Mile High Milestone: NWSL brings women’s pro sports to Denver
Dec 17, 2024, 4:41 PM | Updated: Mar 18, 2025, 3:24 pm
Denver’s days without women’s sports appear to be ending soon, Sportico reported on Tuesday that the Mile High City is on the verge of landing a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) franchise.
The city, represented by the bid group “For Denver FC,” outpaced Cincinnati and Cleveland to secure the expansion team, which is expected to begin play in the 2026 season alongside a new team in Boston. While the league hasn’t announced anything officially and Sportico indicated it may still take a while to finalize the deal—the expansion fee for the league’s 16th franchise is expected to come in between $105 million and $120 million.
Denver is currently the largest city in the country without a professional women’s team, a void the NWSL would finally fill. It’s been this way since the extinction of the Colorado Xplosion back in the late 1990s, they played basketball. Denver has also been in the picture to get a WNBA team but that has not yet happened.
For Denver FC made its goals clear in July of 2023 during the FIFA Women’s World Cup, gaining momentum through grassroots support. Among the highlights have been watch parties and endorsements from Colorado icons like like U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) captain and Golden’s Lindsey Horan who shared a video message on social media.
The group’s figureheads are former USA Soccer player and Lakewood’s Jordan Angeli. The standout player is now a high-profile soccer broadcaster. There’s also Rob Cohen, CEO of IMA Financial Group, who previously attempted to bring a WNBA team to Denver. The group also features heavy hitters from business and sports marketing, including Ben Hubbard (CEO of Parsyl and former Obama administration official), Nicole Glaros (Phos CEO), and Tom Dunmore (formerly of Major League Cricket).
The fee they’re about to pay is more than double the $53 million paid in 2023 for BOS Nation FC and Bay FC. That’s because the value of NWSL teams has exploded in recent years. The most recent sales have valued Angel City FC at $250 million and San Diego Wave at $113 million. Sportico says the average club is worth $104 million.
The league is currently undergoing some major changes ahead of its 12th season in 2025 including nixing the draft, which had seen a Coloradan selected every single year. And that’s a real reason for the optimism behind Denver’s bid, the state is already thriving with women’s soccer. Three of the USWNT’s best are Colorado kids—Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith and Horan.
For Denver FC has plans for a soccer-specific stadium and training facility though the team would likely begin play in a temporary venue. Where this all will be is unknown. What is known is that if the deal is sealed, this is a major win for the Mile High City.
