And so the regular season ends. There was much to play for on Decision Day; some teams did what they needed to; others not so much. Here then are the final Forge Power Rankings for 2025:
| Rank | Team | Previous | Change | Record | Last 5 | Forge Factor | Note | Next |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FC Tulsa | 5 | +4 | 16-5-9 | LWWTW | 19.375 | Tulsa looked every bit the conference champion, whipping Colorado Springs 3-0. It should have been worse; they had 11 shots on target. | v. Colorado Springs |
| 2 | The Miami FC | 8 | +6 | 8-16-6 | LWLWW | 18.990 | Miami closed out the season on a very high note, beating Sacramento 1-0 on the road. 3 wins in the last 4 was too little too late. | N/A |
| 3 | Louisville City | 3 | 0 | 22-1-7 | WWWTW | 17.542 | Lou City’s record-setting season ended at home with a 1-0 win over Hartford. Can they carry that through the playoffs unlike in recent years? | v. Detroit |
| 4 | Phoenix Rising | 7 | +3 | 9-8-13 | TLWWT | 17.198 | Phoenix could have grabbed a home playoff spot with a win but were toothless in a 0-0 draw in Pittsburgh. | @ El Paso |
| 5 | Orange County | 11 | +6 | 10-11-9 | TTTWW | 17.000 | In a battle of teams vying for playoff spots, Orange County came out on top, winning 2-1 over Indy in a fairly dominant game. good for 7th place. | @ Sacramento |
| 6 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 9 | +3 | 12-10-8 | WLWWT | 15.517 | 63.3% possession and 17 shots? An obvious blowout. Nope; a 0-0 draw with Phoenix. They luck out though and edge up to 4th. | v. Hartford |
| 7 | Rhode Island FC | 2 | -5 | 10-13-7 | LWWTL | 14.717 | Rhode Island lost to New Mexico United 1-2 despite having much of the attack. The loss didn’t harm them though as results elsewhere assured 7th place. | @ Charleston |
| 8 | New Mexico United | 10 | +2 | 14-10-6 | WWTTW | 13.732 | New Mexico were already locked into 3rd place and rested a few players, but still won 2-1 over Rhode Island. | v. San Antonio |
| 9 | Hartford Athletic | 4 | -5 | 13-12-5 | WWWLL | 13.702 | Hartford had the rough luck to close out the season in Louisville. They got pummeled with 23 shots but only lost 0-1. Even so, they lost a home playoff spot. | @ Pittsburgh |
| 10 | Charleston Battery | 1 | -9 | 19-6-5 | TWTLW | 12.590 | With nothing to gain the Battery rested starters in midweek, losing 0-1 in Sacramento, before warming up for the playoffs in a close 2-1 win over the Legion. | v. Rhode Island |
| 11 | Oakland Roots | 19 | +8 | 8-14-7 | LLTTW | 10.883 | The Roots ended 2024 with a 0-5 loss to the Legion. This year was no repeat: they end strong with a 3-0 win over Lexington. Even so, coach Benny Feihaber is out of a job. | N/A |
| 12 | Detroit City | 12 | 0 | 9-11-10 | LWLTT | 10.867 | Detroit limped into the playoffs in 8th place after a 1-1 draw in Tampa. Heading to Louisville is pretty much a consolation prize. | @ Louisville |
| 13 | Sacramento Republic | 16 | +3 | 13-8-8 | WLTWL | 10.317 | The midweek win over Charleston was enough to secure 2nd place. The season-ending 0-1 loss to Miami was a surprise. | v. Orange County |
| 14 | Birmingham Legion | 15 | +1 | 5-13-12 | TTWLL | 9.783 | The Legion scored early but couldn’t maintain the lead and after a red card the 1-2 loss in Charleston was inevitable. | N/A |
| 15 | El Paso Locomotive | 6 | -9 | 11-9-10 | WTWTL | 9.731 | The Locomotive did not need to prepare for the playoffs with a 2-5 loss in San Antonio. And they did not help matters with an own goal. Still 4th in the West though. | v. Phoenix |
| 16 | North Carolina FC | 21 | +5 | 13-11-6 | TLLTW | 7.858 | 12 shots is unusually high for North Carolina, but they needed them to beat Loudoun United 1-0. The win and the Pittsburgh draw pushed them up to 3rd. | v. Loudoun |
| 17 | Indy Eleven | 13 | -4 | 10-15-5 | WLLWL | 7.642 | Indy started the game with a chance at the playoffs. They couldn’t get it done. They fall 1-2 in Orange County and miss out on the postseason. | N/A |
| 18 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 14 | -4 | 9-14-7 | TWLWT | 6.908 | In Forrest Lasso’s swan song the Rowdies continued their late-season resurgence but could only manage an evenly played 1-1 draw with Detroit. | N/A |
| 19 | Loudoun United | 18 | -1 | 12-12-6 | TLWLL | 6.792 | Loudoun ended the season with 2 poor losses, this one 0-1 to North Carolina. 6th place is still their best-ever finish. | @ North Carolina |
| 20 | San Antonio | 24 | +4 | 11-12-7 | LLLLW | 6.317 | 9 shots total, 7 on target. The 5-2 humbling of El Paso was really efficient. The 4-game losing streak ends in grand style and just in time. | @ New Mexico |
| 21 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks | 17 | -4 | 10-13-7 | LWLWL | 3.067 | The Switchbacks had no shots on target in the 0-3 wipeout in Tulsa. Guess what? They have to do it all over again this week. | @ Tulsa |
| 22 | Las Vegas Lights | 23 | +1 | 6-15-9 | LLTLT | 2.357 | Las Vegas benefitted from a badly blown penalty by Monterey Bay and got a 1-1 draw. That was enough to give the Legion the league-wide wooden spoon. | N/A |
| 23 | Lexington SC | 20 | -3 | 9-12-9 | LLLTL | -0.152 | Lexington had looked like a potential playoff team most of the season but they blew it at the last hurdle, going down 0-3 in Oakland. They finish 9th. | N/A |
| 24 | Monterey Bay FC | 22 | -2 | 7-15-8 | TWLLT | -1.047 | Monterey Bay should have beaten Las Vegas but only managed a 1-1 draw. It was a less than entertaining game, but they barely avoid the cellar. | N/A |
