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 (WUSA, 2001–2003) and Women's Professional Soccer (WPS, 2009–2011).
An eighth expansion team, Utah Royals FC, was formed in 2018 and dissolved in 2020.[4] It is reconstituting as one of the two net-new expansion teams scheduled to begin play in 2024.[5]
Locations of National Women's Soccer League teams. Current club; Future club
Number of teams in the NWSL
Season
Teams
2013
8
2014
9
2015
9
2016
10
2017
10
2018
9
2019
9
2020
9
2021
10
2022
12
2023
12
2024
14
Membership timeline
Role of men's teams
Many interested ownership groups are associated with existing men's soccer teams, often from domestic men's leagues Major League Soccer (MLS) or United Soccer Leagues (USL). Six NWSL ownership groups also run men's teams:
Another original team, FC Kansas City, was initially owned by the same group running the Missouri Comets of the Major Arena Soccer League, but was sold to new independent ownership in January 2017[7] before folding in November of that year.[8]
FC Kansas City was replaced by Utah Royals FC, another team with MLS ownership (Real Salt Lake) before controversy forced its ownership out, and a new independent expansion team in Kansas City acquired the team's assets.[4][5]
Two of the new teams had established ties to men's professional soccer teams: Portland Thorns FC was affiliated with and owned by the same ownership group as Portland's MLS team, the Portland Timbers[12] and FC Kansas City was affiliated with and owned by the same group running the Missouri Comets indoor soccer team.[7]
Early expansion: 2013–2016
Initial expansion prospects
The eight teams chosen for the first season came from a pool of twelve interested ownership groups. Soon after launch, the league reportedly planned to expand to ten teams for 2014.[13] Potential candidates included groups not accepted as part of the original eight; groups from the Los Angeles area[14] and from Hartford, Connecticut[15] were confirmed failed bids, as was one from the Seattle Sounders Women. After the 2014 NWSL season, none of these four ownership groups were still in the expansion picture.
There was speculation that the Vancouver Whitecaps Women could be logical candidates especially given the WWC 2015 in Canada; however, the Whitecaps cancelled their women's program (except for one U-18 academy team) in December 2012.[16]
Connecticut Courage (2012–2014)
An ownership group, previously attempting to join Women's Professional Soccer for the 2012 season, had existed in Hartford, Connecticut, for a year at the time of the announcement and had attempted to join the initial list of teams for the NWSL.[15] The team was intended to be named the 'Connecticut Courage', and would have played at Dillon Stadium. Former general manager of the WPS side Philadelphia Independence, Terry Foley, had accepted a position with the expected Connecticut team, whose owners had not been publicly announced.[17]Seattle Reign FC won the bid, and no Hartford team joined the league. The team had also sought to join via expansion in 2014 but was not accepted.[18]
Los Angeles (LA/Pali Blues, 2013)
The first Los Angeles bid for an NWSL team was a joint effort from the LA Strikers and Pali Blues, two of the strongest USL W-League teams. The LA Strikers had a working agreement with MLS side Chivas USA, and the Pali Blues were one of the winningest W-League teams ever, with two titles and four playoff appearances in five seasons at the time, having already included many future WPS, USWNT, and NWSL talent. While being a merger of two strong, already-semi-pro teams in the second-largest US market, the bid was declined reportedly for geographical concerns.[14]
Pali Blues won the 2013 W-League championship, then officially merged with LA Strikers and won the 2014 title as well. However, after the 2014 season, the LA Strikers' MLS partner Chivas USA folded, and the Pali Blues ownership folded the W-League team shortly after to focus on its men's USL Pro side instead.[19][20]
FC Indiana (2013)
FC Indiana was one of the strongest Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) sides, and had competed in WPSL Elite along with eventual NWSL sides Boston, Chicago, and Western New York. While there was no official confirmation, the team's website suggested that they were one of the 12 original NWSL bids.[21]
During the inaugural season, there was confirmed interest from the WPSL side Houston Aces.[24] However, the league announced during the 2013 NWSL playoffs in August that there would be no expansion for the league's second season.[25]
During the 2013-2014 offseason, the Houston Dynamo added their name to the list of MLS teams interested in fielding a women's side, stating that they were "exploring the opportunity" of starting an NWSL side in 2014 or 2015,[26] and in December 2013 they announced that the Houston Dash would join the NWSL in 2014.[27] By early December, the NWSL approved the Dynamo-run Dash for expansion in 2014 despite their earlier statement that there would be no expansion for the league's second season.[28]
After the media boom of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, MLS side Orlando City SC entered the expansion picture. A fan blog reported the owners openly discussing their inability to comment on the issue, essentially giving an answer "without an answer being given",[30] which OCSC followed the next day with a press release supporting women's soccer and their Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) side while stopping short of stating positively or negatively about potential NWSL expansion.[31]
On October 20, 2015, the NWSL announced that Orlando would host the 10th NWSL team, the Orlando Pride, due to start the 2016 season. At that announcement, the Pride announced that they had hired former U.S. National Women's Team coach Tom Sermanni.[32]
Days later, the Pride traded with Portland Thorns FC for U.S. national team forward Alex Morgan— Orlando City SC had previously acquired Morgan's husband, Servando Carrasco— and Canadian national team midfielder Kaylyn Kyle, in exchange for rights to U.S. national team defender Meghan Klingenberg (via the Houston Dash and Seattle Reign FC), the first overall pick in the 2016 NWSL College Draft, an international roster spot for the 2016 and 2017 seasons, and the rights to U.S. national team midfielder Lindsey Horan.[33][34] This was the most notable trade in NWSL history at the time it was made.[35] and its execution was reportedly a factor in the Pride joining the league in 2016 rather than waiting for a future season.[33]
