NWSL confirms award of 16th team franchise to Denver
The National Women’s Soccer League has awarded its 16th franchise to Denver, Colorado.
The franchise, which has yet to be named, will become the first women’s professional team in a major national league to call the Mile High City home.
“As the NWSL continues its rapid growth, we knew it was critical to launch our 16th team in a city with a passionate sports culture and vibrant fan base, and Denver is the perfect match,” NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said in the release. “The club’s plans for a purpose-built stadium and state-of-the-art training facility demonstrate a commitment to providing world-class environments for our players and fans alike.”
confirmed earlier this month Denver’s ownership group paid a $110million expansion fee to join the NWSL, more than doubling the $53million paid by Bay FC, the 2024 debutant, and by Bos Nation FC, the Boston-based club which will debut in 2026. The $110million is the highest expansion fee paid in the history of American women’s sports.
Denver beat competing bids from investment groups in Cleveland and Cincinnati to secure its franchise. Its ownership group is led by finance executive Rob Cohen, who was previously involved in a bid to land Denver a WNBA team. Cohen is joined by Project Level, a subsidiary of Ariel Investments led by Chairwoman Mellody Hobson and former Washington Commanders president Jason Wright, Molly Coors (of the Coors beverage family) and a host of others.
“Denver is one of the best sports cities in the United States and we are thrilled to bring professional women’s soccer to Colorado,” said Cohen. “We believe that bringing NWSL to Denver will be impactful and transformative. Our goal is to work closely with Denver’s diverse communities to build a club that will operate with integrity and excellence from day one.”
The team has plans to build its own soccer-specific stadium and a “dedicated, purpose-built performance facility for female athletes”, according to the press release. They will play in a temporary venue until that stadium is completed.
Denver’s efforts to land an NWSL side were first launched in 2023. Former NWSL player and current commentator Jordan Angeli helped spearhead a campaign to secure financing and push for public support of the franchise. At the time, the “For Denver” campaign was open to landing either an NWSL franchise or a team in the USL Super League.
The state of Colorado has a thriving youth soccer landscape and has produced a number of U.S. women’s national team players including Lindsey Horan, Sophia Smith and Chicago Stars forward Mallory Swanson. Women’s national team games are well-attended in the area — last summer, a match between the WNT and South Korea drew over 18,000 fans.
The area’s men’s team, the Colorado Rapids, are founding members of Major League Soccer, having started play in 1996. They play at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in nearby Commerce City, Colorado, which has been mentioned as a potential temporary home for the Denver NWSL group.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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