NWSL Commissioner Makes Powerful Statement Amid USA’s Bid To Host Women’s World Cup 2027 – “Imagine Greatness…Think of Women”

As of now, the USA is the mecca of women’s soccer. They’re now hosting the CONCACAF W Gold Cup, where the USWNT has made it to the quarterfinals. After this, a new NWSL season awaits soccer fans. The 2024 season starts on March 15 with the KC Current-Portland Thorns clash. Weeks before this mega opening, the NWSL’s Commissioner, Jessica Berman spoke at length about soccer’s monumental growth in the country. She confidently proclaimed that soccer will continue its northward journey in the States ‘with or without significant investment.’

Berman spoke at the Financial Times’ Business of Football summit in London. At the heart of her optimism about US soccer is that the country has headline events like the FIFA Club World Cup and the FIFA World Cup in its pipeline.

NWSL’s Commissioner is certain of the ‘halo effect’ over the sport in the US, amid the 2027 World Cup revelation

Speaking at the summit, Jessica Berman revealed that she expects soccer to grow exponentially in the US in the coming two years. The US will host the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025. In 2026, they will co-host the FIFA Men’s World Cup. “We know that in the U.S., the next four to six years, there is going to be an explosive growth, with or without the intentional investment we’re making,” Jessica Berman said. She stressed that America has finally started to pay attention to the world’s most popular sport, thanks to the USWNT’s monumental global success.

“We have this halo effect of the U.S. women’s national team and their incredible success. [Soccer] is one of the few sports where when you ask 100% [of the] people in the U.S. to close their eyes and imagine ‘greatness, soccer and America’ they think of women,” she added. Such confident claims come from Berman after the US and Mexico joint bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027. Considering the US will become seasoned with FIFA events after the Club World Cup and the Men’s World Cup, the 2027 bid could probably go their way. That marks a hat-trick of FIFA events. Thereafter, the Commissioner doubled down on NWSL’s growth.

National Women’s Soccer League is a ‘superpower’ under Jessica Berman!

While soccer is flourishing in the US, it has peaked in Europe and South America. But what about women’s soccer in Europe? Is it free from the reins of men’s soccer clubs? It is not. Manchester United‘s women’s team is completely dependent on its men’s team, which is a far superior global powerhouse. The same goes for Real Madrid and Barcelona. But then there is the NWSL. No MLS clubs have any say in the matters of the NWSL or its clubs.

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Besides, these independent NWSL clubs have attracted A-list investors from different walks of life. Angel City FC has brought together Serena Williams, Natalie Portman, and Eva Longoria. NBA superstar Kevin Durant has invested in the reigning champions, Gotham FC. Patrick Mahomes is a minority owner of the KC Current.

Hence, it was quite right of Jessica Berman to call her league a ‘superpower.’

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