Columbus gets the NWSL’s 18th team to start play in 2028

By: Anne M. Peterson, The Associated Press Posted: 5:31 PM CDT Tuesday, Apr. 21, 2026

Columbus was awarded a National Women's Soccer League franchise on Tuesday that will begin play in 2028 and bring the league to 18 teams.

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Columbus was awarded a National Women's Soccer League franchise on Tuesday that will begin play in 2028 and bring the league to 18 teams.

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Columbus was awarded a National Women’s Soccer League franchise on Tuesday that will begin play in 2028 and bring the league to 18 teams.

An ownership group led by the Haslam Sports Group paid an expansion fee of $205 million, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose the financial details.

The Columbus NWSL team will join the league in 2028 along with an expansion team in Atlanta, which was awarded the league’s 17th franchise in November for a reported expansion fee of $165 million.

FILE - Jessica Berman, commissioner of the National Women's Soccer League, speaks at a news conference, Jan. 30, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

In addition to the Crew, the Haslam Group also owns the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and has a stake in the Milwaukee Bucks.

“This is a city with a rich soccer tradition, a proven track record of support at the highest level, and an ownership group making meaningful, long-term investments in women’s sports,” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said in a statement. “We’re excited to bring the world’s most competitive women’s soccer league to Columbus and to see this community embrace the game in a new way.”

The NWSL franchise’s ownership group includes the insurance company Nationwide and Crew minority owners Pete and Christine Edwards.

The new NWSL team will share ScottsMiracle-Gro Field with the Crew. The stadium will be refurbished to accommodate the needs of the women’s team. The owners also plan to build a new training facility for the NWSL team.

The Haslam Group’s bid included $50 million in public funds for the training facility, $25 million from the city and $25 million from the county.

The facility drew criticism because it is to be built at a park in an underserved community that was going to be renovated by the city. Instead, the new NWSL owners will contribute toward a new park for the community.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer