom tier of the league matrix.

Worst Teams in MLS Right Now: Power Ranking Struggling Clubs

Step into the Fan Zone: Who Turns It Around First?

Cold as Ice: Power Ranking the 10 Worst MLS Teams Right Now

Columbus Crew Overview

Orlando City SC Overview

LA Galaxy Overview

Colorado Rapids Overview

CF Montréal Overview

Toronto FC Overview

Philadelphia Union Overview

Austin FC Overview

Atlanta United FC Overview

Sporting Kansas City Overview

Step into the Fan Zone: Who Turns It Around First?

Cold as Ice: Power Ranking the 10 Worst MLS Teams Right Now

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