Professional women’s soccer is officially coming to Denver in 2026, according to reports from the sports sites Sportico and The Athletic.
A bid to become the 16th team to join the National Women’s Soccer League was formally accepted by the league this week, beating out competition from Cincinnati and Cleveland.
Sportico and other outlets reported last month that Denver was in the final stages of consideration.
For Denver FC and NWSL officials have not responded to Denverite’s requests for comment.
A record-breaking expansion fee for women's sports
Backers of the team are reportedly paying $110 million to secure the bid — a record expansion fee not just for the NWSL but for women’s sports overall.
If the reported figure is true, it would not only double the previous largest NWSL expansion fee, but would also be the largest fee ever paid to establish a professional women’s sports team in the United States, according to Reuters.
The financing is being supplied primarily by IMA Financial Group CEO Robert Cohen.
Other members of For Denver FC — which has been working to bring women’s soccer to Denver for a couple years — include former Obama administration official Ben Hubbard, local entrepreneur Nicole Glaros and former NWSL player Jordan Angeli.
Where will Denver's women's soccer team play?
The unnamed Denver NWSL team will likely build a soccer-specific stadium, according to reports. However, it is not clear where the site will be located.
For Denver FC once considered tethering its bid to the National Western Center in north Denver, the city quickly quashed the idea.
