Denver Summit FC reportedly acquire Orlando's Ally Watt as first player, subsequently loaned back to Pride through 2025 season

Denver Summit FC, the latest NSWL expansion side that begins play in 2026, has reportedly acquired forward Ally Watt from the Orlando Pride as their first player signing, according to ESPN.

Watt, 28, has subsequently been loaned back to the Pride through the remainder of the campaign as part of the deal. 

Denver sent Orlando $75,000 in expansion allocation money -- which can be spent through the end of 2027 -- and an additional $37,500 in funds for Watt's services, per the report.

As a part of the loan agreement, the Pride were also handed salary relief.

In 2024, Watt helped the Pride to an NWSL Shield and an NWSL Cup title. She has scored one goal and recorded one assist in 13 matches this season for Orlando. 

Summit GM Curt Johnson previously said that the club intended to lean into native footballers of Colorado while constructing their roster. Watt grew up in Colorado Springs, where she played soccer and won multiple state championships in track and field.

"One thing that makes us really unique is this talent pool of Colorado players, past players, it's special," Johnson told ESPN in May. "If you start going down the list, Colorado has been fertile ground for this sport for a long time, and we're going to dig into that, and we're going to hire people that have made their names as a result of their upbringing in soccer in Colorado. For sure, that's going to be a part of our DNA."

Ahead of the 2025 season, the NWSL approved new roster-building mechanisms, including intra-league loans, for 2026 expansion teams, including the Summity and Boston Legacy FC. 

Both clubs have up to $1.065M in allocation money. The League had previously announced that existing allocation money would be phased out at the end of 2026, but the allocation money that both Boston and Denver have can be spent through the remainder of 2027.

Orlando now have an additional year to use the $75k from Denver as a result.

The Summit are reportedly in talks with Nick Cushing to be their first manager. He previously managed MLS side NYCFC and WSL side Manchester City. 

The Summit begins play in 2026, and will continue building out their roster in the buildup to their debut. The Pride and Watt, meanwhile, take to the pitch on Saturday against Racing Louisville.