The National Women’s Soccer League is the highest level of women’s professional soccer in the U.S. The league was founded in 2012 under the United States Soccer Federation with eight teams. Since then, this league has grown to 16 teams, becoming the longest-running women’s professional league in the U.S.

Prior to the NWSL, there were two women’s pro leagues – the Women’s United Soccer Association and Women’s Professional Soccer. The WUSA began play in 2001 following the 1999 World Cup win by the U.S. Women’s National Team, but ended after just three seasons due to financial burdens. The WPS started in 2009, debuting with seven teams in Boston, Chicago, California, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Washington and the New York/New Jersey region. When four teams folded after just one season, three new teams were added in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Western New York. Teams continued to struggle with funding, and eventually, the league was left with six teams in 2011, ultimately leading to the league shutdown in 2012. From this, the NWSL was founded, and the USSF had ensured to set a solid financial foundation before pushing expansion.

The inaugural 2013 season followed the 2012 Olympic gold medal victory by the United States Women’s National Team. It began with eight teams: Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, Sky Blue FC and Western New York Flash, who were carried over from WPS, as well as the Portland Thorns, Seattle Reign, Washington Spirit and FC Kansas City, which were new franchises. Since then, the league has increased to 14 teams, ultimately establishing the NWSL as the most successful women’s professional league in the country.

The NWSL aims to have 32 teams total. The league is currently on track, as two new teams – Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC, expected to begin play in 2026 – were added, expanding  the league to 16 teams. While Denver Summit FC is a fresh team, it has already broken the record for most season tickets sold by a women’s professional soccer team at 15,000 tickets, making it the fastest growing franchise in NWSL history. This milestone makes the NWSL hopeful for its expansion goals and the future of the league.

On Nov. 11, 2025, Arthur M. Blank Sports and Entertainment announced Atlanta has been awarded the NWSL’s 17th franchise, with Aflac set to sponsor the team and Mauricio Culebro named as president AMBSE held the “Empower Her. Inspire All.” event at The Interlock to report the news of a new women’s soccer team, expected to begin play in 2028.

This groundbreaking step demonstrates major progress for Atlanta. USSF President Cindy Parlow Cone referred to Atlanta as a “soccer city,” in her speech at the “Empower Her. Inspire All.” event.

“I know this is a soccer city,” Cone said. “The new Atlanta NWSL team will thrive here. [They] will lead the way and continue to inspire the next generation, and the women’s game in this city will be better because of it.”

NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said Atlanta was rightfully awarded this opportunity because of its supportive ownership and dedicated fans. Atlanta is also the future home of the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center, which is set to open in Spring 2026.

“When we decide to admit an expansion team, we make sure that we have great ownership — that’s a great market,” Berman said. “And then you have top-notch facilities. These women deserve all of that. You have some of the best ownership in professional sports in the Blank family. You have an incredible sports market that knows how to show up week in, week out for your teams.”

AMBSE also owns several of Atlanta’s major sports franchises, including the Atlanta Falcons (NFL), Atlanta United FC (MLS) and the Atlanta Drive Golf Club. The team is expected to play in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium come 2028. In his speech at the event, Blank has emphasized his commitment in supporting the franchise and helping drive the continued growth of women’s sports globally. 

“We are committed to building a world-class training ground, specifically for our new club, along with dedicated facilities at Mercedes-Benz Stadium that will give our NWSL players the resources, the respect and stage they fully deserve,” Blank said. “Together, we will not only build a world-class club chasing championships, but build a legacy.”

Sports fans are 45% more likely to follow men’s sports than women’s, highlighting a long-standing disparity in visibility and investment. For decades, men’s leagues have dominated the sports industry, bolstered by expansive media coverage, greater resources, superior facilities and significantly higher salaries. However, this is beginning to shift as women’s sports gain traction on a global scale.

The NWSL drew a record-setting 1.184 million viewers tuned into the 2025 NWSL Championship, marking a major milestone for the league. FIFA data also shows a 24% rise in women and girls playing organized soccer, reaching 16.6 million, between 2019 and 2023. Women are expanding their presence across the sport, not only in coaching roles, but throughout the soccer workforce.

“Over time, coaching has become more of a viable profession, but I also think what’s changed in the last decade is that women have more opportunities now beyond coaching,” Senior Director of the Growth Department at U.S. Soccer, Laura Halfpenny said. “Coaching is just one area in which you can be in the game, but there’s also the business side, marketing and different types of management. Whether you’re in a club, college or member environment, there are more opportunities. That’s another reason why we’re seeing women move into new roles as the profession grows.”

Along with general female participation growth within soccer, U.S. Soccer is working to broaden  the number of women involved by providing many opportunities. Kostas Hatzikoutelis, Director of Player and Coach Development for the Georgia State Soccer Association, noted that these efforts are opening doors for women across multiple levels of the game. 

