For some clubs the season has hit the halfway point and for others there is as much as two-thirds of the 2026 season to go. But one thing is clear and that is standings are shaping up towards the final form we'll see at the end of the season. Here is how each team did in their May and early-June showings of the USL W League's fifth season.
1st Place - Minnesota Aurora (6-0-0, 18 points)
After ending the 2025 season in heartbreak with a loss to Utah United in the National Semi-Finals, manager Jen Larrick's side has come out of the gate with fury in 2026. Not only are Aurora unbeaten through the first half of the season, but they've scored 19 goals and allowed zero through the first six. With four straight Heartland Division titles behind them a fifth in a row seems to be inching ever closer.
2nd Place - Sioux Falls City FC (4-0-0, 12 points)
If there is one team who can knock off Minnesota Aurora it's South Dakota's only high level women's side. Sioux Falls finished second in the Heartland in 2025 and have come out with a vengeance in 2026. Scoring 12 goals in four matches Sioux Falls is averaging 3 goals per match and has allowed only two goals all season. The biggest test for them is this week as unbeaten Sioux Falls hosts unbeaten Minnesota in a Tuesday night showing.
3rd Place - Edgewater Castle (4-0-1, 12 points)
Last year's UWS National Champions have found their home and success right away in the W League. The Rooks aren't the highest scoring team in the league or division by any means, but success has come their way. Edgewater's only loss was a one goal defeat to Rochester at the end of May. June will be the true test for the new kids on the block as they have placed four of their six home matches and still have seven left to play.
4th Place - River Light FC (3-0-2, 9 points)
River Light has struggled to start the season, taking two losses in their opening five matches. Both of those losses came to top three clubs as they fell 2-0 in back to back matches in late May. The first coming away at Edgewater Castle and the second coming days later at home against Minnesota Aurora. RLFC is by no means a bad side and has been one of the most talented teams in the Heartland. But in 2026 there are just a few teams who eek out being better after the first few weeks.
5th Place - Rockford Raptors (2-0-4, 6 points)
Another expansion side coming from UWS, Rockford has not done quite as well as their expansion sisters in Edgewater Castle, but faced with a brutal schedule to start the season has done about as expected. Losses to Edgewater, Sioux Falls, Aurora, and River Light have put them out of realistic contention for the title. But the Raptors are good enough they could play spoiler down the stretch.
6th Place - RKC Third Coast (1-0-4, 3 points)
Defence wins championships is how the saying goes, but that's only true if you can score at least one goal. The Gulls have an extremely solid defence, giving up more than one goal only once this season, that coming in the season opener. But scoring has been the problem for RKC Third Coast in 2026 as they've only hit the back of the net twice this year. One goal came in the opener against the Raptors and the other came in their only win of 2025 against Rally Madison. With a hard to crack defence, RKC is another team who could play spoiler, but unless they start scoring soon their playoff hopes are dashed.
7th Place - Rochester FC (1-0-5, 3 points)
The Loons season has not started out the way manager Eric Feil wanted and after six matches the playoffs are far off in the distance for Rochester. RFC has allowed 17 goals across six matches and has been shut out in all five of their losses this season. Rochester's only goals came in their 2-1 win over Edgewater Castle on 30 May. One more loss for the Loons though and they are officially out of the race for the Heartland title and the playoff spot.
8th Place - Rally Madison (0-0-5, 0 points)
Madison's first ever season of women's high level soccer has been a rough one to say the least. Giuliano Oliviero has a talented squad at his disposal, but one that just has not been able to edge out a win yet. All but two losses have come by one goal, the only two that did not were against Minnesota Aurora. But with the most brutal stretch of the schedule done it's only a matter of time before Rally Madison gets their first win in club history.
Matches This Week:
Monday, 8 June
RKC Third Coast vs Edgewater Castle - 7pm
Tuesday, 9 June
Rally Madison vs River Light FC - 6pm
Sioux Falls City FC vs Minnesota Aurora - 6pm
Wednesday, 10 June
Rochester FC vs RKC Third Coast - 5pm
Thursday, 11 June
River Light FC vs Rockford Raptors - 7:30pm
Friday, 12 June
Rally Madison vs Rochester FC - 6pm
Minnesota Aurora vs Edgewater Castle - 7pm
RKC Third Coast vs Sioux Falls City FC - 7pm
Sunday, 14 June
Sioux Falls City FC vs River Light FC - 4pm
Rockford Raptors vs Rally Madison - 6pm
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