Denver, Colorado Awarded NWSL’s 16th Franchise

The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) today announced it has awarded Denver, Colorado the league’s 16th franchise. The Denver NWSL team, set to begin play in the 2026 season, is comprised of a robust ownership group that includes local and national investors including Rob Cohen, Project Level, a subsidiary of Ariel Investments led by Chairwoman Mellody Hobson and former Washington Commanders President Jason Wright, FirstTracks Sports Ventures LLC (FTSV), led by siblings Jon-Erik Borgen and Kaia Borgen Moritz, Neelima Joshi and Dhiren Jhaveri and Molly Coors. Cohen will serve as the club’s controlling owner and Governor with Hobson as Denver NWSL’s Alternate Governor. Denver is the second franchise awarded by the NWSL during this round of expansion, following Team 15 in Boston, bringing the league from 14 to 16 clubs. Denver NWSL becomes the first women’s professional sports team in a major national league to call the Mile High City home.

The new Denver NWSL franchise is finalizing plans for a purpose-built stadium for professional women’s soccer and a dedicated, purpose-built performance facility for female athletes. More information will be available as these plans are finalized. Team name, crest, colors, and brand identity will be announced at a later date. 

“As the NWSL continues its rapid growth, we knew it was critical to launch our 16th team in a city with a passionate sports culture and vibrant fan base, and Denver is the perfect match,” said Jessica Berman, Commissioner of the NWSL. “The club’s plans for a purpose-built stadium and state-of-the-art training facility demonstrate a commitment to providing world-class environments for our players and fans alike. With this ownership group’s vision and dedication, we are confident that Denver NWSL will set new standards for excellence on and off the pitch, inspiring the next generation of players and supporters across the Rocky Mountain region.” 

Rob Cohen is the Chairman and CEO of IMA Financial Group, Inc., a top 25 insurance brokerage specializing in risk management, insurance, wholesale brokerage, and wealth management headquartered in Denver, Colorado. During his tenure, Cohen has led the firm to unprecedented growth while staying true to its client-focused culture built on the foundation of employee ownership. IMA has consistently been named a best place to work by various national and local publications. 

Cohen has been a mainstay in the Denver sports scene for the past 30 years, working to elevate Denver to the international stage. In 2001, Cohen founded the Denver Sports Commission, whose mission is to proactively identify, pursue, and attract regional, national, and international amateur and professional athletic competitions and events to Denver. The commission has helped bring such notable events such as the All-Star Games of MLB, NBA, NHL, Women’s Final Four, and Hockey Frozen Four to the greater Denver area. 

Cohen is a founding member of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Foundation (USOPF) and is the Chair of the Games Hospitality Committee. He most recently was on the Salt Lake City Bid committee, which was awarded the Winter Olympic Games for 2034. Cohen was appointed by Congress to the Commission on the State of the U.S. Olympics and Paralympic movement. 

“Denver is one of the best sports cities in the United States and we are thrilled to bring professional women’s soccer to Colorado,” said Cohen. “We believe that bringing NWSL to Denver will be impactful and transformative. Our goal is to work closely with Denver’s diverse communities to build a club that will operate with integrity and excellence from day one. We look forward to collaborating with our community to make Denver NWSL an inclusive and special club that all of Colorado can rally behind.”

Denver NWSL’s Alternate Governor Mellody Hobson is Co-CEO & President of Ariel Investments, LLC (“Ariel”), the first and oldest African-American-owned mutual fund company in the United States. Ariel is the parent company of newly formed private investment firm Project Level, which is investing in the franchise. Led by Hobson and former Washington Commanders President Jason Wright, Project Level’s mission is to ‘level’ the playing field in women’s sports through investment and ownership. The firm is capitalizing on the underappreciated growth and value embedded in women’s sports today through a highly curated portfolio of professional and emerging sports teams and leagues, junior and college sports opportunities, and related businesses that directly benefit from the global expansion of women’s sports.  

In 2022, Hobson made history as one of the first Black owners in the National Football League, as part of the Denver Broncos’ Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group. She is also a shareholder of the Chicago White Sox, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and League One Volleyball. In 2021, she co-founded Ariel’s first private equity entity Ariel Alternatives, LLC – with inaugural $1.45 billion fund Project Black, which scales sustainable minority-owned businesses to fuel Fortune 500 supply chain diversity. Outside of Ariel, Mellody is a leader in corporate boardrooms, as former chairman and current lead director of Starbucks Corporation and a director of JPMorgan Chase. 

NWSL chose Denver as its next expansion franchise in part due to For Denver FC, a grassroots movement to bring professional women’s soccer to the Centennial State. The community initiative was introduced as For Denver FC, and was led by Jordan Angeli, Tom Dunmore, Nicole Glaros, and Ben Hubbard. For Denver’s work was instrumental in the early stages of Denver’s pursuit of an NWSL franchise, including engaging Rob Cohen and other members of the ownership group in the fall of 2023. For Denver FC will collaborate with Denver NWSL to continue to engage the Denver community and will be foundational as Denver NWSL builds a supporter base to support Denver’s newest club. 

Denver NWSL will host a Supporter Fan Rally at Number 38 (3560 Chestnut Pl, Denver, CO 80216) on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 5 p.m. MT. The event is free, all-ages and open to the public.