The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has officially laid groundwork for launching a Division II league in 2026 to boost player development.
The Athletic has corroborated the existence of the documents initially reported by CBS Sports, which confirm that NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman sent a letter to U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson on April 1, submitting its sanctioning application for a Division II women’s soccer league. The commissioner wrote that having a Division II league was “essential for the development and sustainability” of the NWSL.
As first reported by CBS Sports, the proposal describes the Division II league as a developmental place for college and younger players to get experience with “technical, tactical, and mental demands” of top professional soccer.
The eight teams initially involved with the proposed Division II league would be affiliated with the North Carolina Courage, Kansas City Current, Racing Louisville, NJ/NY Gotham FC, Orlando Pride, Bay FC, Seattle Reign and Washington Spirit. The NWSL intends to have all Division I clubs operating a Division II team within the first four years, according to the documents.
To meet U.S. Soccer’s Professional League Standards, the founding Division II teams would share infrastructure, staffing and common ownership with the existing NWSL teams. However, the proposal also leaves room for unaffiliated clubs to join the league.
A league spokesperson confirmed the NWSL’s sanctioning application.
“As a global leader in the women’s soccer landscape both on and off the pitch, the NWSL and its member clubs are committed to growing our sport in meaningful ways,” NWSL said in a statement shared with The Athletic. “The demand for professional soccer has never been higher. We look forward to working to build a strong foundation for future generations of players, officials and coaches and ensure the continued advancement of the women’s game.”
Multiple sources briefed on the proposal, who requested anonymity due to the ongoing nature of the news, said the paperwork was filed to meet a deadline rather than move forward with any concrete plans, with one source saying nothing specific has been agreed to on the league level.
There is currently no officially sanctioned Division II women’s soccer league in the U.S., though that may soon change.
Last week, WPSL Pro — initially intended as a Division III league — announced plans to launch as Division II instead. The pivot came with upgraded ambitions and new backing from the Cleveland Soccer Group, which had previously bid for an NWSL expansion spot. The WPSL Pro is currently awaiting sanctioning from U.S. Soccer.
Graphic provided by WPSL Pro in April as part of its proposal for Division II status. (WPSL Pro)
By tapping existing NWSL clubs, the proposed Division II league already checks many of U.S. Soccer’s boxes. The federation requires at least six teams in year one and eight by year three, with half based in metro areas of 500,000-plus and stadiums holding at least 2,000. All eight teams lined up for the inaugural season exceed those benchmarks.
“A second division league continues to be discussed. We’ll monitor developments over time and evaluate whether expansion into this new league is a fit for Racing Louisville,” Jonathan Lintner, the VP of marketing and communications at Racing Louisville, told The Athletic. “Our primary focus remains on growing awareness of our existing top-tier Racing team as both soccer and women’s sports explode in popularity across the country.”
The NWSL’s proposal describes a traditional double round-robin format, playing 14 regular-season games — home and away — against each opponent. The postseason would feature semifinals with the top four teams, No. 1 vs. No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3, culminating in a championship match.
A spokesperson for Gotham said, “We’re excited about the potential of this opportunity, not just for our club but for our fans, players, partners and broader soccer ecosystem, and we’re committed to working collaboratively to move it forward.”
Teams contacted by The Athletic were instructed to direct further questions to the league.
(Top photo: Getty Images)