NWSL Opens Door to 20 Teams as Commissioner Berman Launches Next Expansion Push

The National Women's Soccer League is not done growing. Commissioner Jessica Berman revealed Thursday that the league is about to open its financial data room for potential expansion franchises 19 and 20, confirming the NWSL's intent to keep scaling up beyond its current footprint.

Sixteen clubs are competing in the 2026 campaign, including newcomers Boston Legacy and Denver Summit, who joined this season as the league's 15th and 16th members. Two more franchises — Atlanta and Columbus — are already locked in to arrive in 2028 after paying record expansion fees of $165 million and $205 million respectively.

Speaking at the Leaders Week London conference, Berman said there is no fixed deadline for awarding the next two teams, explaining the league will act when it feels the market is ready. "I don't think 20 is the max, I think 20 is the next touch point," she said, pointing to other major American leagues with 30 or more teams as a potential blueprint.

Berman, commissioner since 2022, dismissed suggestions that rapid growth could dilute the quality of play, insisting demand for franchises remains high. She framed the long-term vision as a truly national competition: with a country the size of a continent, the league needs a presence across the whole map to compete on a national basis.