Western New York Flash to Cary, North Carolina (2017)
Steve Malik, owner of North American Soccer League (NASL) club Carolina RailHawks, also expressed interest in establishing a NWSL side and initiated talks with the league in May 2016.[36] In December of that same year, the RailHawks organization prematurely released press announcements of their rebranding to North Carolina FC, as well as intentions to establish expansion franchises in MLS and the NWSL.[37] A few days later on December 6, the club officially announced its pursuit of an NWSL team, with a goal of establishing one within the next six months.[38]
Instead of creating an expansion franchise in the NWSL, North Carolina FC acquired the rights to the 2016 NWSL championship-winning Western New York Flash.[39][40] While the Flash's 2016 attendance was their second-best in their NWSL history and fifth-most out of the ten 2016 NWSL teams, the Flash had much lower attendances their previous two seasons and were not close to filling Rochester Rhinos Stadium. Then-owner Joe Sahlen's daughter Alex Sahlen had played for the team from its inception in 2009 until missing time in 2014 for pregnancy, and was also the club's president; her husband Aaran Lines had coached the team from 2009 through the 2015 season before resigning in part to spend more time with his family.[41][42] The Flash also had a public debacle in 2016 when they hosted the Seattle Reign FC in a baseball stadium's outfield on a pitch much narrower than FIFA guidelines, drawing negative national media attention to the league.[43][44][45] The league subsequently fined the Flash, with Joe and Alexandra Sahlen apologizing for the incident's damage to the league's reputation.[46]
The Flash and North Carolina FC announced the sale and relocation on January 9, 2017, fewer than three months after the Flash won the 2016 NWSL championship, with the relocated team to be renamed the North Carolina Courage. In their official statement, the Sahlen family claimed that "the Western New York market is not the right fit for the NWSL and the future direction of the league".[47][48] Malik had previously purchased the trademark for the original Carolina Courage franchise from the defunct Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA),[49] and the lioness on the WUSA team's crest is featured on the NWSL team's crest.[50]
FC Kansas City effectively to Salt Lake City, Utah (2017)
At a press conference in September 2014, Real Salt Lake owner Dell Loy Hansen mentioned RSL expanding the club to include professional minor league and women's teams, in addition to the pro major league and amateur women's teams they already had. RSL's interest in the NWSL was officially confirmed in November, with the NWSL team intended to share a new stadium (and likely a name) with the USL Pro side Real Monarchs SLC.[51][52] While the stadium deal initially looked promising, it fell through at the original location of the Utah State Fairpark in early February 2015. The team chose a new stadium location in West Valley City by early March, with meetings between RSL and the NWSL moving forward.[53] In 2016, the Real Salt Lake Women joined United Women's Soccer in 2016 for its inaugural season.[54] While the organization still expressed interest in a future move up to NWSL, such a move no longer appeared to be imminent;[55] in contrast, the USL Monarchs started play in 2015 with the team's training facility (which includes a 5,000-seat stadium) opening in August 2017,[56] still with no overt interest from RSL or NWSL in pursuing a Utah franchise at the time.
Meanwhile, the original owners of NWSL two-time champions FC Kansas City became mired in an e-mail scandal during the 2016-2017 offseason, ultimately causing the ownership group to split up[57] and the team to be sold to Minnesota-based businessman Elam Baer.[58] However, Baer and his management team were largely absent, causing FCKC's attendance figures to dissolve, and at times the team did not meet league minimum requirements for roster payroll or away-game traveling contingents.[57] This led to extensive behind-the-scenes discussions of selling FCKC once again, which led to five-year head coach Vlatko Andonovski finally leaving the club in October.
After previous talks with another Minnesota-based group and with Sporting KC both fell through,[59] Real Salt Lake owner Dell Loy Hansen rapidly changed positions from not wanting to "promote" the RSL Women from UWS to agreeing to purchase franchise rights for a new NWSL team over the course of just 15 days, heavily influenced by discussions with Timbers/Thorns owner Merrit Paulson.[60] At the time of the announcement, there were no indications it was a direct relocation of FC Kansas City;[61] later that week, it was officially announced that Baer had sold FCKC back to NWSL to fold the team, at which point franchise rights went to Hansen, with the league ultimately transferring all player contracts to Salt Lake City as well.[62] Thus, while the team shuffle may appear to be a relocation, there was no direct sale of the team from Baer to Hansen. The new Salt Lake NWSL team, which did not replace the existing RSL Women, ultimately played in Rio Tinto Stadium.[63] On December 1, the new name for the Salt Lake NWSL team was announced as Utah Royals FC.
Pause in expansion (2017–2019)
In 2019, the league's then-president Amanda Duffy alluded that the league would take its time and focus on adding more quality teams:[64]
"We're really concentrating on the quality of the ownership, the quality of the market, the quality of existing facilities – both the match venue, training facilities — staff, infrastructure and the support in that market for soccer and women's soccer, in particular. So, the past year, we've been really trying to refine that process and refine what it is that we're looking for and what is the pace that we want to grow as a league? Because we're a strong league. We were strong at 10, we're strong at nine.
