The NWSL is setting ambitious goals for its future, eyeing an expansion to a 16-team league by 2026.

This strategic move, as outlined by NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman, emphasizes a deliberate and quality-focused approach to growth.

“We’ve really been very intentional about ensuring we’re not expanding too quickly,” Berman said in an interview with ESPN. “We’re expanding by two teams for 2024 and we’ll expand by two teams in 2026, knowing that for the league to absorb that from an infrastructure perspective, we want to make sure we’re doing with a real attention to detail and high quality control.”

This expansion initiative will see the introduction of two new teams in 2024 in San Francisco and Utah, followed by another two in 2026, one of which is in Boston. The league's expansion strategy is not just about increasing the number of teams but also about enhancing the league's infrastructure and ensuring that it continues to attract the world's best players. Berman's vision extends beyond just the number of teams, with a keen eye on continuously assessing and evolving the league's capabilities in the coming years.

“We also want to make sure that we’re positioned to attract, recruit and attain the best players in the world. We think of ourselves as the best league in the world, and we have to make sure the player pool internationally is aware of our league, that we’re doing all the right things to cultivate the domestic player pipeline in terms of talent, and that we’re positioned to be able to capitalize that in the future,” Berman said. 

The expansions are backed by substantial financial commitments, with potential ownership groups in Boston and the Bay Area required to pay $50 million in expansion fees, and the group in Utah negotiating fees between $2-$5 million​​. This financial aspect underscores the league's seriousness about sustainable growth.

The expansion prospects are further reinforced by the involvement of significant figures in the soccer community. The Bay Area group includes former U.S. women's soccer greats Brandi Chastain, Aly Wagner, Leslie Osborne and Danielle Slaton, along with Sixth Street Partners, a private-equity firm. In Boston, the lead is Jennifer Epstein, daughter of Celtics co-owner Robert Epstein​​.

Both Boston and Utah have historical connections to women's soccer, with the Utah Royals being part of the NWSL from 2018-2020, and the Boston Breakers participating for five years before folding in 2018.