Soccer's popularity in the US is surging with events like the Club World Cup and continued success of the US women's national team. Upcoming league expansions, including a second division for the NWSL and the launch of WPSL Pro, reflect this growth. Despite concerns over financial sustainability, the landscape is shifting towards a possible future of 50 teams by 2030. This rapid expansion creates a complex system of leagues and organizations, raising questions about competition and clarity within US soccer.
Several organizations are betting that the answer to that question is no. In late April, the National Women's Soccer League announced plans to launch a second division, despite concerns over the first division's financial sustainability.
There is nothing in the US Soccer Federation's rules to prevent multiple leagues from occupying the same division. From a single Division I competition two years ago, professional US women's soccer is now facing a future where it could very soon have two rival leagues.
Should all the proposed leagues launch as planned, there could be 50 women's professional soccer teams in the US by 2030. In 2023 there were just 12.
The emerging patchwork of leagues, officiating bodies, and teams in US women's soccer can be bewildering to contemplate; keeping track of the growing family of acronyms alone is enough to induce a headache.
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