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The National Women’s Soccer League is in preliminary talks to add teams to Boston, Utah and the San Francisco Bay Area, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.
The NWSL played 12 teams last season after adding Los Angeles-based Angel City FC and San Diego Waves FC in 2022.
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The groups behind the Boston and San Francisco Bay Area franchises will pay NWSL about $50 million in fees each, according to the report. The Utah team owner will pay him $5 million out of $2 million since reaching an agreement last year.
A league spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal, “We continue to work on our expansion process and are excited about the prospects for the future. If we have news to share, we will.”
San Francisco and Utah are reportedly set to start playing in 2024, and Boston at a later date.
NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman told ESPN in June that at least two more teams would be added for the 2024 season, with “more than 30 investor groups” interested in the league.
The league’s former Utah-based team, the Utah Royals FC, joined the NWSL in late 2017. Former Real His Salt Lake Royals, led by his owner Dell His Roy His Hansen, have been sold following allegations of racism, sexism and a toxic work culture against Hansen. The team moved to Kansas City as the Kansas City Currents.
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