The Denver Gazette sports business insider is a reader’s guide to understanding the influence of money, politics and power behind their favorite leagues, teams and players.

Sports business insider: The expansion Denver National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team broke ground in Centennial for the construction of its performance center and temporary stadium.

Short version: Denver NWSL is expected to begin the 2026 season playing in a 12,000-seat venue located just north of Broncos headquarters near Dove Valley. The team’s performance center — a proposed 20,000 square foot training facility — will be constructed adjacent to the stadium.

On Monday, Denver NWSL owner Rob Cohen joined team and local officials to break ground on the site. The ceremony can be viewed on YouTube (via 9News).

Denver NWSL expects to construct a permanent stadium located at the Santa Fe Yards for the 2028 season. The temporary stadium in Centennial will be reduced by 4,000 seats and used by Cherry Creek School District following the 2027 season.

Long version: Denver is taking another step toward becoming the 16th NWSL team.

The city was awarded a women’s professional soccer team in January after a record-setting $110-million expansion fee. Colorado is home for multiple U.S. Women’s National Team stars — including Lindsey Horan, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson — with a strong youth soccer culture. A new generation of new players will certainly be inspired by Denver NWSL.

But it’s expensive to launch a professional sports team.

Denver approves NWSL soccer stadium agreement, but money questions linger

Denver City Council approved the framework for an agreement to construct an NWSL stadium with a price tag of $70 million to taxpayers, drawn from the city’s capital improvement fund for land acquisition and improvements. Denver NWSL ownership is expected to privately fund stadium construction.

Denver City Council will vote, possibly in November, on finalizing the public cost to subsidize the privately owned stadium.

Denver NWSL partnered with the City of Centennial and Cherry Creek School District to construct a temporary stadium until a permanent solution materializes.

Are taxpayer-funded sports stadiums worth the public investment? | Sports Business Insider

Key context: The Denver NWSL permanent training facility is being designed specifically for women’s professional athletes. The amenities are expected to include:

—Eight soccer fields (including the 12,000-seat temporary stadium)

—Player lounges and private changing rooms for athletes

—Recovery facilities including hot and cold plunges, float pods and red-light therapy

—Dining area and lounge for players and their families

—Film analysis theater

—Integrated spaces for strength and conditioning and sports medicine

Denver NWSL says it set a league record with 10,000 season-ticket deposits | Colorado Sunshine

Looking ahead: Denver NWSL begins its inaugural season in 2026.