Columbus is getting a National Women’s Soccer League team.
The NWSL announced on April 21 that Columbus was awarded its 18th franchise, less than two months after it was reported Haslam Sports Group had submitted a bid to bring a professional women’s soccer team to the city.
“As the NWSL continues its rapid growth, expanding to Columbus is a natural next step,” NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said in a statement. “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. 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.”
Along with Jimmy and Dee Haslam, who are also the majority owners of the Crew and Cleveland Browns, the team’s ownership group consists of Columbus-based insurance company Nationwide, Crew minority-owner Dr. Pete Edwards and Haslam Sports Group managing partners J.W. Johnson and Whitney Haslam Johnson.
“Our family is thrilled to help bring an NWSL team to Columbus and further invest in Ohio, with the honor of bringing the 18th team into the league,” Whitney Haslam Johnson said in a statement.
The franchise is being referred to as Columbus NWSL 2028 until an official team name, colors and crest are selected with input from fans across Ohio, according to a press release. People interested in tickets can place a $28 deposit per seat online at www.columbusnwsl2028.com.
Columbus’ NWSL team is expected to debut in 2028 and will play its home games at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, which also hosts Crew home games.
The announcement comes within 24 hours of Columbus City Council and Franklin County approving public contributions to the NWSL facilities, which the Haslam Sports Group has said was the final piece necessary to complete their bid.
The city and county will each contribute $25 million to be used on a new training facility at McCoy Park and upgrades to ScottsMiracleGro-Field to host a second team. The city and county will each take out bonds for the project. The city will pay back its debt with a 2% ticket tax on all events at the soccer stadium and the county will use fees and other non-tax revenue.
Columbus City Council, Franklin County Commissioners approve funding
The Franklin County Commissioners voted 2-0 for the deal with Commissioner Kevin Boyce abstaining at their meeting on the morning of April 21.
The Columbus City Council meeting on the evening of April 20 was more contentious and the deal narrowly passed 5-3 with one abstention. Multiple council members and residents took issue with the use of McCoy Park on the Southwest Side, as the city had previously planned to upgrade the park, which sits in one of the city’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods.
In a last-minute amendment, the city council tied the release of funds to the city identifying a new site to replace McCoy Park quickly.
As part of the public-private deal, the private ownership group has agreed to invest $3 million in the new park and $12 million back into the county over a 12-year period focused on early childhood education, workforce development and food insecurity.
The deal also requires the team to stay here for 25 years or money can be clawed back.
Expansion fee could sets record
The Dispatch has confirmed that the Columbus ownership group paid a $205 million expansion fee to the NWSL, a league record. ESPN, which first reported the figure, also noted that five years ago the fee was $2 million.
City officials have said that the ownership group will invest more than $300 million to set up the franchise.
![Bears at Vikings Game Preview [AUDIO] - Sports Mockery](https://cdn2.el-balad.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Bears-at-Vikings-Game-Preview-AUDIO-Sports-Mockery-390x220.webp)
