WPSL Pro
{{short description|Professional women's soccer league in the United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox football league
| American = yes
| logo = WPSL Pro logo black-white.svg
| organiser = Women's Premier Soccer League
| founded = 2023
| first = 2026 (proposed)
| country = United States
| confed = CONCACAF
| teams = 15
| levels = Division II (proposed)
| domest_cup =
| confed_cup =
| champions =
| most_champs =
| season =
| sponsor =
| tv =
| website = {{URL|https://wpslpro.com/}}
| current =
}}
WPSL Pro is a planned professional women's soccer league at the second level of the United States league system, setting one level below the National Women's Soccer League and USL Super League.
History
Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) announced the formation of the WPSL Pro on February 8, 2023. The league was planned as a Division III Professional League, that would start in 2025. The WPSL announced that WPSL Pro will help provide new avenues of development for players, coaches, and staff. The league plans for ten teams the first year, with a goal of 24 teams by 2030.{{cite web |url=https://www.wpslsoccer.com/news/2023/02/08/the-wpsl-announces-new-professional-division-iii-womens-soccer-league |title=The WPSL announces new professional Division III women's soccer league |date=February 28, 2023 |publisher=Women's Premier Soccer League |access-date=August 30, 2024}}
In August 2023, WPSL Pro announced they had received their first five letters of intent (LOIs). The teams were Oklahoma City FC, Sioux Falls City FC,{{cite news |author= |date=August 23, 2024 |title=Sioux Falls City FC joins professional league |url=https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/2023/08/22/sioux-falls-city-fc-joins-professional-league/ |work=Dakota News Now |access-date=August 30, 2024}} SouthStar FC, Austin Rise FC, and The Town FC.{{cite web |url=https://www.wpslsoccer.com/news/2023/08/22/wpsl-pro-moves-into-next-phase-with-five-teams-signing-lois |title=WPSL Pro moves into next phase with five teams signing LOIs |date=August 22, 2023 |publisher=Women's Premier Soccer League |access-date=August 30, 2024}} In February 2024, Georgia Impact FC signed their LOI, becoming the sixth team to do so. With Georgia Impact FC joining WPSL Pro, it will become the first team with a youth to professional pipeline in the league. In addition, by becoming the sixth team, Georgia Impact FC puts the WPSL Pro in a position to meet the minimal sanctioning guidelines.{{cite web |url=https://wpslsoccer.com/news/2024/02/06/wpsl-pro-georgia-impact-submits-loi |title=WPSL PRO: Georgia Impact submits LOI |date=February 6, 2024 |publisher=Women's Premier Soccer League |access-date=August 30, 2024}} Later in February 2024, AC Houston Sur signed a LOI with WPSL Pro, becoming the seventh overall team and third team from Texas to commit to the new league.{{cite web |url=https://wpslpro.com/wpsl-to-launch-new-womens-pro-league-in-2025/ |title=AC Houston Sur expands WPSL PRO's reach in Texas as third club to submit LOI ahead of 2025 Launch |date=February 20, 2024 |publisher=WPSL Pro |access-date=August 30, 2024}} Two days later, WPSL Pro announced the eighth team has signed the LOI, welcoming Dakota Fusion FC to the league. Dakota Fusion FC is the first team to announce they would officially start in the 2026 season.{{cite news |last=Ostler |first=Gabriel |date=February 29, 2024 |title=Dakota Fusion FC Looks to Bring Professional Women's Sports to Fargo-Moorhead |url=https://www.valleynewslive.com/2024/02/29/dakota-fusion-fc-looks-bring-professional-womens-sports-fargo-moorhead/ |work=Valley News |location=Fargo, North Dakota |access-date=August 30, 2024}} In July 2024, WPSL Pro announced they had received their ninth LOI from a group led by Gina Prodan Kelly to set up a team in Northeast Ohio.