The National Women's Soccer League has secured another expansion franchise.
A consortium led by Haslam Sports Group will bring a new franchise to Columbus, Ohio, the league announced Tuesday.
According to the Sports Business Journal, the ownership group will pay $205 million to bring the franchise to the Ohio capital. The fee is part of a broader investment expected to exceed $300 million, covering infrastructure, staffing and other launch costs for the club.
“As the NWSL continues its rapid growth, expanding to Columbus is a natural next step. 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," said NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman 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.”
Nationwide — which will take an equity stake in a team for the first time — along with Drs. Christine Edwards and Pete Edwards, who are also involved with the Columbus Crew of MLS, are part of the ownership group.
The Columbus franchise will become the league’s 18th team and is set to debut in 2028 alongside a new Atlanta club backed by Falcons owner Arthur Blank, who agreed last year to a then-record $165 million expansion fee.
