'Why don’t we just have a team in Colorado?' - From soccer-specific stadium plan to broad talent base and fan support, why Denver is the perfect choice for NWSL expansion side

With record early ticket sales and plans for soccer-specific stadium, the expansion franchise is already gaining momentum

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  Lack of professional women's sports teams

  To say that Denver has experienced a women’s pro sports drought is an understatement. With a population of more than 700,000, the city has been the largest in the country to not host professional women’s sports team.

  NWSL Denver will mark the city’s first major pro women’s franchise since 1998, when the Colorado Xplosion played as part of the American Basketball League. They played for two years, from 1996-1998, until the ABL folded. In 2004, the National Women’s Basketball League expanded to Loveland, Colorado, with the Colorado Chill.

  But there hasn’t been a women’s pro soccer team in the state, despite the sport’s growing popularity and production of high-profile stars. This has been a long-time coming. In 2022, U.S. women’s national team and Portland Thorns star Sophia Smith (now Wilson), who is a Colorado native, spoke about what it would have meant to her to have a pro team in the city growing up.

  “I wish that when I was growing up there were games I could go see,” Wilson told The Denver Post. “The only time I could see them play was the few times when the national team came to Denver. One thing that could be said is how successful Colorado could be if there was a team for young kids to go watch and get inspiration from.”

  Angeli, who spent time on the U.S. women’s national team and in its youth ranks, recalled a conversation with her teammates on the U20 team.

  “We always were like, ‘Why don’t we just have a team in Colorado? We should have a team in Colorado. We all would play for it,’” she said. “And so it’s funny, even all the way back then, I already was like, everybody would love to play in Denver.”

  Interest in the club has been off the charts. The franchise sold more than 10,000 season ticket deposits in the first two months after the expansion announcement, setting a league record. The team netted 5,280 season ticket deposits in just one weekend after the initial announcement.

  But for Angeli, it’s not just about the fact that it’s women’s soccer. It’s about the product that will be put on the field when the time comes.

  “People aren't just going to be excited to support women's soccer,” she said. “I think they're just going to be excited to have a team that is elite in their city. They're going to come to watch these games because they're really good games and in the way that NWSL has grown over the last 13 years, the product is now continuing to get better and better and better.

  “So yes, I think people are going to be really excited to watch women's sports, but I think they're going to be really proud of the product that's on the field and the quality of the games. And then that's just going to bring more and more people into wanting to support this team, because Denver is a sports city.”

• DENVER NWSL

  Soccer-specific stadium

  In its bid for expansion, the group backing the team – led by controlling owner Rob Cohen - had said that it intended to build its own soccer-specific stadium. While a temporary venue - Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, an 18,061-seat stadium that is home to Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids - will be required until that stadium is ready, a women's soccer-specific stadium is monumental and could signify a shift in future league expansion.

  Last month, the Denver City Council approved the “framework” for a deal to build a $70M stadium specifically for the new NWSL team. The deal is not yet finalized, but 12 of 13 council members gave their stamp of approval. The stadium would seat 14,500 people and open in 2028. 

  Cincinnati’s bid had included split-use of TQL Stadium, the second-largest soccer-specific stadium in MLS, while Cleveland had acquired acreage to build its own women’s soccer stadium. Currently, only one NWSL team has its own stadium, the Kansas City Current. CPKC Stadium made its debut in the 2024 season, and was home to the 2024 NWSL Championship.

  “This announcement is a game-changer for the NWSL and a bold statement about where women’s sports are headed,” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said when the stadium project was announced. “Denver is helping to shape the future of women’s soccer, and we can’t wait to see the impact this world-class venue will have on players, fans, and the community.”

  A purpose-built stadium will provide the Denver franchise with both financial and fan-friendly room to thrive. Speaking with USA Today, Current co-owner Chris Long said that Kansas City's stadium represents "a $20 million annual revenue swing. That effectively doubles what our organization is doing from a top-line basis."

  And as NWSL clubs continue to soar in value - and with it, the league continuing to target expansion - women's soccer-specific stadiums can have major revenue implications. Most NWSL teams are not priority tenants in their stadiums, with MLS teams and others often taking priority.

  That can impact everything from lead time on schedule releases to the need to find alternate venues when there are scheduling conflicts. The Chicago Stars had to find an alternate venue for a home game after SeatGeek Stadium, where the team plays, opted to schedule a music festival in conflict with a home game. Owning their stadium means that Denver will have scheduling priority.

  That investment in the stadium is part of a plan backed by a diverse set of investors. Denver NWSL announced on Thursday that it has finalized its full ownership group. Led by Cohen - and including the likes of Shiffrin and Manning - the group says it is committed to building a world-class women’s soccer club in Colorado.

  “It’s an honor to be joined by such an accomplished and passionate group of individuals,” Cohen said in a statement. “Each investor brings a unique perspective and deep commitment to supporting women’s sports. Together, we’re building something that will reflect the values and spirit of Colorado and have a lasting impact in our community.”

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  Colorado is a hotbed of women’s soccer talent

  Across the NWSL and USWNT, some of the biggest stars in women’s soccer hail from Colorado. Sophia Wilson is a Denver native. She’s joined by USWNT teammates Mallory Swanson, Lindsey Heaps and Jaelin Howell. Angeli, also from Colorado, noted that the state is producing “some of the best soccer players.”

  “Historically we have, for years and years and years, really good competitive elite soccer players,” she said. “It just makes sense to have that next step to be able to provide this community with an opportunity to go watch women's soccer every weekend and for little kids to continue to dream that they could be a women's professional soccer player."

  With increased flexibility in player movement in the NWSL, a Denver expansion team could be attractive for some home-state players.

  “I remember being a youth soccer player here, and I think there is something different about being an athlete in Colorado," Angeli said. "When you combine that attitude of hard work and not quitting and being able to deal with adversity, I think it just sets it up really nicely to give these young women, these girls, something to really look forward. And something to hone their skills, and say, ‘Hey, I can play for my hometown club.' And I think we're going to see that a lot.”

  Charged with building the roster is Curt Johnson. Last week, the club named Johnson as NWSL side’s first general manager. He most recently served as chief soccer officer and GM for the North Carolina Courage, where he helped guide the club to seven major trophies - including two NWSL Championships and three NWSL Shields. He also led Sporting Kansas City to the 2000 MLS Cup and has held leadership roles in MLS, USL, and NASL.

  “I’m honored to join Denver NWSL,” Johnson said. “There’s incredible momentum around this club. I’m excited to get to work building a team the people of Denver and Colorado can be proud of.”

  Colorado recently ranked third in the nation in players produced, per capita, when it comes to NCAA Division I women’s soccer players. Other players, such as Canada star Janine Beckie, grew up playing in the state. Other names such as Kristen Hamilton and Alex Loera may be familiar.

  The breadth of talent hailing from the state also creates the potential for the team to be good, immediately. It's hypothetical, of course, but think of it: by the time the team begins play in 2026, Wilson’s contract with Portland will be up. Might she consider Denver? Would Heaps opt to return to the NWSL from Lyon to play in her home state?

  The wellspring of players from Colorado has helped drive massive fan support and excitement when the USWNT play friendlies in front of sold-out crowds at DSGP in Commerce City, a northern Denver suburb. And if those crowds are any indication, Denver’s NWSL team should have no issues drawing fans.

  “We're going to see a lot of players from Colorado come through the ranks,” Angeli said, “and that's what I get excited about -providing opportunities for those athletes in the near future to be able to say, ‘This is where I'm from, and I want to play for my city. I want to play for my state. I want to play my professional soccer in Colorado.’ ”