Final Three Cities for New NWSL Team: Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Denver

NEW YORK - The competition for a National Women's Soccer League expansion franchise has narrowed down to three final candidates: Cleveland, Denver, and the Caitlin Clark-backed Cincinnati bid group, announced Commissioner Jessica Berman on Friday.

Two teams in Northern California and Utah joined the top-flight North American league this year. The NWSL previously announced their 15th team, BOS Nation FC, would launch in 2026.

Berman said the league would close a deal for the 16th team in the coming weeks, with plans to have them begin play in 2026.

"All of the men's leagues are 30-plus teams for a reason," said Berman.

"In order to build the kind of national exposure and visibility and media deals that we think this league deserves and our fans deserve we know we need to be in more markets."

The Cincinnati campaign got a major boost on Thursday when women's basketball sensation Clark was announced as a member of the city's bid group and Berman said the league was "honored" to have her interest.

"Her accomplishments and contributions to women's sports is incredible, historic," said Berman. "It's changed the game for everyone."

Clark shattered television records in her final collegiate year, where she broke the all-time NCAA scoring record, and helped drive a surge of interest in the top-flight WNBA in her rookie year with the Indiana Fever.

"Her passion for the sport, commitment to elevating women’s sports in and around the Greater Cincinnati region, and influence as an athlete and role model for women and girls around the world, make her a vital part of our compelling bid," the Cincinnati group said in a statement.

The league has experienced a rapid uptick in interest, with more than 2 million fans coming through the turnstiles during the 2024 regular season, up 47% year over year, with average attendance breaking 11,000, Berman said.

The league added sponsors Google and Amazon this year after reaching a landmark broadcast deal a year ago, worth a reported $60 million annually, that the NWSL described as the "largest media investment in women's sports history."