Commissioner Jessica Berman said Thursday the National Women's Soccer League will add two more expansion teams to reach 20 clubs, then pause. The league sits at 14 teams today, with Boston (2026) and Cleveland (2025) already awarded. Two more slots remain unallocated. Berman framed the target as a near-term endpoint tied to competitive balance and media scheduling, not a permanent cap.
The timeline matters because the league's next media rights negotiation opens in 2027, one year after the current Apple deal expires. A 20-team footprint delivers 190 regular-season matches under the current home-and-away structure, up from 132 matches today. That inventory gap—58 additional windows—gives the league room to test split-package deals with linear partners or streamers looking for weekend content blocks. Boston and Cleveland add the 6th and 11th largest U.S. media markets by household count. The two remaining slots will likely prioritize similar metro density: Philadelphia, Detroit, and San Francisco remain the largest markets without bids in advanced stages.
Expansion fees have climbed faster than revenue multiples suggest. Bay FC paid $53 million in 2023; Boston's ownership group, led by Jennifer Epstein and Elizabeth Grady, paid a reported $65 million this year. Cleveland's fee has not been disclosed but people familiar with the process say it cleared $70 million. The incremental $15 million to $20 million jump per cycle reflects scarcity pricing as the bid pool narrows and valuations track MLS comps rather than NWSL fundamentals. MLS expansion fees hit $500 million for San Diego (2025) and Las Vegas (2028), but those clubs enter a league with $5 billion in annual revenue. The NWSL generated an estimated $110 million in 2023 across media, sponsorship, and ticketing, per Sportico. The valuation premium prices future growth assumptions—specifically, that the next media deal will approach $40 million to $60 million annually, up from Apple's current $21 million per year average.
Berman's 20-team ceiling also signals operational restraint. The league has no second division, so talent dilution becomes a scheduling problem: rosters cap at 26 players per team, and the NWSL draft produces roughly 8 to 12 first-year contributors annually. Expansion from 14 to 20 teams requires an additional 156 roster spots. The league will need to accelerate international signings—currently limited to 8 per club—or expand youth academies, which remain underfunded relative to MLS Next. Meanwhile, Boston and Cleveland ownership groups are building 6,000 to 8,000 seat soccer-specific stadiums, a shift from the 15,000-seat NFL-adjacent venues that characterized earlier expansion efforts. Smaller venues improve per-cap economics but reduce upside if attendance climbs past 10,000 per match, a threshold only 5 NWSL clubs exceeded in 2024.
The two remaining expansion slots will likely be awarded by late 2025 or early 2026, with on-field play starting 2027 or 2028. Berman said the league will evaluate bidders on ownership liquidity, stadium control, and local sponsorship pipelines. Philadelphia and Detroit have informal ownership groups in formation; San Francisco has a dormant bid led by tech investors who tried and failed to secure an MLS team in 2018. The league's current structure—14 teams, two conferences, single-table playoff format—will shift once the league hits 18 or 20 clubs, likely introducing a tiered playoff bracket or wild-card round.
The 20-team target also creates exit pressure for existing ownership. Four clubs—Chicago, Kansas City, Washington, and Portland—have struggled with attendance or operational margins since the league rebased economics in 2022. None are for sale, but expansion scarcity and rising franchise values make a secondary market viable for the first time. If a bid group in Philadelphia or Detroit cannot secure an expansion slot, acquiring an underperforming incumbent becomes the alternative. That dynamic has not yet produced a transaction, but it will once the final two slots are awarded and the window closes.
The takeaway
Two expansion slots left; **$70M+** entry fee; **2027** media deal depends on inventory scale and market footprint.
Editorial & Disclosure Notice: This article was written with artificial intelligence from public sources and is published without individual human review. Artificial intelligence and other digital tools are also used for research, analysis, editing, formatting, and production. Errors, omissions, outdated information, or inaccuracies may occur. References to companies, brands, products, services, organizations, or individuals are for informational and editorial purposes and do not imply endorsement, sponsorship, affiliation, partnership, or approval unless expressly stated. All trademarks and other intellectual property remain the property of their respective owners. Opinions, analysis, estimates, and commentary are informational only and should not be construed as financial, investment, legal, tax, medical, procurement, or other professional advice. Information may be corrected, clarified, or updated after publication. Corrections or removal requests: jenny@pops4.com.
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