"If we all of sudden next year end up at 16 teams, how does that impact the quality of our competition and is that a pace that is sustainable and that we can still continue to operate with on a broader scale? Our efforts are very focused and specific to certain areas that we want to be strong for any team that's does come into the league that’s going to help propel us at the top and help to elevate the league."[64]
In December 2019, the league announced that it would remain at nine teams for the 2020 season, and added that it was in discussion with several potential ownership groups for more new franchises as early as the 2021 season.[65]
Return to Kansas City (2021), potential return to Utah
Following a player strike that caused the postponement of MLS matches on August 27, 2020, Royals owner Dell Loy Hansen expressed his disappointment in an interview with local radio station KXRK, also threatening to cease funding the club due to players declining to play in a show of support for the Black Lives Matter movement and in protest of the shooting of Jacob Blake.[66] In the following days, articles in The Athletic and The Salt Lake Tribune documented multiple allegations of racist behavior in the larger RSL organization, prompting both MLS and the NWSL to open investigations. Hansen ultimately sold all components of Utah Soccer Holdings, including the Royals.[67][68][69][70]
As the ownership search for RSL came within a month of MLS' January 8 deadline with no clear opportunity, NWSL closed Hansen's franchise rights for Utah and added a new expansion team back in Kansas City, because the NWSL did not have finances for a backup option to run the Royals in the same manner that MLS could opt to run RSL for a year.[3][71][72] The new Kansas City ownership group consisted of Chris and Angie Long of Palmer Square Capital Management, and former soccer player Brittany Matthews. Journalist Grant Wahl, a former high-school classmate of Angie Long, put the Longs in touch with the NWSL.[73]
All player rights, draft picks, and other assets were transferred to the new Kansas City team in the same manner that FC Kansas City's assets were originally transferred to the Royals. NWSL and Utah Soccer Holdings announced that the new buyer for Utah Soccer Holdings would have the option to enter NWSL with the Royals branding as soon as 2023.[3][71][72]
Boston Breakers disbanded (2018)
Prior to the sudden disbanding of FC Kansas City, it was the Boston Breakers that were in discussion for Real Salt Lake to take over. The team never had a truly viable long-term home stadium and averaged over 3,000 fans for a full season only once in their NWSL history. The collapse of FC Kansas City coincided with the appearance of potential investors for Boston, though the investors were not certain to be ready in time for the 2018 season.[74]
On January 28, the NWSL announced the Boston Breakers would fold, and players would be distributed to the other franchises through a dispersal draft on January 30.[75]
In March 2019, discussions about Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky, set to open in 2020 as the new home of USL Championship (USLC) side Louisville City FC, included mentions of plans for an NWSL team for 2021 or 2022[76] — notable due to the existing connection between the NWSL's then-president Amanda Duffy and the USLC side. Duffy had held three top-level positions within the club during her tenure at Louisville. By August, reports in soccer news sites The Equalizer and The Athletic suggested that Louisville was close to league approval to become its 10th team for the 2020 NWSL season.[77][78] However, this was later pushed back to 2021 because of Louisville City's concerns about its transition to the new stadium, with the 2020 expansion planned to go to Sacramento instead.[79][80] The Louisville franchise was officially announced on October 22, 2019,[81] and unveiled with the name "Proof Louisville FC" on November 12.[82] This was the first time that an NWSL team had been announced more than five months before its first game. However, fan backlash to the Proof Louisville name, and to the associated rebrand of parent club Louisville City FC, resulted in the ownership group rebranding the team as Racing Louisville FC and redesigning its crest.[83]
Angel City FC (2022)
After MLS side Chivas USA folded, the league awarded a new team to the Los Angeles area in 2014, whose ownership group included USWNT legend Mia Hamm, her husband Nomar Garciaparra, and Lakers legend and Sparks co-owner Magic Johnson. This caused some criticism of Hamm[from whom?] for investing in men's soccer before women's soccer, but mostly fueled speculation that the new MLS side would likely invest in an NWSL team as well, which Hamm commented "just makes sense".[84] When asked about the status of an LAFC NWSL team following the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, Hamm stated that the LAFC ownership group was focused on getting several years of experience with MLS revenues and expenses before committing to an NWSL team.[77]
In the summer of 2020, news broke of a new NWSL Los Angeles expansion talks[85] with some potential MLS involvement. LAFC denied[86] being the MLS side involved with this group, suggesting instead that the Los Angeles Galaxy (who already field a team in WPSL) as the potential operating partner. However, on July 21, 2020, the NWSL confirmed that it had awarded expansion rights to a group of investors to bring a team to Los Angeles, not including the Galaxy but including Hamm and her husband, targeting entry for the 2022 season.[87] No formal team name was announced, though the investment group coined itself "Angel City"[87] and has premptively registered a trademark for "Angel City FC". The investment group consisted of a variety of celebrities, including Natalie Portman, Jennifer Garner, and Eva Longoria, as well as Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and his wife, tennis player Serena Williams, author Glennon Doyle, and Casey Neistat.[87] Several former members of the United States women's national soccer team, including Julie Foudy, Mia Hamm, and Abby Wambach, were also involved in the effort.[87]
San Diego Wave FC (2022)
The San Diego expansion bid initially began as a joint venture between USL side Sacramento Republic FC, investor Ronald Burkle, and WPSL team California Storm before complications caused fracturing within the bid and a move to San Diego instead.