{{cite web |url=https://wpslpro.com/wpsl-pro-moves-into-northeast-ohio-ahead-of-2025-launch/ |title=WPSL Pro moves into Northeast Ohio ahead of 2025 launch |date=July 11, 2024 |publisher=WPSL Pro |access-date=August 30, 2024}} In August 2024, WPSL Pro received their tenth LOI from Soda City FC, announcing their intent to bring a professional women's soccer team to South Carolina.{{cite web |url=https://wpslpro.com/wpsl-pros-tenth-loi-market-widens-league-footprint-on-atlantic-coast/ |title=Pro's tenth LOI market widens league footprint on Atlantic Coast |date=August 23, 2024 |publisher=WPSL Pro |access-date=August 30, 2024}} In September 2024, WPSL Pro announced three more LOIs, the first from Wichita, Kansas, the second Indios Denver FC from Denver, Colorado, and the third from Southern California.{{Cite web |date=2024-09-04 |title=WPSL PRO receives official Letter of Inten from sports investment group in Wichita|url=https://wpslpro.com/wpsl-pro-receives-official-letter-of-intent-from-sports-investment-group-in-wichita-ks/ |access-date=2024-09-12 |website=WPSL PRO |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-09-12 |title=WPSL PRO secures Denver market with twelfth LOI submission |url=https://wpslpro.com/wpsl-pro-secures-denver-market-with-twelfth-loi-submission/ |access-date=2024-09-12 |website=WPSL PRO |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-09-24 |title=THE LOI MARKET REACH EXPANDS TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR WPSL PRO |url=https://wpslpro.com/the-loi-market-reach-expands-to-southern-california-for-wpsl-pro/ |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=WPSL PRO |language=en-US}} On January 8, 2025 WPSL Pro announced a 14th team had singed a letter of intent. Northern Colorado Rain FC signed the LOI with plans to start in the WPSL Pro league in 2026.{{Cite web |date=January 8, 2025 |title=Northern Colorado Rain FC joins WPSL PRO as 14th LOI Club |url=https://wpslpro.com/northern-colorado-rain-fc-joins-wpsl-pro-as-14th-loi-club/ |access-date=January 8, 2025 |publisher=WPSL PRO |language=en-US}} On March 12, 2025, WPSL Pro announced Real Central NJ had announced they would join the league for the 2027 season.{{Cite web |date=March 12, 2025 |title=REAL CENTRAL NJ SOCCER ANNOUNCES FORMATION OF WOMEN’S PROFESSIONAL TEAM IN WPSL PRO |url=https://wpslpro.com/real-central-nj-soccer-announces-formation-of-womens-professional-team-in-wpsl-pro/ |access-date=March 12, 2025 |publisher=WPSL PRO |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=March 12, 2025 |title=REAL CENTRAL NJ JOINS WPSL PRO – BRINGING PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S SOCCER TO CENTRAL JERSEY! |url=https://www.realcentralnj.soccer/post/real-central-nj-joins-wpsl-pro-bringing-professional-women-s-soccer-to-central-jersey|access-date=March 18, 2025 |publisher=Real Central NJ|language=en-US}} In April 2025, Cleveland Soccer Group announced that they would join WPSL Pro after not being selected as an expansion city for the National Women's Soccer League. This makes Cleveland the 16th team to announce their intention to join the league.{{Cite web |date=April 23, 2025 |title=Cleveland eyes WPSL Pro after not getting in NWSL |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2025/04/16/cleveland-joining-wpsl-pro-after-missing-out-on-nwsl/ |access-date=April 23, 2025 |publisher=Sports Business Journal |language=en}}
=Division II=
In April 2025 WPSL announced that WPSL Pro would launch in 2026 as a Division II league instead of the originally planned Division III.https://wpslpro.com/wpsl-pro-to-launch-as-division-ii-league-in-2026-backed-by-cleveland-soccer-group-and-new-stadium-investmenthttps://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/44691581/wpsl-pro-launching-second-tier-womens-league
Teams
=Current teams=
Teams planned to launch in the following markets for the 2026 WPSL Pro season.{{cite web |url=https://wpslpro.com/teams/ |title=Teams |publisher=WPSL Pro |access-date=August 30, 2024}}
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col" | Team
