Jan. 30 (UPI) — The National Women’s Soccer League officially awarded its 16th franchise to Denver, with play set to begin in 2026, the league announced Thursday. The team’s name, colors, brand identity and crest will be revealed later.
Denver’s NWSL franchise is finalizing plans for a stadium built for women’s soccer and a performance facility for female athletes. Rob Cohen will serve as the clubs controlling owner. Mellody Hobson will be alternate governor of the franchise.
Project Level, a subsidiary of Ariel Investments led by Hobson and Jason Wright, the former president of the Washington Commanders, and siblings Jon-Erik Borgen and Kaia Borgen Moritz, Neelima Joshi and Dhiren Jhaveri and Molly Coors, who lead FirstTracks Sports Ventures LLC, are among other investors.
“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.
“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.”
HISTORY IN COLORADO ⛰️
The @NWSL’s 16th team belongs to Denver. pic.twitter.com/rpD6XxChxC— Denver NWSL (@denver_nwsl) January 30, 2025
In September, the NWSL announced it warded its 15th franchise to Boston, which will start play in 2026. The NWSL 16th franchise will be the first women’s professional sports team from a major national league to be based in Denver.
“Denver is one of the best sports cities in the United States and we are thrilled to bring professional women’s soccer to Colorado,” Cohen said.
“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 2025 NWSL regular season will start March 14 and end Nov. 2. The NWSL playoffs will be from Nov. 7 to 22.
