The National Women’s Soccer League is expected to award a 16th franchise to a group in Denver, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation who are not authorized to speak publicly.
The NWSL decided to move forward with the Denver bid over two other finalist groups from Cincinnati and Cleveland, bringing an end to a months-long process. The fee for the Denver franchise is expected to exceed $100 million, as The Equalizer previously reported. The team is expected to join a 15th franchise from Boston and begin play in 2026, although Boston’s stadium project faces ongoing hurdles. Boston paid $53 million to join the league.
Rob Cohen, chairman and CEO of IMA Financial Group, is the lead investor and would be the majority owner of the Denver group, a source confirmed to The Equalizer.
An NWSL spokesperson declined to comment on expansion when reached by The Equalizer on Tuesday. The process is ongoing and still needs to be finalized.
The group in Denver is exploring the construction of a stadium that would make the NWSL team the primary tenant, which commissioner Jessica Berman has repeatedly said is a top priority. Earlier this year, the Kansas City Current opened the first stadium built exclusively for an NWSL team.
“There’s probably nothing more important than our teams controlling their own destiny both from a stadium and training facility perspectives,” Berman said last month at the NWSL Championship, which was held at that venue — CPKC Stadium — in Kansas City.
A new stadium in Denver would not be ready by 2026, however, meaning the team would need to play in a temporary venue in the area.
The Denver bid group includes a group called For Denver FC, which is headed by insurance executive Ben Hubbard, and includes multiple finance and business figures, along with former NWSL player and current TV analyst Jordan Angeli.
The NWSL declined to comment on whether it would push the entry of expansion teams back from 2026. Asked about that by The Equalizer last week in relation to Boston’s issues, a league spokesperson said:
“The NWSL is excited to be in Boston, and we continue to work with all parties to make that happen.”