Sacramento Republic FC commented on Twitter several times in 2015 and 2016 that adding an NWSL side is part of their long-term plan.[88][89][90][91]Kevin Nagle, a part of the Republic's ownership group, further confirmed their interest in a women's team in November 2016 after the NWSL's commissioner at the time, Jeff Plush, identified California as a priority market for the league.[92] In 2019, it was reported Sacramento was in advanced discussions to join the NWSL in 2020, with ownership group being led by Sacramento Republic owner Kevin Nagle[93] with involvement from the California Storm WPSL team, who recently added USWNT legends Brandi Chastain and Leslie Osborne and Brazilian WNTer Sissi to their board of directors. However, the deal fell through, partially due to uncertainty surrounding the league in its late-year conflict with USSF concerning league operations, as well as unspecified issues with the Sacramento group. Despite those issues, Sacramento remains on the table as of July 2020.[94]
On January 12, 2021, commissioner of the NWSL Lisa Baird shared in a press conference that an expansion team in Sacramento would join the league in 2022, but that the team ownership would make the official announcement in due course.[95] No such announcement evercame, though, and it was eventually revealed that Burkle was pulling out of the Sacramento MLS bid.[96] The Sacramento NWSL bid team, though, had already been paying expansion costs to the league, and later requested to move its expansion rights to the San Diego market. On June 8, 2021, the NWSL announced that San Diego has been awarded an NWSL expansion team, owned by investor Ronald Burkle and led by team president Jill Ellis.[97]
Return of Utah Royals FC (2024)
Upon the sale and relocation of the original Utah Royals to Kansas City on December 7, 2020, NWSL and Utah Soccer Holdings announced that the new buyer for Utah Soccer Holdings would have the option to enter NWSL with the Royals branding as soon as 2023.[3][71][72] On January 5, 2022, Real Salt Lake was formally sold to a group led by David Blitzer, best known as a co-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and Crystal Palace, and Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith.[98][99] The same day in an interview with Salt Lake Tribune, Blitzer stated that "from our perspective, that's a function of when, not if" in regards to exercising the option to reestablish the Utah Royals in NWSL, per the agreement from 2020.[100] The next day the Utah Royals' social media accounts reposted his quote, the first time they had been active since the time after the team was initially sold and relocated in December 2020.
On May 13, 2022, Real Salt Lake's ownership was among the seven groups Grant Wahl reported had strong interest in starting NWSL expansion teams.[101] On June 30, 2022, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman commented that any new teams would enter the league in 2024 at the earliest while expressing a desire to re-negotiate the fixed fee for re-activating the Utah franchise. That same day, ESPN reported that Utah Royals FC were expected to be one of two expansion teams for NWSL's 2024 season.[5] On January 27, 2023, it was reported that the NWSL would expand to Utah, San Francisco and Boston. The owners in Utah would pay $2–5 million, while the groups in San Francisco and Boston would pay $50 million. Utah and San Francisco would join the NWSL in 2024 and Boston would join the NWSL later, likely in 2026.[102]
Conflicting reports in 2014 and 2015 linked MLS's San Jose Earthquakes to a potential NWSL team.[103] However, Earthquakes president Dave Kaval stated in May 2016 that the Earthquakes were interested in bringing an NWSL side to San Jose but were waiting for the approval and completion of a training and academy complex in order to be capable of hosting a NWSL or USL side.[104] Kaval reiterated his previous comments on the NWSL in November, and added with regard to the training facility that "We’re in Week 20 in a 60-week process. Next summer they could certify the EIR (environmental impact report)."[105]
In January 2021, reports emerged of a new ownership group (unnamed former United States women's national soccer team players, separate from the Earthquakes) being interested in bringing NWSL to San Jose, with plans to play at the PayPal Park.[106] On May 13, 2022, an SF Bay Area bid was among the seven groups Grant Wahl reported had strong interest in starting NWSL expansion teams.[101] On June 21, 2022, former United States women's national soccer team players Brandi Chastain, Leslie Osborne, Danielle Slaton, and Aly Wagner officially announced this bid to join NWSL branded as "NWSL to the Bay."[107][108] On January 27, 2023, it was reported that the NWSL would expand to Utah, San Francisco and Boston. The owners in Utah would pay $2–5 million, while the groups in San Francisco and Boston would pay $50 million. Utah and San Francisco would join the NWSL in 2024 and Boston would join the NWSL later, likely in 2026.[102]
The expansion was formally announced on April 4, 2023, with the expansion fee for both the Bay Area bid and a future Boston bid reportedly set at $53 million. Investment group Sixth Street Partners led the bid as the team's majority and controlling owners, with Sixth Street CEO Alan Waxman, former Golden State Warriors president Rick Welts, former San Francisco Giants executive Staci Slaughter, and former Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg among the club's announced board members.[109] Waxman would also represent the club on the league's board of governors.[110] The team's name, Bay FC, and logo were announced on June 1, 2023.[111]
