NWSL expansion finalists: Cincinnati, Cleveland and Denver

Field Level Media|published: Fri 22nd November, 18:02 2024

NWSL: NJ/NY Gotham FC at Kansas City Current

Sep 28, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of practice balls prior to a match between the Kansas City Current and NJ/NY Gotham FC at CPKC Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The three finalists to become the NWSL's 16th franchise are Cincinnati, Cleveland and Denver, commissioner Jessica Berman announced Friday.

The winner will begin play in 2026 along with the expansion team from Boston.

The bidding process is in the final stages and a decision is expected in the coming weeks, per multiple reports. ESPN reported that the expansion fee could approach $100 million for the team selected.

"As we think about the geographic footprint of our country, we know that a 14-team league is not where we will end up," Berman said.

"All the men's leagues are 30-plus teams for a reason, and in order to build the kind of national exposure, visibility and media deals that we think this league deserves and our fans deserve, we know that we need to be in more markets."

Cincinnati's expansion bid got a publicity boost on Thursday when it announced that WNBA star Caitlin Clark had joined the group's investors.

--Field Level Media