And then there were four.
With Matchday 3 in MLS complete, only four sides remain perfect, all of them out in the Western Conference. 
Los Angeles FC, 
San Diego FC and the 
Vancouver Whitecaps could be expected. The same can’t be said for the 
San Jose Earthquakes.
Yes, the Quakes brought in Timo Werner this winter. But they also parted with Cristian Espinoza, Cristian Arango and Josef Martinez. Yet here they are through three matches, with nine points and no goals conceded.
So how do we believe San Jose truly stacks up against those other Western Conference clubs with a stronger track record? Read our 2026 Matchday 3 MLS Power Rankings to find out.
1
Vancouver Whitecaps
Previously: 4 (+3)
Last time out: 4-1 win at Portland Timbers
Up next: Sunday, March 15 vs. Minnesota United (4:30 pm ET)
Brian White bagged a brace, Sebastian Berhalter scored one goal and assisted two more, and the Vancouver Whitecaps completed their second dominant victory in as many weeks to move into the top spot.
2
Los Angeles FC
Previously: 1 (-1)
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Last time out: 1-0 win vs. FC Dallas
Up next: Saturday, March 14 vs. St. Louis City (10:30 pm ET)
David Martinez scored a match-winner Saturday in what is shaping up as a breakout season for the 20-year-old. But Los Angeles FC hasn’t quite recaptured the ruthlessness of their season-opening win over Miami in their two more-recent victories.
3
San Diego FC
Previously: 2 (-1)
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Last time out: 1-0 win at Sporting Kansas City
Up next: Saturday, March 14 at FC Dallas (8:30 pm ET)
Another goal from Anders Dreyer gave San Diego FC an away victory most would’ve expected. And while it maybe wasn’t decisive, it was an impressive result considering the temptation to look ahead to a Concacaf Champions Cup clash with Toluca that begins this week.
4
Inter Miami
Previously: 3 (-1)
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Last time out: 2-1 win at DC United
Up next: Saturday, March 14 at Charlotte FC (7:30 pm ET)
Lionel Messi and Rodrigo de Paul scored, but it was Mateo Silvetti who provided the decisive quality moment for 
Inter Miami CF -— an exceptional ball to set up Messi’s winner — in a surprisingly close contest in Baltimore.
5
Nashville SC
Previously: 5 (unchanged)
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Last time out: 3-1 win vs. Minnesota United
Up next: Saturday, March 14 at Columbus Crew (6:15 pm ET)
Cristian Espinoza scored his first goal for 
Nashville SC, while Sam Surridge recorded his second brace of the season to emerge as the early front-runner in the MLS Golden Boot chase. Now comes yet another Concacaf clash with Messi and Miami over the next two weeks.
6
New York City FC
Previously: 8 (+2)
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Last time out: 5-0 win vs. Orlando City
Up next: Saturday, March 14 vs. Colorado Rapids (7:30 pm ET)
Maxime Crepeau’s early red card certainly handed 
New York City FC an advantage. But you have to give Pascal Jansen’s side credit for ruthlessly taking advantage of it in the most-lopsided match of the weekend.
7
San Jose Earthquakes
Previously: 15 (+8)
Last time out: 1-0 win at Philadelphia Union
Up next: Sunday, March 15 vs. Seattle Sounders (7 pm ET)
You can’t put the San Jose Earthquakes in with the MLS elite just yet. But if Timo Werner continues to be an exceptional provider of the final pass, as he has been in his first two MLS appearances, Bruce Arena’s group will be in the thick of the West race all season.
8
Seattle Sounders
Previously: 9 (+1)
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Last time out: 1-0 win at St. Louis City
Up next: Sunday, March 15 at San Jose Earthquakes (7 pm ET)
Andrew Thomas has kept clean sheets in two of his first three starts this season for the 
Seattle Sounders after nudging ahead of club legend Stefan Frei to earn the No. 1 job, at least for now.
9
Chicago Fire
Previously: 6 (-3)
Last time out: 0-0 draw at Columbus Crew
Up next: Saturday, March 14 vs. DC United (8:30 pm ET)
The 
Chicago Fire FC were on the defensive for much of the evening in Central Ohio, but managed to pick up their first away point of the season and their first in Columbus since the 2022 regular season.
10
Minnesota United
Previously: 7 (-3)
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Last time out: 3-1 loss at Nashville SC
Up next: Sunday, March 15 at Vancouver Whitecaps (4:30 pm ET)
Minnesota United have scored exactly one goal in each of their three league matches. Nectarios Triantis’ thunderbolt in Nashville was probably the best of the bunch, though it goes down only as the least consequential in terms of results.