A NWSL team is officially coming to Denver.

Denver on Thursday was announced as the league’s 16th franchise, set to begin play with the 2026 season. Denver was one of three finalists announced in November, along with Cincinnati and Cleveland. Sportico reported earlier this month the Denver franchise was secured with a $110 million expansion fee.

The Denver NWSL team is “the first women’s professional sports team in a major national league in Denver,” the league said, and the second NWSL franchise awarded during this round of expansion. Boston was the first.

With those additions, the league expands from 14 to 16 teams.

The announcement was met with excitement from local soccer clubs, including Pride Soccer, a youth non-profit club in Colorado Springs.

“It’s so awesome to invite the first women’s professional team to Colorado because our girls will get served in a whole new way,” Pride Soccer college advisor Andi Waterhouse said. “They will be able to go to games and see players in a match environment. It’s very exciting.”

Waterhouse, who trained with the NWSL team Seattle Reign FC in 2016, grew up playing soccer in Colorado Springs but said she did not have female players for role models in the sport, making the Denver NWSL team more special.

“We didn’t have that opportunity to see females play at the highest level. It’s awesome we get to do that,” Waterhouse said. “I played in NWSL and that’s so much of what players in that league do is give back to the community — especially to young girls who grew up in that community playing soccer and giving access to players who compete at that level.”

Colorado Rapids midfielder Cole Bassett also showed his support for the new club in an X post Thursday.

“I can’t wait to welcome the NWSL’s newest expansion team to Denver, Colorado,” said Bassett, who grew up in the Denver area. “I can’t wait to have a women’s team to go support.”

Dicks Sporting Goods Park is home to the Rapids and has hosted multiple U.S women’s national team matches. But Denver NWSL is finalizing plans for its own purpose-built stadium for professional women’s soccer and a dedicated, purpose-built performance facility for female athletes.

The Denver NWSL ownership group is comprised of local and national investors, including Rob Cohen, Project Level, a subsidiary of Ariel Investments led by chairwoman Mellody Hobson. It also includes former Washington Commanders President Jason Wright, FirstTracks Sports Ventures LLC (FTSV), led by siblings Jon-Erik Borgen and Kaia Borgen Moritz, Neelima Joshi and Dhiren Jhaveri and Molly Coors.

Cohen, chairman and CEO of IMA Financial Group, Inc., will be the club’s controlling owner and governor. Cohen has been involved in the Denver sports scene for the past 30 years, founding the Denver Sports Commission in 2001. He is a member of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Foundation (USOPF).

“Despite producing some of the world’s greatest players and being home to the best sports fans in the country, Denver has been deprived of its own professional women’s team,” Denver mayor Mike Johnston said. “That changes today.”

NWSL chose Denver as its next expansion franchise in part due to For Denver FC, a grassroots movement to bring professional women’s soccer to Colorado. For Denver FC is led by Jordan Angeli, Tom Dunmore, Nicole Glaros and Ben Hubbard.

According to a press release, “For Denver’s work was instrumental in the early stages of Denver’s pursuit of an NWSL franchise, including engaging Rob Cohen and other members of the ownership group in the fall of 2023.”

For Denver FC will collaborate with Denver NWSL to continue to engage the Denver community and build a supporter base. That initiative starts Thursday with a Supporter Fan Rally at Number 38 in Denver at 5 p.m.

The new franchise is viewed as another step in growing women’s sports, and, in turn, inspiring the next generation of athletes.

“It will be great for the community and help soccer grow in a lot of ways,” Waterhouse said of the new franchise. “I hope it gives a push for other professional teams for women whether that’s basketball or other teams. Just continue to grow youth sports, that is what is most important.”

Fans wishing to purchase season tickets can make a deposit at DenverNWSL.com.