NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman says a 16th team is on the way, with 'more than a dozen qualified groups' vying for the expansions spot

NWSL is set to expand to 16 teams, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman announced, with two joining in 2025, one in 2026 and a fourth to be determined.

WHAT HAPPENED? Ahead of NWSL final Saturday evening, commissioner Jessica Berman held a press conference Friday informing that the league is set to add a new expansion franchise. The coveted spot has over 12 markets vying for the spot, per Berman.

WHAT THEY SAID: «Our preliminary analysis of the landscape is that we have more than a dozen qualified investor groups from different markets around the U.S. who are extremely interested in the kinds of investment we know is required in order to operationalize a successful team,» Berman said.

«We know that attendance is the rocket fuel that drives all of the growth of everything else we're building, and creates the excitement around our game that makes people not only want to attend games, but to consume our content and to watch our games on TV,» Berman added.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: The 16th team will likely round-out the league at a solid number to potentially switch into an Eastern and Western Conference format like most American sports — including MLS, who use the two conferences to differentiate their playoff format.

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DID YOU KNOW? The 2025 expansion spots belong to Utah and Northern California while a Boston-area team is joining in 2026.

WHAT NEXT FOR NWSL? The 2023 Championship game is set to be played Saturday evening between OL Reign and Gotham FC.