! scope="col" | City ! scope="col" | Stadium ! scope="col" | Capacity ! scope="col" | Founded ! scope="col" | Joining ! scope="col" | Head coach |
|---|
| AC Houston Sur
| 250 | 2021 | 2026 | {{flagicon|United States}} Jonathan Giraldo |
| Austin Rise FC
| 6,000 | 2023 | 2026 | {{flagicon|Mexico}} Rogerio Celaya |
| Cleveland Pro Soccer
| South Gateway Stadium | 10,000 | 2025 | 2026 | |
| Dakota Fusion FC
| 3,000 | 2016 | 2026 | |
| Georgia Impact SC
| 4,000 | 2024 | 2026 | {{flagicon|SCO}} Robert Roddie |
| Indios Denver FC
| Pinnacle Athletic Complex | 2,000 | 2019 | 2026 | |
| Northern Colorado Rain FC
| 6,500 | 2024 | 2026 | |
| Oklahoma City FC
| 600 | 2007 | 2026 |{{flagicon|USA}} Daniel Gibson |
| Sioux Falls City FC
| 5,000 | 2022 | 2026 | {{flagicon|USA}} Dale Weiler |
| SoCal WPSL Pro
| | | 2024 | 2026 | |
| Soda City FC
| WC Hawkins Stadium Irmo | 3,000 | 2018 | 2026 | |
| SouthStar FC
| 1,500 | 2019 | 2026 | {{flagicon|USA}} Casey Loyd |
| The Town FC
| 5,500 | 2024 | 2026 | |
| FC Wichita
| Stryker Soccer Complex | 6,100 | 2024 | 2026 | |
=Future teams=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col" | Team
! scope="col" | City ! scope="col" | Stadium ! scope="col" | Capacity ! scope="col" | Founded ! scope="col" | Joining |
|---|
| Real Central NJ
| Lawrence Township, New Jersey | Ben Cohen Field | 1,000 | 2000 | 2027 |
=Location map=
{{Location map+ |USA |float=left |width=700 |caption=WPSL PRO
8px Current club 8px Future club|places=
{{Location map~ |USA |lat=29.747548 |long=-95.408457 |label={{nowrap|AC Houston Sur}} |label_size=80 |position=right |mark = Blue pog.svg}}
{{Location map~ |USA |lat=30.278194 |long=-97.749480 |label={{nowrap|Austin Rise FC}} |label_size=80 |position=left |mark = Blue pog.svg}}
{{Location map~ |USA |lat=41.499331 |long=-81.683204 |label={{nowrap|Cleveland Pro Soccer}} |label_size=80 |position=top |mark = Blue pog.svg}}
{{Location map~ |USA |lat=46.873392 |long=-96.767222 |label={{nowrap|Dakota Fusion FC}} |label_size=80 |position=top |mark = Blue pog.svg}}
{{Location map~ |USA |lat=33.7442466 |long=-84.385798 |label=Georgia Impact SC |label_size=80 |position=bottom |mark = Blue pog.svg}}
{{Location map~ |USA |lat=39.7392 |long=-104.9849 |label=Indios Denver FC |label_size=80 |position=bottom |mark = Blue pog.svg}}
{{Location map~ |USA |lat=40.476839 |long=-104.900733 |label=Northern Colorado Rain FC |label_size=80 |position=top |mark = Blue pog.svg}}
{{Location map~ |USA |lat=35.384741 |long=-97.725273 |label=Oklahoma City FC |label_size=80 |position=right |mark = Blue pog.svg}}
{{Location map~ |USA |lat=43.544609 |long=-96.719049 |label=Sioux Falls City FC |label_size=80 |position=bottom |mark = Blue pog.svg}}
{{Location map~ |USA |lat=34.26 |long=-119.24 |label=WPSL SoCal |label_size=80 |position=top |mark = Blue pog.svg}}
{{Location map~ |USA |lat=34.003251 |long=-81.028219 |label={{nowrap|Soda City FC}} |label_size=80 |position=right |mark = Blue pog.svg}}
{{Location map~ |USA |lat=32.962201 |long=-96.830060 |label={{nowrap|SouthStar FC}} |label_size=80 |position=left |mark = Blue pog.svg}}
{{Location map~ |USA |lat=37.835 |long=-122.129722 |label=The Town FC |label_size=80 |position=top |mark = Blue pog.svg}}
{{Location map~ |USA |lat=37.688889 |long=-97.33611 |label=FC Wichita |label_size=80 |position=top |mark = Blue pog.svg}}
{{Location map~ |USA |lat=40.302780 |long=-74.733407 |label=Real Central NJ |label_size=80 |position=right |mark = Red pog.svg}}
}}
{{clear}}
League leadership
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col"| Title
!scope="col"| Name |
|---|
| scope="row"| President
| Sean Jones |
| scope="row"| Vice president
| DeBray Ayala |
| scope="row"| Vice president
| Brad Lund |
| scope="row"| Commissioner
| Kendra Halterman |
References
{{reflist}}
{{US Women's soccer}}
{{Soccer in the United States}}
Category:Women's soccer leagues in the United States
Category:Professional soccer leagues in the United States
Category:United States Adult Soccer Association leagues