The National Women`s Soccer League (NWSL) has officially submitted an application to U.S. Soccer for the establishment of a Division II league, intended to commence in 2026. This move signifies the latest development in the evolving landscape of lower-tier professional and developmental women`s soccer in the United States, with a primary focus on enhancing player development.
According to obtained documents, the application was filed on April 1st and included a detailed letter from NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman to U.S. Soccer CEO and secretary general JT Batson. In her letter, Berman drew a parallel between the proposed Division II structure and minor-league baseball, asserting that it is “imperative that NWSL creates a robust pipeline for world-class athletes to fuel the [existing Division I league`s] explosive growth.” The Division II is described as a crucial transitional environment between collegiate play and the professional level, designed to expose young players to the “technical, tactical, and mental demands” of top-flight soccer.
For the inaugural season of the Division II league, the NWSL has secured commitments from eight teams affiliated with its current Division I clubs: Bay FC, Kansas City Current, North Carolina Courage, NJ/NY Gotham FC, Orlando Pride, Racing Louisville, Seattle Reign, and the Washington Spirit. These teams are slated to utilize the same stadiums as their Division I counterparts and will compete in a traditional double round-robin format, playing each opponent twice for a total of 14 regular-season games. The season will conclude with playoffs, featuring semifinals (1st vs. 4th, 2nd vs. 3rd) leading to a championship match.
In a subsequent statement, the league confirmed the proposal, announcing, “The National Women`s Soccer League has formally submitted an application and supporting documentation for a new Division II league to the United States Soccer Federation.” The statement emphasized the NWSL`s role as a global leader and its commitment to growing the sport, noting the unprecedented demand for professional soccer. The league expressed anticipation for building a solid foundation that will support future generations of players, officials, and coaches and ensure the continued advancement of women`s soccer.
By involving existing NWSL teams, the proposed Division II league is designed to meet or exceed numerous criteria set by U.S. Soccer for a second-division sanctioning. The federation mandates a minimum of six teams in the first year and eight by the third year, requires at least 50% of teams to be located in metropolitan areas with a population over 500,000, and stipulates a minimum stadium capacity of 2,000. All eight teams listed for the NWSL`s inaugural Division II season comfortably exceed both the population and stadium requirements.
Within the first four years, all Division I NWSL teams are expected to form an affiliated second-tier team. This aligns with the NWSL`s planned expansion, which will see the league grow to at least 16 teams, including expansion clubs in Boston and Denver joining next year. The Division II league structure is also designed to eventually welcome unaffiliated teams interested in joining.
Beyond development, the second tier will serve clubs in multiple ways, such as building roster depth (especially relevant after the abolition of the college draft), creating a direct pathway for player progression, and providing a controlled environment for injured players to participate in rehabilitation games before returning to the top squad. It will also offer developmental opportunities for coaches, referees, and front office staff. The NWSL also views the Division II league as a “testing ground for creative marketing strategies to grow the fan base of the women`s game.”
Additionally, teams in the second division would have the flexibility to schedule international exhibition matches and potentially participate in international tournaments for which clubs might qualify.
The Evolving Women`s Soccer Landscape
The Division II model is intended to function as a reserve league, a common concept across the global sports landscape. While the NWSL referenced baseball, similar setups exist within soccer, such as MLS Next Pro in the men`s U.S. pyramid (a third-tier league) and reserve teams playing in lower divisions in European football. This template of cultivating rising prospects has long been a part of the global sporting ecosystem.
However, this reserve model has been less common in women`s sports, largely due to historical underfunding. Currently, there is no officially sanctioned Division II women`s soccer league in the U.S. Notably, just last week, WPSL Pro, an organization backed by the amateur Women`s Professional Soccer League and the Cleveland Soccer Group, announced its own plans to launch as a Division II league. The Cleveland Soccer Group had previously been a contender for an NWSL expansion spot.
WPSL Pro also aims to begin play in 2026 and is currently awaiting sanctioning from U.S. Soccer. If approved, it would directly compete with the proposed NWSL Division II league. It`s not unprecedented for U.S. Soccer to sanction multiple leagues within the same division; historically, the USL and the now-defunct NASL shared Division II status in the men`s pyramid, and currently, the NWSL and the USL Super League hold Division I status in the women`s pyramid. The USL also plans to launch a second men`s Division I league, USL Division One, in 2027, alongside MLS.
Focusing on Youth Development
The NWSL is currently undergoing a period of rapid growth, fueled by increased attention and investment in women`s sports. This momentum has allowed the league to implement significant changes, including updates to player recruitment rules like increasing international roster spots and eliminating the college draft. The enhanced resources available to the league and its clubs are now enabling stakeholders to address long-standing issues related to player development, a topic Commissioner Berman highlighted earlier in the year.
Commissioner Berman commented on the importance of this area, stating that increased resources are facilitating more sophisticated scouting and strategic investment in the “path to pro,” which she sees as the “next chapter” of the league`s growth. She explained that with the abolition of the draft and the rise of free agency, it`s essential to strengthen the strategy for bringing talent into the league. Expressing confidence in the abundant talent pool within the U.S., she believes there is a significant opportunity to use the proposed second division as a catalyst for investment in youth soccer.
Several key figures across the women`s soccer landscape have recently expressed increased interest in ensuring robust avenues exist for young players to transition into professional careers. This includes U.S. Women`s National Team head coach Emma Hayes, who is beginning to utilize the U-23 team as a sort of reserve squad for the senior team, and particularly Michele Kang, owner of the Washington Spirit, who made a substantial $30 million donation to U.S. Soccer in November specifically aimed at girls` and women`s programs.
Adrian Whitmore