Future expansion prospects
On May 13, 2022, sports journalist Grant Wahl reported that seven groups had strong interest in starting NWSL expansion teams: MLS ownership groups of Atlanta United FC, Austin FC, FC Cincinnati, Real Salt Lake, and Toronto FC, as well as non-MLS ownership groups in MLS markets of Columbus and the San Francisco Bay Area (San Jose specifically).[101] At the beginning of 2022 Jeff Blitzer, the new lead owner of Real Salt Lake, had mentioned the club's intention of reestablishing Utah Royals FC in NWSL. The San Francisco Bay Area group formally announced their bid on June 21, 2022.[107][108] On June 30, 2022, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman commented that any new teams would enter the league in 2024 at the earliest. ESPN reported the same day that Utah Royals FC were expected to be one of two expansion teams to join NWSL for the 2024 season. This same report confirmed the interest of the seven groups Wahl had previously listed as well as added that MLS clubs Nashville SC and St. Louis City SC had interest in establishing NWSL clubs.[5]
In Berman's June 30, 2022, announcement, she noted the league had fielded interest from more than 30 investment groups.[5] In May 2023, the Boston Globe reported that 62 bids had engaged in due diligence with the league after Berman's announcement.[73] In May 2023, Berman announced plans to expand by two additional teams in 2026.[112]
Boston bid
Among the 2022 expansion bids was a group proposing a new NWSL team in Boston, led by Juno Equity founder Jennifer Epstein as controlling manager. While the bid was not accepted for expansion in 2024, reports by Sportico and The Wall Street Journal suggested the bid was still considered for future expansion.[109][73][113] The bid included Boston Globe publisher Linda Henry, co-owner of English Premier League club Liverpool F.C. with her husband John W. Henry.[114]
White Stadium renovation bid
In December 2022, Mayor of BostonMichelle Wu suggested White Stadium in Franklin Park, Boston, as a possible venue for the team and voiced her support for the bid.[114] The east concourse had been destroyed in a fire, and the west grandstand was not up to modern building code.[115] In April 2023, Wu announced a request for proposals to update the stadium's west grandstand and lease the venue for ten years. The selected tenant would be responsible for maintaining the stadium, which would be owned by the city and operated by Boston Public Schools.[116][117] In May 2023, residents voiced concerns about the potential parking and traffic impact of more frequent events, and park users feared renovations or loss of access that would detract from the surrounding Franklin Park.[118]
On June 26, 2023, Epstein's Boston Unity Soccer Partners LLC submitted a $30 million renovation proposal for the stadium, announced on July 8 as the only proposal submitted to the city's request. The proposal included expanding the stadium's capacity from 10,000 to 11,000, and creating a public plaza in an adjacent portion of Fraknlin Park. The City of Boston and Boston Unity Soccer Partners would each cover half of the cost under the proposal, with $10.5 million already allocated in the city's capital plan, and the proposal suggested the stadium would be renovated in time for the 2026 NWSL season.[119] Under the proposal, the stadium would not be available to an NWSL team as a full-time practice facility, retractable seating would be added to cover the running track for soccer matches, and the renovated stadium would rely on temporary mobile restrooms on matchdays.[120]
Denver campaign
In July 2023, an investment group named For Denver For Colorado (For Denver FC) and including former player Jordan Angeli, Major League Cricket marketing executive Tom Dunmore, and Ben Hubbard, CEO of supply-chain insurance firm Parsyl, launched a public campaign to bid for either an NWSL or USL Super League team in the Denver, Colorado market. The initial announcement did not identify any further investors or venues, and presented goals of attracting further investment by the end of 2023 to secure a bid and beginning play in 2026.[121][122]
Cleveland Bid
In July 2023, ownership group Cleveland Pro Soccer announced its intent to bid for the 16th NWSL expansion team, which would begin playing in 2026.[123]
Owned by Michael Murphy and Nolan Gallagher (formerly Gravitas Ventures), Cleveland Pro Soccer announced in November 2022 it would launch an MLS NEXT Pro men’s professional soccer team in Cleveland.[124]Sportico reported in December 2022 that Cleveland had also bid for the NWSL’s 15th expansion team, but was not selected.[125] Cleveland was one of the final four bids in 2022; the 15th expansion team went to NWSL Boston.
In October 2023, Cleveland Pro Soccer launched a campaign to bid for an NWSL team in Northeast Ohio.[126] The campaign is intended to demonstrate the strength of the Cleveland sports market and has received strong local support.[127]
A stadium announcement for Cleveland professional soccer teams, including location and seating capacity, is expected in 2024.[128]
Minnesota Aurora FC bid
As per the Community Owner Town Hall,[129] which occurred February 27, 2024, Minnesota Aurora FC intends on once again submitting a bid to become the 16th NWSL club in 2026. During the Town Hall meeting, front office officials acknowledged their intention on submitting another bid and confirmed that while more potential investment has been secured, the search for a principal owner remains ongoing.
