Columbus awarded NWSL expansion team as league announces 18th franchise

On Tuesday, April 21, a live announcement at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field took center stage as Columbus, Ohio, officially became the 18th franchise to join the National Women's Soccer League.
Columbus joins Boston, Denver and Atlanta as recent expansion sides. Columbus and Atlanta will begin play in spring 2028.

"We’re thrilled to share that the NWSL is officially awarding an expansion franchise to Columbus. The club will be owned by the Haslam family and operated by Haslam Sports Group — the organization behind the Columbus Crew (MLS), Cleveland Browns (NFL), and Milwaukee Bucks (NBA) — with Dee and Jimmy Haslam leading the ownership group alongside Managing Partners Whitney Haslam Johnson and JW Johnson."

The newest NWSL club will play at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, a 21,700-seat natural grass stadium in downtown Columbus. The stadium opened in 2021 and is home to Major League Soccer side the Columbus Crew. Renovations will be made to prepare the venue for the NWSL, including the NWSL team's locker rooms and supporting infrastructure.

"The addition of Columbus, a proven soccer market with passionate fans and world-class infrastructure, reflects the continued acceleration of interest in the NWSL and in women’s sports broadly," the NWSL said in its release. "Alongside our Boston, Denver, and Atlanta expansions, this is a league that is growing with intention, and Columbus is exactly the kind of market and ownership group we want building with us."

According to Sportico, the Haslams paid $205 million for the NWSL expansion team. The previous high for an expansion fee in the NWSL was $165 million for Atlanta.

Haslam Sports Group confirmed its interest in an NWSL team last February.

The NWSL is heading to Columbus.