Caitlin Clark joins NWSL Cincinnati ownership group

Caitlin Clark has joined an ownership group looking to create a National Women’s Soccer League team in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Cincinnati is a growing favorite among cities looking to become the 16th NWSL franchise, with other potential outposts including Denver, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Nashville.

“The NWSL Cincinnati bid team is thrilled that Caitlin Clark has joined our ownership group in pursuit of bringing a women’s professional soccer team to our city,” the NWSL Cincinnati bid team wrote in a statement.

“Her passion for the sport, commitment to elevating women’s sports in and around the Greater Cincinnati region, and influence as an athlete and role model for women and girls around the world, make her a vital part of our compelling bid to become the 16th team in the NWSL,” the statement continued.

The league currently has 14 teams, with Boston-based BOS Nation Football Club set to join for the 2026 season.

Bay FC, which played its first season this year, spent $53 million to cover the NWSL expansion fee. The club’s majority owner, investment firm Sixth Street, agreed to invest $125 million into the team all together.

Cleveland is likely Cincinnati’s biggest competition for the 16th spot in the league, as the Cleveland Soccer Group has reportedly purchased 13.6 acres of state land in downtown Cleveland to build a 12,500-seat stadium that is estimated to cost around $150 million.

A breakout star at the University of Iowa, Clark has continued her ascent in the Women’s National Basketball Association, contributing to the league’s most viewed season on TV in history. Clark took home the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year award after the Indiana Fever guard closed out a monstrous year, setting a number of WNBA records including most assists in a season, with 337, and most three-pointers made by a rookie, with 122.

The NWSL declined to comment on Clark’s involvement with Cincinnati’s ownership group.

— CNBC’s Jessica Golden contributed to this report.