WPSL PRO
Organizing body | Women's Premier Soccer League |
---|---|
Founded | 2023 |
First season | 2026 (proposed) |
Country | United States |
Confederation | CONCACAF |
Number of clubs | 16 |
Level on pyramid | Division II (proposed) |
Website | wpslpro |
The WPSL PRO is a planned professional women's soccer league at the second level of the United States league system, setting one level below the National Women's Soccer League and USL Super League.
History
[edit]Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) announced the formation of the WPSL PRO on February 8, 2023. The league was planned as a Division III Professional League, that would start in 2025. The WPSL announced that WPSL PRO will help provide new avenues of development for players, coaches, and staff. The league plans for ten teams the first year, with a goal of 24 teams by 2030.[1]
In August 2023, WPSL PRO announced they had received their first five letters of intent (LOIs). The teams were Oklahoma City FC, Sioux Falls City FC,[2] SouthStar FC, Austin Rise FC, and The Town FC.[3] In February 2024, Georgia Impact FC signed their LOI, becoming the sixth team to do so. With Georgia Impact FC joining WPSL PRO, it will become the first team with a youth to professional pipeline in the league. In addition, by becoming the sixth team, Georgia Impact FC puts the WPSL PRO in a position to meet the minimal sanctioning guidelines.[4] Later in February 2024, AC Houston Sur signed a LOI with WPSL PRO, becoming the seventh overall team and third team from Texas to commit to the new league.[5] Two days later, WPSL PRO announced the eighth team has signed the LOI, welcoming Dakota Fusion FC to the league. Dakota Fusion FC is the first team to announce they would officially start in the 2026 season.[6] In July 2024, WPSL PRO announced they had received their ninth LOI from a group led by Gina Prodan Kelly to set up a team in Northeast Ohio.[7] In August 2024, WPSL PRO received their tenth LOI from Soda City FC, announcing their intent to bring a professional women's soccer team to South Carolina.[8] In September 2024, WPSL Pro announced three more LOIs, the first from Wichita, Kansas, the second Indios Denver FC from Denver, Colorado, and the third from Southern California.[9][10][11] On January 8, 2025 WPSL Pro announced a 14th team had singed a letter of intent. Northern Colorado Rain FC signed the LOI with plans to start in the WPSL Pro league in 2026.[12] On March 12, 2025, WPSL Pro announced Real Central NJ had announced they would join the league for the 2027 season.[13][14] In April 2025, Cleveland Soccer Group announced that they would join WPSLPro after not being selected as an expansion city for the National Women's Soccer League. This makes Cleveland the 16th team to announce their intention to join the league.[15]
Division II
[edit]In April 2025 WPSL announced that WPSL Pro would launch in 2026 as a Division II league instead of the originally planned Division III.[16][17]
Teams
[edit]Current teams
[edit]Teams planned to launch in the following markets for the 2026 WPSL PRO League season.[18]
Team | City | Stadium | Capacity | Founded | Joining | Head coach |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AC Houston Sur | Houston, Texas | The Village School | 250 | 2021 | 2026 | ![]() |
Austin Rise FC | Austin, Texas | House Park | 6,000 | 2023 | 2026 | ![]() |
Cleveland Pro Soccer | Cleveland, Ohio | South Gateway Stadium | 10,000 | 2025 | 2026 | |
Dakota Fusion FC | Moorhead, Minnesota | Jim Gotta Stadium | 3,000 | 2016 | 2026 | |
Georgia Impact SC | Atlanta, Georgia | Tommy Baker Field | 4,000 | 2024 | 2026 | ![]() |
Indios Denver FC | Denver, Colorado | Pinnacle Athletic Complex | 2,000 | 2019 | 2026 | |
Northern Colorado Rain FC | Windsor, Colorado | TicketSocket Park | 6,500 | 2024 | 2026 | |
Oklahoma City FC | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | Mustang High School | 600 | 2007 | 2026 | ![]() |
Sioux Falls City FC | Sioux Falls, South Dakota | Bob Young Field | 5,000 | 2022 | 2026 | ![]() |
SoCal WPSL Pro | Southern California | 2024 | 2026 | |||
Soda City FC | Columbia, South Carolina | WC Hawkins Stadium Irmo | 3,000 | 2018 | 2026 | |
SouthStar FC | Addison, Texas | Mean Green Soccer Stadium | 1,500 | 2019 | 2026 | ![]() |
The Town FC | Moraga, California | Saint Mary's Stadium | 5,500 | 2024 | 2026 | |
FC Wichita | Wichita, Kansas | Stryker Soccer Complex | 6,100 | 2024 | 2026 |
Future teams
[edit]Team | City | Stadium | Capacity | Founded | Joining | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Real Central NJ | Lawrence Township, New Jersey | Ben Cohen Field | 1,000 | 2000 | 2027 |
Location map
[edit]League leadership
[edit]Title | Name |
---|---|
President | Sean Jones |
Vice president | DeBray Ayala |
Vice president | Brad Lund |
Commissioner | Kendra Halterman |
References
[edit]- ^ "The WPSL announces new professional Division III women's soccer league". Women's Premier Soccer League. February 28, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ "Sioux Falls City FC joins professional league". Dakota News Now. August 23, 2024. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ "WPSL Pro moves into next phase with five teams signing LOIs". Women's Premier Soccer League. August 22, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ "WPSL PRO: Georgia Impact submits LOI". Women's Premier Soccer League. February 6, 2024. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ "AC Houston Sur expands WPSL PRO's reach in Texas as third club to submit LOI ahead of 2025 Launch". WPSL Pro. February 20, 2024. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ Ostler, Gabriel (February 29, 2024). "Dakota Fusion FC Looks to Bring Professional Women's Sports to Fargo-Moorhead". Valley News. Fargo, North Dakota. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ "WPSL Pro moves into Northeast Ohio ahead of 2025 launch". WPSL Pro. July 11, 2024. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ "Pro's tenth LOI market widens league footprint on Atlantic Coast". WPSL Pro. August 23, 2024. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ "WPSL PRO receives official Letter of Inten from sports investment group in Wichita". WPSL PRO. September 4, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
- ^ "WPSL PRO secures Denver market with twelfth LOI submission". WPSL PRO. September 12, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
- ^ "THE LOI MARKET REACH EXPANDS TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR WPSL PRO". WPSL PRO. September 24, 2024. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
- ^ "Northern Colorado Rain FC joins WPSL PRO as 14th LOI Club". WPSL PRO. January 8, 2025. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
- ^ "REAL CENTRAL NJ SOCCER ANNOUNCES FORMATION OF WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL TEAM IN WPSL PRO". WPSL PRO. March 12, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ "REAL CENTRAL NJ JOINS WPSL PRO – BRINGING PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S SOCCER TO CENTRAL JERSEY!". Real Central NJ. March 12, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
- ^ "Cleveland eyes WPSL Pro after not getting in NWSL". Sports Business Journal. April 23, 2025. Retrieved April 23, 2025.
- ^ https://wpslpro.com/wpsl-pro-to-launch-as-division-ii-league-in-2026-backed-by-cleveland-soccer-group-and-new-stadium-investment
- ^ https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/44691581/wpsl-pro-launching-second-tier-womens-league
- ^ "Teams". WPSL Pro. Retrieved August 30, 2024.