Denver NWSL team

Last updated

Denver NWSL team
FoundedJanuary 30, 2025
Stadium Denver, Colorado, United States
Owner Robert Cohen (majority investor)
League National Women's Soccer League
Website denvernwsl.com

The Denver NWSL team is a future American professional women's soccer team that will be based in Denver, Colorado. They were awarded an expansion team in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) on January 30, 2025, and will begin play in the 2026 season.

Contents

History

In July 2023, an investment group called For Denver FC, led by former soccer player Jordan Angeli, sports executive Tom Dunmore, and insurance executive Ben Hubbard, announced their plans to bid for a franchise in the NWSL or USL Super League. [1] They were joined by IMA Financial Group CEO Robert Cohen and venture capitalist Nicole Glaros. [2] Other members of the ownership group included Mellody Hobson and Jason Wright of Ariel Investments. [3] For Denver FC had been founded in 2022 as a grassroots group and organized outreach events, including watch parties for the United States women's national team during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. [4] In November 2024, the NWSL announced that Denver was one of three finalists, alongside Cincinnati and Cleveland, to become the league's 16th team which would begin play in 2026. [5]

Denver was officially awarded the expansion bid by NWSL on January 30, 2025, and will join as the league's 16th team in the 2026 season. [6] The ownership group, led by finance executive Rob Cohen, was reported by media outlets to have paid a league-record expansion fee of $110 million. [7] [8] The team plans to build its own soccer-specific stadium and training facility at an undisclosed site in Denver proper. A temporary venue will be used in the interim, with several sites under consideration; Dick's Sporting Goods Park, the home of the Colorado Rapids, was ruled out of serious consideration. [4]

They are the first professional women's sports team in Colorado since the Colorado Xplosion of the American Basketball Association folded in 1998. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Soccer Federation</span> Governing body of soccer in the United States

The United States Soccer Federation (USSF), commonly referred to as U.S. Soccer, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Headquartered in Chicago, the federation is a full member of FIFA and governs American soccer at the international, professional, and amateur levels, including: the men's and women's national teams, Major League Soccer (MLS), National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), youth organizations, beach soccer, futsal, Paralympic, and deaf national teams. U.S. Soccer sanctions referees and soccer tournaments for most soccer leagues in the United States. The U.S. Soccer Federation also administers and operates the U.S. Open Cup and the SheBelieves Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soccer in the United States</span>

Soccer is the fourth most popular sport in the United States behind American football, basketball, and baseball.

The Seattle metropolitan area in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States is home to several professional and amateur sports teams. They include seven teams in major leagues, several in minor leagues, and collegiate programs for two National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I universities and one NCAA Division II university.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Expansion of Major League Soccer</span>

Major League Soccer is the top level of professional soccer in the United States. It began play in 1996 with 10 teams and has expanded several times since 1998. From 2005 to 2025, the league expanded rapidly and has added an average of one new team per season. The league will reach 30 teams in the 2025 season with the debut of San Diego FC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">USL Championship</span> Professional soccer league in the United States

The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began play in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) as a Division II league since 2017, placing it under Major League Soccer in the hierarchy. The USL is headquartered in Tampa, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women's soccer in the United States</span> Womens association football in the United States

Women's soccer in the United States has developed quite differently from men's soccer. Until the 1970s, organized women's soccer matches in the U.S. existed only on a limited basis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacramento Republic FC</span> American soccer team

Sacramento Republic FC is an American professional soccer team based in Sacramento, California, that competes in the Western Conference of the USL Championship, the second level in US soccer. Co-founded by Warren Smith and Joe Wagoner in 2012, the team started play in 2014 at the 20,231-seat Hughes Stadium, before moving midseason to their current home at Heart Health Park. Republic FC won the 2014 USL championship and have made the playoffs eight times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Women's Soccer League</span> Professional soccer league in the United States

The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a women's professional soccer league at the top of the United States league system. The league comprises 14 teams. It is owned by the teams and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation. The NWSL is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indy Eleven</span> Indianapolis-based soccer team

Indy Eleven is an American professional soccer team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 2013, the team made its debut in the North American Soccer League (NASL) in 2014, before moving to the United Soccer League (USL) in 2018. The franchise plays its home games at IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium with plans for a new stadium at Eleven Park currently in doubt.

The expansion of the National Women's Soccer League began with the league's sophomore season in 2014, when the league expanded to a ninth team in Houston, and is an ongoing process that currently has seen five expansions, three direct or indirect relocations, and one contraction. The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) was established as the top level of professional women's soccer in the United States in 2013 in the wake of the defunct Women's United Soccer Association and Women's Professional Soccer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina Courage</span> American professional womens soccer team in North Carolina

The North Carolina Courage are an American professional soccer team based in Cary, North Carolina, that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). It was founded on January 9, 2017, after Stephen Malik acquired NWSL franchise rights from the Western New York Flash. The Courage plays its home games at WakeMed Soccer Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">USL League One</span> American professional soccer league

USL League One (USL1) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that had its inaugural season in 2019. The Division III league is operated by United Soccer League, the same group that operates the Division II USL Championship and other leagues. As of 2024, the league has 14 teams who play 30 regular season games, followed by playoffs. All teams also participate in the USL Cup, adding an additional four games, followed by knockout rounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FC Cincinnati</span> American professional soccer club based in Cincinnati

Football Club Cincinnati is an American professional soccer club based in Cincinnati. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team was first announced on August 12, 2015 as a United Soccer League (USL) franchise which played from 2016 to 2018. On May 29, 2018, the club's ownership was awarded an MLS franchise, and the team began MLS play on March 2, 2019. The club's ownership group is led by Carl Lindner III with Jeff Berding serving as co-CEO. Currently, the role of general manager is held by Chris Albright.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Racing Louisville FC</span> National Womens Soccer League team in Louisville, Kentucky

Racing Louisville Football Club is an American professional soccer team based in Louisville, Kentucky, that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). It began playing in 2021 at Lynn Family Stadium. The team is owned by Soccer Holdings LLC. The expansion team was announced on October 22, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">USL Super League</span> Professional womens soccer league in the United States

The USL Super League (USLS) is a professional women's soccer league in the highest level of the United States league system, alongside the National Women's Soccer League. Organized by the United Soccer League (USL), it operates as its premier league for women above the pre-professional USL W League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minnesota Aurora FC</span> Soccer club

Minnesota Aurora FC is an American women's soccer club based in Eagan, Minnesota that plays in the Heartland Division of the USL W League. The club began play in the league's inaugural 2022 season as a founding club. The club is community-owned by 3,080 individuals. The club plays its home games at TCO Stadium in Eagan, Minnesota, the same stadium the Minnesota Vikings use for practice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleveland Pro Soccer</span> Soccer club

Cleveland Pro Soccer is the ownership group co-founded by Michael Murphy and Nolan Gallagher, based in Cleveland, Ohio. The group owns an independent men's professional soccer team that plans to participate in MLS Next Pro. The group is also presenting a bid in 2024 for the 16th expansion team in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bay FC</span> National Womens Soccer League team

Bay Football Club is an American professional soccer team based in the San Francisco Bay Area that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). The team began play in the NWSL as an expansion team in the 2024 season. Their home stadium is PayPal Park in San Jose, California, a soccer-specific stadium with 18,000 seats that is also home to the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer (MLS).

Robert L. Cohen is an American businessman who is the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of IMA Financial Group.

References

  1. ↑ Carlisle, Jeff (July 11, 2023). "Investors seek NWSL or USL Super League team for Denver". ESPN . Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  2. ↑ Carlisle, Jeff (December 17, 2024). "Denver group in exclusive talks for next NWSL franchise". ESPN. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  3. ↑ Anzidei, Melanie (January 30, 2025). "Inside Denver's winning NWSL bid: How grassroots and confidence beat stadium plans and Caitlin Clark" . The Athletic . Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 Newman, Kyle (January 30, 2025). "How Denver landed NWSL franchise to bring women's professional sports back to Colorado". The Denver Post . Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  5. ↑ Ploen, Brendan (November 22, 2024). "Denver named finalist for National Women's Soccer League expansion team alongside Cincinnati, Cleveland". The Denver Post. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Denver, Colorado Awarded NWSL's 16th Franchise" (Press release). National Women's Soccer Association. January 30, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  7. ↑ Vertelney, Seth (January 30, 2025). "NWSL awards Denver expansion franchise". Pro Soccer Wire. USA Today . Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  8. ↑ Novy-Williams, Eben (January 2, 2025). "Denver Group Secures NWSL Team at Record $110M Expansion Fee". Sportico . Retrieved January 2, 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.