Columbus is officially getting a National Women’s Soccer League team. The announcement came April 21, with the league confirming the city as home to its 18th franchise, set to begin play in 2028.
The team will be owned by Haslam Sports Group, Nationwide, and Drs. Pete and Christine Edwards, a group with deep ties to the local sports scene. For now, the club is operating under the placeholder name “Columbus NWSL 2028,” with branding and a permanent identity expected to come later with input from fans.
“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. “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.”
Home matches will be played at Lower.com Field, adding a second professional team to the venue. Fans interested in getting in early can already place deposits for future tickets.
The announcement follows a fast-moving and, at times, contentious few weeks locally. Columbus City Council and Franklin County each approved $25 million in public funding tied to the bid. That money will go toward a new training facility and stadium-related upgrades, with the city planning to repay its portion through a 2% ticket tax.
A major point of debate has been the proposed location of the training facility at McCoy Park on the Southwest Side. Residents and several council members raised concerns about losing public green space, especially after previous plans promised significant upgrades to the park.
In response, city leaders added amendments to the deal.
Those include requirements to identify and build a replacement park on a set timeline, a $3 million contribution from the ownership group toward that effort, and some level of public access to the new facility. The city can also withhold funding if those conditions are not met.
Even with those changes, reactions have remained mixed. Some see the team as an opportunity to expand women’s professional sports in Columbus and bring additional investment to the region. Others remain focused on how the deal came together and what it means for the surrounding community.
“Columbus has the best fans and I’ll be among them cheering on the team when they start playing in 2028,” said Columbus City Council President Shannon G. Hardin. “My focus until then will be the commitments we made to the residents of Southwest Columbus and our taxpayers.”
The ownership group is expected to invest more than $300 million to launch the franchise (the franchise fee alone was a record-setting $205 million), and the team will be required to remain in Columbus for at least 25 years under the agreement.
For now, the timeline is set. Columbus will join the NWSL in 2028, with several major details still to be determined in the years leading up to kickoff. For more info, head over to columbusnwsl2028.com.
