NFL
By Keith Richards
There is a new professional sports team in Colorado! Well, at least there will be one in 2026. On Thursday, the NWSL announced that Denver was awarded the league’s 16th franchise, which will begin play in the 2026 season. Denver will join BOS Nation FC as the two new expansion teams of the NWSL that continue to grow in popularity nationwide.
The NWSL is coming off one of its most successful in 2024. In the league’s 12th season, the Orlando Pride defeated the Washington Spirit in the NWSL Championship match. The 2024 NWSL Championship averaged 967,900 viewers. That’s an increase of 151,100 viewers over the 2023 NWSL Championship match, an 18% increase. The viewership of the championship game is just a microcosm of the overall success of the 2024 NWSL season.
Here’s a list of accomplishments from the 2024 NWSL season:
- A peak audience of 1.1 million viewers for the championship match
- An average of 562,900 viewers across all broadcasts of the NWSL playoffs (4.6 million audience total)
- 7 million viewers across all platforms in 2024
- Surpassed two million in total attendance for matches
The 2024 NWSL season was the first season for expansion teams Bay FC and Utah Royals. They were the 13th and 14th teams in the league. In 2024, NWSL started its four-year media deal with CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime Video, and Scripps Sports. The new media partners are undoubtedly pleased with their faith in the league and rewarded with the standout season. The additions of Denver and BOS Nation FC in 2026 will likely continue to bolster that faith.
Some may say that’s bragging or exaggerating, but is it? Arguably, the three best players on the team are Colorado-born players. Lindsey Horan plays professionally for Lyon but is from Golden, CO. In addition, Mallory Swanson plays for NWSL’s Chicago Stars FC. She is from Littleton, CO. Furthermore, Sophia Smith plays for Portland Thorns and is from Windsor, CO. However, there is no disrespect to phenomenal players like Trinity Rodman and Naomi Girma. Still, it’s hard to imagine that USWNT has had the success it had lately without Horan, Swanson, and Smith.
Furthermore, the Denver volunteer group For Denver FC launched in 2023. The goal? To make a convincing case for bringing the NWSL to Colorado. Jordan Angeli (a Lakewood, CO native) was behind the movement. For Denver FC’s goal was to get the Mile High City the one thing it is missing. When the 2026 NWSL season starts, the Denver team will be the city’s only professional women’s sports team.
During the For Denver FC launch in 2023, regarding the need for a team in Colorado, Angeli stated, “This is a jackpot of women’s soccer in the country and the fact that we haven’t tapped into it yet is crazy. … What I’ve experienced over the last few hours is just a good reminder that this is the right thing to do and we’re onto something.”
The enthusiasm is successful. An ownership group that includes Rob Cohen, Project Level, FirstTracks Sports Ventures, and Molly Coors sees the vision of a successful NWSL franchise in Denver, and the group sees the vision to the tune of an NWSL record $110 million expansion fee. Specifically, Cohen stated, “Being around the sports world, I heard about the grassroots effort around bringing a soccer team to Denver. I met with that group and the more I started to learn about what they were thinking, what their vision was, set me on a journey to start learning about the league, what they are doing, to the point where ultimately wanted to lead the bid and hopefully bring a team to Denver, which we’re now doing.”
Speaking as to why Denver was the winning bid, NWSL Jessica Berman stated, “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.”
Berman continues, “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.”
With the team now off and running, Cohen and the ownership group will waste no time. The GM search begins on Friday. In addition, Cohen says the team is close to announcing the temporary and permanent locations for the new NWSL team. He hopes to make those announcements in the coming weeks. Specifically, Cohen states the permanent location, “It will be a central location related to mass transit that will create great connectivity for everybody in the Front Range.”
It’s an exciting time in Denver, CO! Team NBS will be here to bring you the latest news on Denver NWSL as it happens. Check out our other futbol content while you’re at it!
