Investors seek NWSL or USL Super League team for Denver

A Denver-based investor and community group is attempting to bring a women’s professional soccer team to the Mile High City.

The group, dubbing itself For Denver FC, is being spearheaded by former NWSL player and Colorado native Jordan Angeli, Parsyl Insurance CEO Ben Hubbard and experienced sports executive Tom Dunmore.

Other businesses and investors from the Denver area are augmenting the group.

For Denver FC hasn’t made its intentions known in terms of whether it will aim for an NWSL team or a franchise in the USL Super League, the latter of which will begin play in 2024.

But the primary goal is to bring a professional women’s team to the Front Range.

The group is hoping to submit an application to one of those leagues by the end of this year, with the aim of beginning play in 2026.

“As a former professional player and Lakewood product, I grew up dreaming of one day playing professional soccer at home in Colorado,” said Angeli.

“Our state consistently produces some of the best women’s soccer talent in the world. We can create a club that thrives from this pipeline and offers some of the best players in the world the opportunity to play in their home state in front of a devoted fan base and passionate women’s soccer community.”

The For Denver FC name is a placeholder at this point in time, though the FC is intended to mean “For Colorado.”

Once the team joins a league, community input will help guide the team’s eventual name and identity.

“This is an idea whose time has come,” said Hubbard. “This is about soccer, but so much more. We’re excited to engage fans, families, civic leaders and investors in laying the foundation for a community asset that will be a powerful force for good in Denver and beyond.”

Denver FC will host viewing parties during the upcoming Women’s World Cup.

The group is also engaging in activities to secure stadium and training facility sites and is seeking to attract additional investors for an expansion bid later this year to one of the two division one professional soccer leagues.

The group is attempting to ride the wave of increased investment in women’s soccer.

The latest NWSL expansion team, Bay FC, plans to invest $125 million with the help of primary investors Sixth Street Partners.

The USL Super League announced its initial list of eight markets in May, with another five poised to join if their stadium projects come to fruition.