The Nationwide Girls’s Soccer League has introduced that San Diego might be dwelling to an growth crew which can start play in 2022.
The crew will be owned by Ron Burkle, who had initially deliberate to have the NWSL crew in Sacramento earlier than altering course and transferring it to Southern California.
Former U.S. girls’s nationwide crew head coach Jill Ellis will function crew president, her first function within the sport after she stepped away following the USWNT’s profitable 2019 World Cup marketing campaign.
Why the NWSL selected San Diego
“The NWSL continues to develop immensely and bringing girls’s skilled soccer again to San Diego, an space with a wealthy soccer historical past and passionate fan base, can have a deep and constructive impression on this neighborhood,” Ellis (picture beneath) stated in a league launch.
“I’m extremely honored to guide this membership ahead as we put together for play on this league subsequent yr. We intention to turn out to be a major crew globally, led by influential girls, with the power to draw the perfect expertise all through the world.”
NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird added: “San Diego NWSL has all of the hallmarks of a profitable growth membership: a dedicated possession group with the assets required to spend money on the success of our league and our gamers, in a neighborhood stuffed with soccer gamers and followers, in a area that has been underrepresented in our league.
“I can’t wait to look at all of it come collectively.”
The larger image
The San Diego franchise, which can announce a identify, colours, head coach and stadium venue at a later date, will turn out to be the NWSL’s twelfth franchise, and second from Southern California to enter subsequent season.
Angel Metropolis FC, which might be situated simply north in Los Angeles, can also be set to start play as an growth franchise in 2022.
Tuesday’s announcement might be a bitter blow to Sacramento, after Baird introduced earlier this yr {that a} new franchise could be situated within the California capital.
Baird stated on the time that an official affirmation from the NWSL could be forthcoming, but it surely by no means arrived.
Burkle had additionally deliberate on proudly owning an MLS growth franchise in Sacramento, however has since pulled out of that challenge completely in February 2021.
New girls’s league launching
The announcement comes on the identical day that the United Soccer League (USL) introduced a relaunch of the USL W League, which can start play in Might 2022 with a champion topped in July.
The discharge saying the W League, which existed in a earlier iteration from 1995 to 2015, indicated that plans are being made for as much as 30 groups for the 2022 season.
The W League might be a pre-professional league with gamers retaining novice standing.
Comments