MLS shakeup: Caps No.1
MLS power rankings flipped: the Vancouver Whitecaps surged to No. 1 while Nashville SC displaced LAFC at the top — an early-season shakeup through week 5. St. Louis City’s Sam Surridge is scoring so freely he’s drawing Premier League scout interest, and LAFC’s Marc Dos Santos is getting credit for a hot start. (espn.com) (theguardian.com)
Vancouver became the first MLS side to open a season 4-0-0 with a +13 goal differential after a 6-0 rout of Minnesota at BC Place on March 15, 2026. (MLSsoccer.com - ) Those four wins came in succession: 1-0 at Real Salt Lake (Feb. 21), 3-0 vs Toronto (Feb. 28), 4-1 at Portland (Mar. 7) and 6-0 vs Minnesota (Mar. 15), according to match logs. (ESPN - ) LAFC have compiled consecutive shutouts to start the campaign — the club says it became the first in MLS history to open a season with five straight clean sheets across competitions — a defensive run lauded inside the organization under new head coach Marc Dos Santos. (LAFC.com - ) Dos Santos was promoted to LAFC head coach in December 2025 after serving on the staff, and club communications have pointed to continuity under his leadership as a factor in the early results. (MLSSoccer.com - ) Nashville’s slate includes a 4-1 win over New England (Feb. 21), a 3-1 victory at Minnesota (Mar. 7) and a 1-0 road win at Columbus (Mar. 14), results that underpin their rise in this week’s power rankings. (ESPN - ) Nashville also locked Sam Surridge to a contract extension through 2027–28 with an option for 2028–29, a move the club announced as it tries to retain the 27‑year‑old who has 52 goals in 88 appearances since arriving in 2023. (MLSsoccer.com - ) The Guardian specifically flagged Premier League interest in Surridge amid his scoring run, and British outlets have linked at least one top-flight club — Wolverhampton Wanderers — with transfer curiosity in recent windows. (The Guardian - ) (NewsBreak / talkSPORT report - )