After beginning play as a community owned team in 2022, the USL W League club has enjoyed wild success in its home market. The team has averaged +5600 fans per game in their two seasons and have gone undefeated in regular season play (23-0-1, 26-2-1 overall). The team has also secured a local broadcasting deal that has been very successful.[130] Aurora’s lowest attended season, 5600 in 2022, surpasses 67% of all historical NWSL team attendance averages, and surpassed two NWSL clubs in the most recent season of 2023.[131]
Minnesota Aurora FC submitted a 2024 NWSL expansion bid in 2022 while searching for a principal owner that met the USSF Division 1 ownership guidelines.[132] That bid was put on hiatus in December of 2022 as the timeline proved to be too short of a runway for the team to secure the necessary investment to join a professional league.[133]
St Louis interest
In an interview in September 2023, Carolyn Kindle, chief executive officer of MLS side St. Louis City SC, stated that she and the other owners of the club were interested in bringing a NWSL franchise to St. Louis.[134][135] Kindle indicated that because of the robust youth soccer system in the area, and because demand for MLS tickets has outpaced supply, she believes a women's club in St. Louis would be well supported. St. Louis City SC is the first female majority-owned team in MLS. The ownership group has not made any public announcements regarding a formal bid for a NWSL franchise, with the league accepting bids in 2024 for their 16th club to begin play in 2026.
St. Louis last hosted professional women's soccer in 2010 when Saint Louis Athletica of Women's Professional Soccer folded. The St. Louis area is home to two successful NCAA Division I women's soccer programs at Saint Louis University and SIU Edwardsville. The St. Louis Craig League, which took place in the early 1950's, is recognized as the first organized women's soccer league in the United States.
Historical bids (not currently active)
2015–2019
In early 2015, six groups had expressed interest in gaining entry into NWSL, four of which were known - Real Salt Lake, the Indy Eleven, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, and an independent group from Atlanta.[103] The other two groups were rumored to be western MLS clubs.[136][137] NWSL commissioner Jeff Plush stated that any potential expansion for 2016 would have to be announced soon after the April owners' meeting; the Atlanta group was the only publicly announced group interested in 2016 expansion, and when no announcement came from NWSL by May, it seemed 2016 expansion was dead.[138] However, the success of the United States women's national soccer team in the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup renewed expansion talks, with the number of interested groups ballooning to twelve - more than the current size of the league.[139][140] The first result of this post-WWC boom was Orlando's expansion into the league for the 2016 season.
Several months after the NWSL announced the Orlando Pride's addition to the league, commissioner Jeff Plush suggested that the league was in varying stages of talks with a dozen different potential expansion groups, many of whom were from MLS organizations. MLS commissioner Don Garber stated in April 2016 that half of MLS teams could be running NWSL teams in the near future.[141]
Atlanta
Current status
No publicly announced NWSL bids as of May12,2023[update].[142]
An investment group out of Atlanta went public in early January 2015 with its intent to bring an NWSL team to the city that has already seen two incarnations of professional women's soccer in WUSA and WPS - with a website already live and a stadium already decided.[143] While there was initial fan interest, many objected to the initially proposed name of the Atlanta Vibe, prompting the investment group to open a poll for the name, as was a survey for team colors.[144][103] The group eventually chose red and black for the team's identity, while the stadium was changed from Henderson Field at Grady Stadium to Silverbacks Park, but there had been no sign of any talk between the group and NWSL at that point, despite the fact that the group has been working toward NWSL expansion for over 18 months.[145][144] After the early-summer NWSL owners' meeting, it appeared that Atlanta was rejected for 2016 and would have to continue trying for future expansion.
In December 2016, rumors surfaced of another group reportedly trying to bring both NASL and NWSL teams to Atlanta.[146] The proposed team would play at a to-be-constructed facility in DeKalb County.[147] The group revealed itself in February 2017 as First Team SC and announced their proposal to play in the just-announced Atlanta Sports City complex in DeKalb County.[148] This included a scheduled announcement for April 2017, but First Team SC delayed that announcement indefinitely, citing "the landscape of American soccer changing dramatically."[149] Fans reported receiving surveys via e-mail concerning the ongoing efforts in December 2017 with the aim of a 2019 launch.[150]
FC Barcelona (2016–19)
Current status
No publicly announced NWSL bid as of May12,2023[update];[142] Los Angeles expansion team founded independently as Angel City FC.