“We were only the second state to offer a free coaching education program at the higher levels for female coaches,” Hatzikoutelis said. “We felt we needed it; we found the funding to be able to do that. Right now we have women?only D coaches, national coaches, women?only C license coaches and now we have a B license coach pathway forward. These are the things that take a while, but they show how opportunities for women in the game are growing.”

Soccer’s evolution is visible not only in coaching but in the youth game, as well. Reagan Thompson, a junior in high school and a player for local United Futbol Academy, is part of that shift. She recently committed to play soccer at Clemson University and reclassified to the senior class, planning to graduate in 2026. Thompson said she has faced a range of  challenges growing up in a male-dominated sport.

“I feel like I’ve dealt with being underestimated,” Thompson said. “At times, I face jealousy or negativity from teammates, but all of those experiences have made me tougher, more grounded and more determined.”

Despite hardships that many women face throughout their athletic careers, the NWSL is working to expand opportunities for female soccer players, much like the recent growth in coaching education pathways. In December 2025, the league hosted its first-ever NWSL Combine and Youth Combine – an invite-only event designed to give elite players a platform to showcase their talent.  Among the invitees was Bristol Kersh, a junior from Atlanta who plays for Tophat Soccer Club. She is set to graduate early this spring and has committed to play Division I soccer at the University of Notre Dame. Kersh said she was scouted at a game and invited to the new event, which offers players an alternative route to the professional level beyond the traditional draft.

“They have scouts for the NWSL Combine, and the scouts come out to tournaments and showcases for ECNL and Girls Academy League,” Kersh said. “The Combine allowed the players to get more of a feel for what it is to be in a professional environment. You usually come from a college experience, and it isn’t the same, but it’s pretty close because all the resources you get from college are pretty close to the pro ones.”

Entertainer at the “Empower Her. Inspire All.” event on Nov. 11, 2025 dances on stilts to symbolize women empowerment. (Sara Centner)

The “Empower Her. Inspire All.” event also featured live entertainment, including dancers on stilts, and a performance by Zoe Erianna, who sang and played a series of uplifting songs on the piano. Junior Dabney Bond described these performances as motivating for young women.

“It was really inspiring because the girl performing was so young and passionate,” Bond said. “It also showed how young girls should be encouraged to follow their dreams. To me, the dancers on stilts symbolized how women are rising above.”

Similarly, Thompson said speakers Cone and Berman inspired her because of their perseverance in making a difference in women’s sports.

“Hearing the stories from the women who have built careers in soccer – their honesty about the challenges and their passion for empowering the next generation – really stuck with me,” Thompson said. “It made me see what’s possible when you stay committed.”

Nila Sullivan, an eighth-grader at Howard Middle School and a player for local club Inter Atlanta, said the event helped her recognize how prominent women’s sports have become and how many people advocate for it.

“I didn’t expect to see so many people at the event supporting women’s sports,” Sullivan said. “It made me realize how much women’s sports has grown and become a bigger deal.”

Jen Kirby, a USYNT network scout for the U.S. Soccer Federation and an assistant coach for a UCL two men’s team, is one of only four women in the country coaching on the men’s side. She said youth athletes have the power to drive change when they show up and speak up, and the “Empower Her. Inspire All.” event brought that energy together in one place. 

“[The event is] bringing out the people that can make a difference,” Kirby said. “It starts with the young ladies out here saying, ‘Hey, we’re here, and we want to bring a voice to our sport.’”

John Downey, Chief Soccer Officer at Inter Atlanta, said women in sports have made a global impact, but the event helped bring that influence close to home.

“Soccer continues to evolve in this country, and even though the women have been a dominant force internationally; it’s always good to shore up the professional leagues at home,” Downey said. “It’s just nice to see that it is constantly developing into more opportunities for these kids.”

Thompson agrees with Downey and believes the event opened doors for young athletes who are working to chase dreams.

“I think events like this honestly show that we’re not alone and that the paths we’re chasing are real and achievable,” Thompson said. “They give us confidence, connections and examples of strong women succeeding in their sports. That kind of exposure can completely change a young athlete’s mindset.”

As a young player, Sullivan aims to play on the team when she is older. She said the mindset that this event has given her will help her achieve that goal.

“The event motivated me to keep training and working hard so one day I can get to that higher level and play on the team,” Sullivan said. “I just hope others felt just as inspired as I did from the event.”

With the addition of the NWSL team and the upcoming opportunities that women in sports are earning, Berman said in her speech at the “Inspire Her. Empower All.” event that this occasion marked the start of something greater coming to Atlanta.

“Thank you for showing up on day zero, that’s today,” Berman said. “You get to be a fan of the league for the next two and a half years.”