Columbus Crew proprietors acquire 18th NWSL franchise for unprecedented amount.

The NWSL has granted an expansion franchise to Columbus, Ohio, under an ownership group spearheaded by the Haslam Sports Group. The new team based in Columbus is set to commence play in 2028.

An NWSL representative informed ESPN that the consortium will pay a $205 million expansion fee for the franchise.

This new Columbus team will enter the league alongside an Atlanta team, which will also start its season in 2028, expanding the NWSL to a total of 18 teams.

The NWSL Columbus team will compete at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in downtown, the same venue where the Columbus Crew of MLS play. The Haslam Sports Group also owns the Crew.

Prior to the 2028 season, ScottsMiracle-Gro Field will undergo renovations to include a dedicated locker room for the NWSL team, as stated by HSG managing partner Whitney Haslam Johnson to ESPN.

A significant aspect of the Columbus expansion proposal involves plans to construct a specialized training facility for the NWSL team on the southwest side of the city. The ownership group is anticipated to invest approximately $300 million initially, covering both the expansion fee and infrastructure costs.

This amount is in addition to $50 million in public funding for infrastructure—$25 million from the city and $25 million from Franklin County.

The Columbus City Council approved the city’s $25 million contribution in a divided vote on Monday night following a heated public meeting. The training facility for the NWSL team will be located in a park that the city had previously earmarked for renovation for adaptive use in an underserved area.

In exchange, the Haslam Sports Group will donate $3 million to assist the city in locating a new site for the park.

The NWSL has experienced rapid growth in recent years, expanding from 10 teams in 2021 to 18 by 2028.

During this same timeframe, expansion fees have surged from $2 million to the $205 million paid by the Columbus ownership group. Atlanta, which was awarded team No. 17 in late 2025, paid $165 million, which was a record at that time.

The Columbus ownership group includes the family of Dr. Pete Edwards—who holds a minority stake in the Crew and recently acquired additional shares from HSG—as well as the Columbus-based insurance firm Nationwide.

ESPN reported last month that the Columbus group was actively pursuing an NWSL expansion franchise.

The NWSL has recently adopted a “rolling expansion” approach, allowing prospective teams to apply when deemed appropriate rather than setting deadlines for submissions as was done previously.

Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC just completed their inaugural matches last month, marking the beginning of the NWSL’s 16-team era.