In July 2016, FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu stated in an interview on Barça TV that he wanted to "create a team that can take part in the National Women's Soccer League".[151] The Spanish club was reportedly interested in establishing a NWSL side in New York, Los Angeles, or the San Francisco Bay area.[152] Barcelona's board approved plans to pursue an NWSL expansion team in May 2017, with a goal of launching the team as early as 2018 but no further details released to the public.[153] The expansion effort was ultimately pushed back to a 2019 launch date, with Barça zeroing in on Santa Monica, California as a potential location.[154]
Soon after, it was reported that FCB and LAFC were in talks to work together at bringing NWSL to Los Angeles. After years of talks, though, the prospect of a joint expansion effort fell through, with sources from NWSL stating that FCB's desire to keep their branding was a major reason for any expansion effort including FCB to be unlikely.[155] Concerns about requests for changing NWSL's international player rules were also said to be a sticking point.[156]
Canada (2016)
Current status
Multiple MLS teams publicly stated that they had no intention to start an NWSL team in 2016.[157]
On April 16, 2013, just after the NWSL's inaugural season began, The Equalizer interviewed NWSL commissioner Cheryl Bailey about numerous topics, including expansion. She responded to a question focused on Toronto and Vancouver by noting that there was considerable interest in longer-term expansion, but also interest in getting in early, ostensibly for the 2014 season, and said that the NWSL would start looking at expansion potential in Canada toward the later portion of the 2013 season.[158]
In July 2014, Peter Montopoli, general secretary of the Canadian Soccer Association, suggested that the upcoming 2015 Women's World Cup offered an opportunity for the NWSL to expand to Canadian cities, with speculation that the expansion could even occur in time for the 2015 NWSL season.[159] However, in late August 2014, Bailey said there would be no expansion for 2015, citing the logistical challenges of scheduling the league around the Women's World Cup that might put off expansion until at least 2016.[160]
With high fan interest in Canada during and following the World Cup, the Whitecaps reiterated that there was "nothing imminent" in terms of the Whitecaps organization joining NWSL, making it highly unlikely that they were one of the then-dozen groups in discussion with the league concerning expansion.[161] At an end-of-season meeting with three Whitecaps supporters groups in 2016, the Whitecaps inquired about the prospect of a Vancouver NWSL team. Meanwhile, officials and spokespersons for Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact reiterated that their clubs had no intention of joining the NWSL.[157]
Dallas (2016)
Current status
No publicly announced NWSL bid as of May12,2023[update];[142] Dallas team announced in May 2023 as a founding club of the proposed competing top-division USL Super League.[162][163]
FC Dallas reinstated its WPSL team FC Dallas Women for the 2016 WPSL season, after having only fielded an ECNL side following a previous two-year stint in WPSL. While the team's coach Ben Waldrum suggested that an NWSL franchise should be a goal, he noted in June 2016 that there had been no directive from Hunt Sports Group to pursue one.[141][164]
SouthStar FC played in the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) in its inaugural season in 2019. The 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. They will be playing in the 2021 WPSL Season. Their primary focus is growing Women's Soccer in the Dallas/Ft. Worth market and feels the NWSL would be successful here.[citation needed]
Indianapolis (Indy Eleven, 2015–2019)
Current status
No publicly announced NWSL bid as of May12,2023[update];[142] Indy Eleven-operated team announced in May 2023 as a founding club of the proposed competing top-division USL Super League.[162][163]
Indy Eleven, which moved from the NASL to the USL after the 2017 season and was previously led by ex-Chicago-Red-Stars GM Peter Wilt, expressed interest in an NWSL side in 2015, contingent on them getting a new soccer-specific stadium built for the Eleven with a target date in 2017.[103][165] The Eleven's inability to secure the stadium plan delayed Indianapolis NWSL expansion until 2018 at the earliest.[166][167] In 2019, the Indiana General Assembly passed a stadium bill for the Eleven, for the newly proposed Eleven Park. The developers have expressed interest in a potential Women's soccer team to play at the stadium.[168]
Miami
Current status
No publicly announced NWSL bid as of May12,2023[update].[142]
Inter Miami CF owner David Beckham has voiced interest in adding an NWSL Miami side to his MLS club,[169][170] but no plans have been openly discussed.
Minnesota (2017)
Current status
No publicly announced NWSL bid as of May12,2023[update].[142]
Before NWSL bought FC Kansas City back from Minnesota-based Elam Baer, a second Minnesota-based group was in discussion for purchasing the team, though discussion about relocation was unsure.[171] After the sale and disbanding of the team, Baer stated that he was interested in eventually rejoining NWSL ownership to bring a team directly to Minnesota as he believed the league to be "a good long-term investment".[172]
City Football Group has expressed interest in starting a team in NWSL to mirror their MLS side New York City FC after having created very successful sister teams to Manchester City and Melbourne City. During the time when it was known as Sky Blue FC, current NWSL side NJ/NY Gotham FC had been in talks with both NYCFC and the New York Red Bulls for a partnership, but nothing came of the 2014 talks with NYCFC and Sky Blue rejected the 2013 proposed deal from NYRB.[141]
Pittsburgh (2018)
Current status
No publicly announced NWSL bid as of May18,2023[update].
Under new ownership in 2014 after having recently gone through bankruptcy,[173] USL Pro side Pittsburgh Riverhounds also expressed interest in NWSL as an expansion on top of the youth structure already in place. As of 2015, the Riverhounds planned to expand their stadium capacity by 50%, and their target for an NWSL team was 2018.[103]
Other USL markets
Current status
Phoenix among markets announced in May 2023 as a founding club of the proposed competing top-division USL Super League.[162][163]
In August 2018, Research Triangle TV station WRAL reported on remarks made by North Carolina Courage owner Steve Malik, also owner of the USL's North Carolina FC, to WRAL's sister radio station. He had been asked about rumors that the NWSL and USL were exploring a partnership, and chose to reframe the question to the issue of league expansion:
I just came from the USL meetings. Are there USL clubs that NWSL is talking to? Absolutely. There are some great fits where, if you build a 10,000- to 12,000-seat stadium in an urban area in a top 40 or top 50 market, particularly one that may not have Major League Soccer. If you own that stadium, do you want some dates? Yeah, you want some dates.
