Denver NWSL team

In July 2023, an investment group called For Denver FC, led by former soccer player Jordan Angeli, sports executive Tom Dunmore, and insurance executive Ben Hubbard, announced their plans to bid for a franchise in the NWSL or USL Super League.{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37994680/investors-seek-nwsl-usl-super-league-team-denver |title=Investors seek NWSL or USL Super League team for Denver |last=Carlisle |first=Jeff |date=July 11, 2023 |publisher=ESPN |access-date=December 3, 2024}} They were joined by IMA Financial Group CEO Robert Cohen and venture capitalist Nicole Glaros.{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/43028273/denver-group-exclusive-talks-next-nwsl-franchise |title=Denver group in exclusive talks for next NWSL franchise |last=Carlisle |first=Jeff |date=December 17, 2024 |publisher=ESPN |access-date=December 17, 2024}} Other members of the ownership group included Mellody Hobson and Jason Wright of Ariel Investments.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6098847/2025/01/30/nwsl-denver-new-team-club-soccer/ |title=Inside Denver's winning NWSL bid: How grassroots and confidence beat stadium plans and Caitlin Clark |last=Anzidei |first=Melanie |date=January 30, 2025 |work=The Athletic |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 30, 2025}} For Denver FC had been founded in 2022 as a grassroots group and organized outreach events, including watch parties for the United States women's national team during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.{{cite news |last=Newman |first=Kyle |date=January 30, 2025 |title=How Denver landed NWSL franchise to bring women's professional sports back to Colorado |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2025/01/30/denver-nwsl-womens-soccer-team/ |work=The Denver Post |access-date=January 30, 2025}} In November 2024, the NWSL announced that Denver was one of three finalists, alongside Cincinnati and Cleveland, to become the league's 16th team which would begin play in 2026.{{cite news |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2024/11/22/denver-nwsl-expansion-finalist/ |title=Denver named finalist for National Women's Soccer League expansion team alongside Cincinnati, Cleveland |last=Ploen |first=Brendan |date=November 22, 2024 |work=The Denver Post |access-date=December 3, 2024}}

Denver was officially awarded the expansion bid by NWSL on January 30, 2025, and will join as the league's 16th team in the 2026 season.{{cite press release |date=January 30, 2025 |title=Denver, Colorado Awarded NWSL's 16th Franchise |url=https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/denver-colorado-awarded-nwsl-s-16th-franchise |publisher=National Women's Soccer Association |access-date=January 30, 2025}} The ownership group, led by finance executive Rob Cohen, was reported by media outlets to have paid a league-record expansion fee of $110{{nbsp}}million.{{cite news |url=https://prosoccerwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nwsl/2025/01/30/nwsl-awards-denver-expansion-franchise/78036868007/ |title=NWSL awards Denver expansion franchise |last=Vertelney |first=Seth |date=January 30, 2025 |work=USA Today |department=Pro Soccer Wire |access-date=January 30, 2025}}{{cite news |url=https://www.sportico.com/business/team-sales/2025/denver-nwsl-expansion-done-fee-110-million-1234822417/ |title=Denver Group Secures NWSL Team at Record $110M Expansion Fee |last=Novy-Williams |first=Eben |date=January 2, 2025 |website=Sportico |access-date=January 2, 2025}}

They are the first professional women's sports team in Colorado since the Colorado Xplosion of the American Basketball League folded in 1998.

On February 19, 2025, the ownership announced that a name vote would take place with the following six names: Denver Peak FC, Colorado 14ers FC, Colorado Summit FC, Denver Elevate FC, Denver FC, and Denver Gold FC.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6146375/2025/02/19/nwsl-denver-team-names-vote/|title=NWSL’s Denver expansion franchise unveils six possible team names, asks fans to vote|first=Jenna|last=West|via=NYTimes.com}}

On May 6, 2025, alpine skier and Vail native Mikaela Shiffrin joined the team's ownership group.{{Cite web |date=2025-05-06 |title=Mikaela Shiffrin joins Denver NWSL’s ownership group |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2025/05/06/mikaela-shiffrin-denver-nwsl-ownership/ |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=The Denver Post |language=en-US}} On June 3, 2025, Pro Football Hall of Fame and former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning also joined the ownership group.{{Cite web |date=2025-06-03 |title=Peyton Manning joins Denver NWSL ownership group |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2025/06/03/peyton-manning-denver-nwsl-ownership/ |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=The Denver Post |language=en-US}}

The team plans to build its own 14,500-seat soccer-specific stadium at Santa Fe Yards in Denver's Baker neighborhood, which would be completed in 2028.{{cite news |last=Whitley |first=Morgan |title=Photos: Denver NWSL to build new 14,500 seat soccer stadium |url=https://kdvr.com/sports/photos-denver-nwsl-to-build-new-14500-seat-soccer-stadium/ |website=KDVR |date=18 March 2025 |access-date=18 March 2025}}{{cite news |last=Parkins |first=Katie |title=Denver National Women's Soccer League to build 14,500-seat stadium at Santa Fe Yards |url=https://www.denver7.com/sports/denver-national-womens-soccer-league-to-build-14-500-seat-stadium-at-santa-fe-yards |website=Denver 7 |date=18 March 2025 |access-date=18 March 2025}}

In March 2025, the team announced plans to build a temporary stadium at Potomac Street and Fremont Avenue in Centennial that would be used for their first two seasons.{{cite news |last=Newman |first=Kyle |date=March 27, 2025 |title=Denver NWSL team announces plans for training facility, stadium in Centennial |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2025/03/27/denver-nwsl-team-training-facility-stadium-centennial/ |work=The Denver Post |accessdate=April 8, 2025}} It would have 12,000 seats for use by the NWSL team before it is downsized into a 4,000-seat venue for school sports. The stadium would be on the grounds of the permanent training facilities in Centennial, which are planned to include eight soccer fields on {{convert|43|acre|ha}}, with $25 million in financing primarily provided by the Cherry Creek School District.{{cite news |last=Carlisle |first=Jeff |date=March 27, 2025 |title=NWSL: Denver announces plans for training center, temporary stadium |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/44424337/nwsl-denver-announces-plans-training-center-temporary-stadium |publisher=ESPN |accessdate=April 8, 2025}}{{cite news |last=Prentzel |first=Olivia |date=March 27, 2025 |title=Temporary home for women's pro soccer team will become permanent pitch for Cherry Creek schools |url=https://coloradosun.com/2025/03/27/denver-national-womens-soccer-temporary-stadium-centennial/ |work=The Colorado Sun |accessdate=April 8, 2025}} The training center would be adjacent to the team headquarters and training facilities of the Denver Broncos. Dick's Sporting Goods Park, the home of the Colorado Rapids, was ruled out of serious consideration early in the process.

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• {{Official website|https://denvernwsl.com/}}

{{National Women's Soccer League}}

{{Colorado Sports}}

Category:2025 establishments in Colorado

Category:Association football clubs established in 2025

Category:National Women's Soccer League teams

Category:Soccer clubs in Denver

Category:Women's sports in Denver

Category:Women's soccer clubs in the United States