NWSL Welcomes New Expansion Teams in 2026
In an exciting development for women’s soccer, the NWSL is set to introduce two new expansion teams in 2026, both of which will host their inaugural home matches at NFL stadiums. The first of these matches will take place in March.
Boston Legacy FC is scheduled to kick off its home campaign on Saturday, March 14, at Gillette Stadium, which serves as the home ground for the NFL’s New England Patriots. The venue has a capacity of over 65,000 and will be the temporary home for the team in its debut season.
On the other hand, Denver Summit FC has announced that it will open its 2026 season on Saturday, March 28, at Empower Field at Mile High, home to the NFL’s Denver Broncos, which can accommodate up to 76,000 fans.
This announcement coincides with the current attendance record for an NWSL match, which stands at 40,091 spectators. This record was achieved earlier in the year by Bay FC during a special event held at Oracle Park, home of MLB’s San Francisco Giants.
Denver has already purchased over 15,000 season ticket deposits, showcasing strong community interest. The club is also in the midst of constructing a temporary stadium for the upcoming season, with plans for a permanent stadium to be completed by 2028. This future 14,500-seat venue will be the second in history specifically built for an NWSL team, following the Kansas City Current’s establishment at CPKC Stadium in Missouri in 2024.
Meanwhile, Boston Legacy FC will play at Gillette Stadium in 2026 before transitioning to White Stadium in Franklin Park the following year. This venue is undergoing renovations in collaboration with the City of Boston, with Boston Public Schools slated to be the primary tenant of the 10,000-plus-seat stadium. Although the renovation was initially expected to finish by spring 2026, the project faced delays due to local opposition.
With the addition of Boston and Denver, the NWSL will expand to 16 teams in 2026, a significant increase from the 10 teams that participated in the league in 2021.
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