The WRAL-TV report speculated that at least five USL markets were potentially viable as NWSL expansion targets for 2020 and beyond. In addition to Louisville, whose NWSL side ultimately debuted in 2021, Hartford, Phoenix, Sacramento, and San Antonio were identified as possible targets. Amanda Duffy, then NWSL director of operations,[174] had connections to the management of San Antonio FC, having previously worked under that club's managing director Tim Holt when he was the president of the USL parent organization.[175] However, after the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, USL announced its intention to form its own women's league,[176] which on September 21, 2021, was announced as the second-division USL Super League.[177]
2019–2022
In August 2019, Merritt Paulson, principal owner of Portland Thorns FC in the NWSL and the Portland Timbers in MLS and also a major player in the NWSL's expansion committee, held an open forum with supporters in which he stated there were two new teams committed to the NWSL for 2020, and a third aiming for a 2021 launch. He added that the teams in line for 2020 were in the Southeast and West Coast, and that the potential 2021 entry would be a “really significant, big-name addition” to the NWSL. Paulson then went further, saying "One of them’s an MLS team, one of them will be an MLS team, one of them’s a USL team. That’s probably more than I should have said." An unnamed source told the women's soccer news outlet The Equalizer that the three markets Paulson was alluding to were, in order of mention, Atlanta (MLS side Atlanta United FC), Sacramento (USL Championship side Sacramento Republic FC), and Louisville (USL Championship side Louisville City FC).[178] Louisville was the first of these markets to be officially announced as a new NWSL entry. Sacramento's bid was mentioned on January 12, 2021, by then NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird as joining the league in 2021, though the expansion bid was moved to San Diego and officially announced on June 8 that same year.
In late 2019, the league announced plans to expand from nine teams to fourteen over the next three years. However, a combination of disagreements between NWSL and USSF on how the league should be run (especially concerning a commissioner) and the later COVID-19 pandemic, this schedule was pushed back with no expansion in 2020. However, multiple league officials voiced optimism about reaching 14 teams in their near future.[179]
Atlanta (2019–2022)
Current status
No publicly announced NWSL bid as of May12,2023[update].[142]
As reported in 2019, Atlanta United were considering launching a professional women's team to compete in the NWSL. Reports expected the team to do so by 2021.[180] However, no bid was publicly announced or awarded. On May 13, 2022, Atlanta United FC's ownership was among the seven groups Grant Wahl reported had strong interest in starting NWSL expansion teams.[101]
New England (Connecticut, 2019)
Current status
As of May12,2023[update], the NWSL has made no public announcements about the bid.
No publicly announced NWSL bid as of May12,2023[update];[142]Austin FC refused to confirm interest in a bid in October 2022.[183]
Austin, Texas, has been listed as a potential NWSL expansion candidate multiple times since summer of 2018,[184][185][186] though few details are known concerning the potential ownership group. On May 13, 2022, Austin FC's ownership was among the seven groups Grant Wahl reported had strong interest in starting NWSL expansion teams.[101] However, in October 2022 a spokesperson for Austin FC refused to comment on whether the team was considering financially supporting a women's team.[183]
Canada (Toronto FC, 2021–2022)
Current status
No publicly announced bid as of May12,2023[update];[142] an independent Canadian women's professional soccer league was announced in 2022 with AFC Toronto City among its founding teams.[187]
Following Canada's gold medal victory in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, renewed calls were made for a Canadian-based team in the NWSL. With Canada Soccer President Nick Bontis wanting to bring a NWSL team to Canada or for a dedicated Canadian professional league.[188]
On May 13, 2022, Toronto FC's ownership was among the seven groups Grant Wahl reported had strong interest in starting NWSL expansion teams.[101]
Cincinnati (2021–2022)
Current status
No publicly announced NWSL bid as of November10,2022[update].[189]
MLS expansion club FC Cincinnati has expressed interest in gaining a NWSL club once their new West End Stadium, ultimately named TQL Stadium, opened in 2021.[190] USWNT and NWSL star Rose Lavelle, a Cincinnati native, has spoken several times about her desire to play professional soccer in Cincinnati. On May 13, 2022, FC Cincinnati's ownership was among the seven groups Grant Wahl reported had strong interest in starting NWSL expansion teams.[101]
Oakland, California (2022)
Current status
No publicly announced NWSL bid as of May18,2023[update]. NWSL approved a Bay Area team for play in the same media market to launch in 2024.[108]Oakland Roots/Soul were announced in May 2023 as a potential founding club of the proposed competing top-division USL Super League.[162][163]
A bid based out of Oakland, California, was announced on November 2, 2022, as part of a strategic alliance between The Town FC and the African American Sports & Entertainment Group. The AASEG is also attempting to bring WNBA and NFL expansions to Oakland, with the goal of these three teams to be based at the current site of the Oakland Arena and Oakland Coliseum.[191][192]
Philadelphia (2022)
Current status
Has not submitted a bid for expansion as of May9,2023[update].[193]
In July 2022, Philadelphia Union president Tim McDermott said that they were in talks with the NWSL regarding possible expansion and assessing the market for NWSL for the city. Philadelphia is the fourth-largest media market in the United States.[194]
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1 2 Kassouf, Jeff (October 22, 2015). "Making Sense of the Alex Morgan-to-Orlando Trade". The Equalizer. Retrieved June 19, 2017. One source tells The Equalizer that Orlando's ability to acquire Morgan was a factor in club joining the NWSL now instead of waiting for the 2017 season. Others stress that Orlando was committed regardless and Portland had the ability to say 'no' to trading Morgan.
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