Denver Summit FC controlling owner Rob Cohen set a high bar for its expansion season in the National Women’s Soccer League.

“If you’re going to be in professional sports, the goal should be to win a championship every single year,” Cohen said Friday at Empower Field to preview the home opener on Saturday. “It doesn’t mean as a team that you will. Injuries happen. Balls bounce sometimes for you and sometimes against you. … I’ve told the internal staff, and the coaching staff and every player that we’ve recruited that our goal is to have a parade down 17th Street in November.”

Here is what you need to know about the Summit, its home opener and the NWSL in general.

DENVER SUMMIT FC

Record: 1-1-1

Home opener: Noon Saturday against the Washington Spirit at Empower Field at Mile High.

Tickets: The Summit is expected to break the NWSL attendance record with at least 60,000 tickets sold for the home opener. Plenty of seats remain available on Ticketmaster with prices starting at around $30. The most expensive tickets available are roughly $300 per seat.

How to watch: The home opener is being carried on TV/streaming by CBS and Paramount+.

Head coach: Nick Cushing, 41, leads the Summit with a resume that includes stints with the Manchester City Women (winning six major trophies) and New York City FC of the MLS. Cushing wants the identity of Denver Summit FC to be “organized and aggressive” while having “a threat in every phase of the game.” Cushing explained why he took the job.

“When you feel the commitment and the energy? For me, it was perfect,” Cushing said. “I want to work hard. … Hopefully, I can play my part in the journey. But I just feel really lucky to be here.”

Colorado connections: There are five players on the Summit with a hometown listed in the state: Meg Boade (Lone Tree), Ally Brazier (Colorado Springs), Lindsey Heaps (Golden), Jordan Nytes (Aurora) and Janine Sonis (Highlands Ranch).

Heaps will join the team in June after finishing her season playing for Olympique Lyonnais (France).

“I really just hope that we inspire,” Sonis said. “I feel so grateful that I get to be out there tomorrow and pay back the community for all that they poured into me as a young person. … Denver is such a sports town. So, we take a lot of pride.”

Stadium plans: The Summit will play its remaining home games this season at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City. The team is constructing a training facility and temporary stadium in Centennial. On Friday, the Summit announced it had finalized the land acquisition of 14 acres at Santa Fe Yards (Broadway and Interstate 25) to build a stadium and mixed-use development. It is expected to open in 2028.

“This has been a long time coming for South Broadway,” Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said in a news release. “This moment belongs to the Denver Summit fans and leadership team and could not have happened without every neighbor and business owner who believed in this dream from day one.”

NWSL

Total teams: 16 (Angel City FC, Bay FC, Boston Legacy FC, Chicago Stars FC, Denver Summit FC, Houston Dash, Kansas City Current, NJ/NY Gotham FC, North Carolina Courage, Orlando Pride, Portland Thorns FC, Racing Louisville FC, San Diego Wave FC, Seattle Reign FC, Utah Royals FC and Washington Spirit)

Playoffs structure: The top eight teams in the standings qualify for the postseason and seeded by record. There are four quarterfinal matches. The playoffs begin in November.

Last three NWSL champions: Gotham FC (2025, 2023) and Orlando Pride (2024)

Last three NWSL MVPs: Temwa Chawinga (KC Current 2025, 2024) and Kerolin (NC Courage 2023)