NWSL awards Denver expansion franchise for 2026
Published
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) announced on Thursday that it has awarded the city of Denver the league's 16th franchise.
The Denver NWSL team will debut in 2026 and become the first women's professional sports team in a major North American league in the Mile High City.
Local and national investors include Rob Cohen, Project Level, a subsidiary of Ariel Investments led by chairwoman Mellody Hobson and former Washington Commanders president Jason Wright, FirstTracks Sports Ventures LLC (FTSV), led by siblings Jon-Erik Borgen and Kaia Borgen Moritz, Neelima Joshi and Dhiren Jhaveri and Molly Coors.
“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,” said NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman in a statement. “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. With this ownership group’s vision and dedication, we are confident that Denver NWSL will set new standards for excellence on and off the pitch, inspiring the next generation of players and supporters across the Rocky Mountain region.”
Denver is the second franchise awarded a team by the NWSL during this current round of expansion with Boston being awarded a franchise in 2023.
“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. We look forward to collaborating with our community to make Denver NWSL an inclusive and special club that all of Colorado can rally behind.”