Denver’s newest sports team is set to take the pitch in 2026.
The National Women’s Soccer League made it official on Thursday: Denver will be home to the league’s 16th franchise.
A launch event Thursday afternoon was attended by Gov. Jared Polis, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and various members of the team’s investing committee. Members of For Denver FC, a supporter group that has been working to bring women’s soccer to Denver, were there to celebrate their victory.
“This is a perfect sports city and especially now, having two daughters who are into soccer, it just felt like, ‘Why would you not pick Denver as the home for another team?’” said Connor Berry.
Denver was identified as a potential expansion site in December, with negotiations quickly progressing. Earlier this month, multiple sports news outlets reported that the league and investors agreed on a record-breaking expansion fee to bring women’s soccer to the Mile High City.
Investors include Rob Cohen, Chairman and CEO of the insurance brokerage firm IMA Financial Group; Jason Wright, former president of the Washington Commanders; and former Starbucks chair Mellody Hobson.
2,000 people are buying in already.
Fans who want to guarantee a season ticket can place a non-refundable deposit to secure priority for seat selection.
Deposits are $30 or $100 per seat, depending on whether you’re looking at “general” or “premium” season tickets.
The team said it had received 2,000 season ticket deposits as of Thursday afternoon.
But we still don’t know when season tickets will actually be sold and how much they’ll be.
“Pricing and seat inventory are still being determined and the timeline for converting deposits into actual seat purchases is yet to be finalized,” a disclaimer read.
Also unknown: Where will the stadium go?
The new team plans to build a soccer-specific stadium, but has not finalized plans for where and when it will be built.
The new team plans to build a soccer-specific stadium, but has not finalized plans for where and when it will be built.
It’s unlikely that a stadium and training ground will be built for 2026. A spokesperson for the mayor’s office said the city is considering several sites, but until a stadium is built the team will likely play on a temporary site.
When it is built, however, the team’s ownership envisions much more than just a stadium and training ground. Cohen said Thursday they’re seeking out a “larger vision” for the site.
“We're looking at ones that give us those opportunities, that's not just a stadium, but that creates a unique experience, that creates opportunities for the neighborhood, that creates connectivity in our city, especially between neighborhoods that maybe aren't as connected as they should be,” Cohen said.
Whatever is built will be “designed and built for women,” according to Hobson
Denver City Councilwoman Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez said she’s excited to see the team play in Denver, but she will do everything in her power to make sure communities' voices are heard through the stadium development process.
“I think that that is definitely the model,” she said. “Making sure that there are things that are going to be contributed back to a community, and not building all these shiny new things and then having those community members then be displaced because they can no longer afford to live there.
The team's official name, colors and branding will also be revealed at a later date.
For now, the team’s swag says "Denver NWSL" with a green and white color scheme.
Denver will be one of two teams launching in 2026, alongside Boston's BOS Nation FC.
A record-breaking expansion fee
Team investors are reportedly paying $110 million to secure the bid — a record expansion fee not just for the NWSL but for women’s sports overall.
“It was a competitive process,” said Jessica Berman, commissioner of the NWSL. “We had higher demand than we had supply. And the interest in women's sports and in the NWSL in particular has never been higher.”
Berman said she’s confident they’ve built a sustainable business model and that investors will get returns.
“That's the way men's sports has grown for decades,” Berman said. “So this is not a new concept in professional sports, it's just new for women.”
Team officials pointed to the wealth of experience held by the collective group. Cohen was on the committee for Salt Lake City’s successful Winter Olympics bid. Hobson also was part of the group that purchased the Denver Broncos in 2022.
The NWSL 2026 season is expected to start next March and run through November.
