KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – NOVEMBER 2: Trinity Rodman #2 of Washington Spirit with the ball pursued by Kerry Abello #25 of Orlando Pride during the NWSL Championship game between Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit at CPKC Stadium on November 23, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Bill Barrett/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
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Women’s soccer is having a moment – and it’s not a fleeting one. Sponsorship dollars, media coverage, and fan engagement are all surging, signaling that women’s soccer is not just a cultural movement; it’s big business.
Amid this surge, a new league is preparing to launch in the U.S. to ensure the growth extends beyond the top tier of the sport and spans the entire soccer landscape. The league – WPSL Pro – is positioning itself to fill a critical gap in the U.S. soccer system, launching the country’s first-ever Division II women’s professional league. To date, 15 teams have been confirmed, helping to close the divide between the college and professional ranks. The league is currently planned to begin play in 2027, and is currently seeking sanctioning from the U.S. Soccer Federation to compete in the professional soccer pyramid.
Closing The Gap In The Soccer Ecosystem
Today, more than 30,000 women compete in college soccer across Divisions I, II, and III. Yet, there are only around 500 roster spots available in professional leagues like the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the newly minted Gainbridge Super League. That leaves thousands of talented players without a clear pathway to continue their careers in the U.S.
“The pathway to the pros is really hard and there’s a huge gap,’” says Megan Oglesby, an early investor in WPSL Pro and owner of Carolina Core FC. “WPSL Pro aims to help close that gap.”
By creating a sustainable Division II option, WPSL Pro is expanding opportunities not only for players, but also for coaches, executives, and local communities to engage with the women’s game in meaningful ways.
Centering Women From The Start
The leaders behind WPSL Pro are entrepreneurs, executives, and investors who believe women’s soccer deserves its own infrastructure, visibility, and business model that hasn’t simply been “borrowed” from the men’s game.
“We’re not starting with the blueprint that men use,” explains Gina Prodan-Kelly, CMO at Cleveland Soccer Group and a founding leader of WPSL Pro. “We’re starting from scratch and asking, who are we building this for, and why?”
This mindset has led to holistic planning that centers athletes and is focused on sustainability. “We need to think about things like childcare, women’s healthcare, postpartum return to fitness; things that aren’t built into current systems,” added Prodan-Kelly.
Prodan-Kelly and Oglesby are both part of the league’s core leadership team, along with Anne Hoge, a strategic investor and board member with deep operating experience and a relentless focus on long-term value creation.
“What’s really powerful here is that it’s largely by women and for women,” says Hoge. “You’ve got female investors who view women as a very investable asset class.”
WPSL Pro is aiming to launch in 2027 as the first-ever Division II women’s professional league in the U.S. To date, 15 teams have been confirmed to join the league.
WPSL Pro
Redefining The Model For Women’s Sports
WPSL Pro isn’t simply launching a new league; it’s rewriting the model for how women’s sports can be structured. By prioritizing athlete welfare, community engagement, and intentional investment, the league is creating the conditions for long-term sustainability.
If successful, WPSL Pro will help set a new standard for how women’s leagues can be built to last.
“It is really special – and very rare – when you get to build something that’s purpose-built out of the gate,” said Hoge.