Growth seems to be the only word in the dictionary of NWSL. In fact, add unprecedented in front as since 2013, the American women’s domestic league hasn’t looked back to make new developments. Just days ago, Denver was announced as the league’s 16th team, set to pay a record $110 million expansion fee. But if you think the league will stop there, you might want to hear about the ‘ambitious and aggressive growth plans’ from none other than Jessica Berman.

The NWSL commissioner seems more optimistic than ever when it comes to the growth of the league. What began as an eight-team project now consists of 14 active clubs, with two new sides set to be added by next season. One would imagine that his number may stop at 18 or 20 maximum. However, what Berman has in her mind will make you understand how serious NWSL is to become the best.

“We also have as a guidepost the other professional leagues, in particular the men’s leagues that are in and around 30 teams, and we see no reason we can’t be that size,” Berman said on Thursday, as compiled by The Equalizer Soccer.

“How, when, and where we go will be a work in progress, and something that we’re discussing with our board, who, as you can imagine, are very ambitious and aggressive in their growth plans. And so we’ll continue to analyze what makes the most sense for the NWSL moving forward, and we’ll likely have more discussions and news to share sometime in 2025,” concluded Berman.

30 women’s sides competing against each other in a domestic tournament! Just imagine the scenes. Even a renowned English-based league WSL consists of just 12 teams in their highest division. But from the looks of it, NWSL is clearly swell in their goal to become the no. 1 in the world.

Of course, a 30-team league would likely mean that the NWSL will follow the MLS model. There, the American men’s league features 30 teams split into two domestic tables: the Eastern and Western Conferences. The league would then continue using a playoff tournament after the regular season to determine its annual champion.

While it may sound weird at first, we believe that it will surely revolutionize America’s women’s domestic landscape. Clearly, the NWSL aims to become the dominant one. But we wonder how much the expansion fee would cost the potential new clubs, considering the current one has set a massive record!

Growth is only constant for NWSL

The NWSL has seen significant growth not only in the number of teams but also in expansion fees and franchise valuations. Expansion fees have skyrocketed from approximately $2 million to a new record of $110 million, courtesy of the group bringing the Denver team into the league. Additionally, franchise valuations have followed suit. They have jumped from $3.5 million in late 2019 to a record $250 million, set by the sale of Angel City FC in 2024.

Meanwhile, Boston is set to be the 15th expansion team. They secured their franchise rights in 2023 and scheduled to debut in 2026. They paid a $53 million expansion fee, the same amount as Bay FC, which entered the league in 2024. Be that as it may, one thing is clear; this growth is a promising sign for the NWSL. In fact, they look eager than ever to send a strong global message about its future potential.