The Rise of Women's Soccer: NWSL, the World Cup, and a Golden Era for the Game

16 NWSL teams, a 2027 World Cup in Brazil, and three straight Ballon d'Or wins for Aitana Bonmatí: women's soccer is growing faster than ever.

The NWSL's Rapid Expansion

The National Women's Soccer League has grown faster in the last few years than at any point in its history. For 2026, the league expanded to 16 teams with the addition of Boston Legacy FC and the Denver Summit, and the league has already awarded an Atlanta franchise, backed by Arthur Blank, as its 17th team, targeting a 2028 debut. That's a dramatic shift for a league that launched in 2013 as the third attempt at a sustained US women's professional league, following the collapse of two earlier leagues (WUSA and WPS) within the previous decade. Sustained expansion at this pace signals investors now see the NWSL as a durable, growing business rather than a fragile experiment.

Why Investors Are Paying Attention

Expansion franchise fees, new soccer-specific stadiums being built specifically for NWSL clubs, and increasingly competitive broadcast rights deals all point the same direction: money that once treated women's soccer as a side project is now chasing it directly. That shift has been visible across the sport globally, not just in the US. European giants like Barcelona and Real Madrid have significantly built out their women's programs over the past several years, treating them as genuine extensions of the men's club brand rather than an afterthought.

The 2027 Women's World Cup: A First for South America

The next Women's World Cup will be held in Brazil from June 24 to July 25, 2027. It's the first time the tournament has ever been hosted in South America. The 32-team tournament will be played across eight host cities, including Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, keeping the 32-team format first used in 2023 (the tournament grows to 48 teams in 2031). Hosting in Brazil, one of the sport's most historically passionate men's soccer nations, is itself a milestone for how seriously the women's game is now being treated on a global stage.

Aitana Bonmatí and a New Era of Individual Stardom

No player better represents the women's game's current moment than Barcelona and Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmatí, who became the first three-time winner of the Ballon d'Or Féminin, an award that's only existed since 2018. That alone shows how recently the sport's biggest individual honor opened up to women. Bonmatí's dominance has coincided with Barcelona's rise as one of the sport's top clubs, and with Spain's own rise as a major force in the international women's game following their 2023 World Cup title.

A League and a Sport Still Being Built

It's worth remembering how recent all of this growth actually is. The Ballon d'Or Féminin is younger than most first-year college students. The NWSL's stable, expanding present sits on top of two earlier failed leagues within the last 25 years. And a Women's World Cup in South America was unthinkable a decade ago. Women's soccer isn't simply "catching up" to the men's game commercially. It's building infrastructure, fan bases, and stars on its own accelerated timeline.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many teams are in the NWSL in 2026?

The NWSL expanded to 16 teams for the 2026 season with the addition of Boston Legacy FC and the Denver Summit. A 17th franchise in Atlanta has already been awarded, with play expected to begin in 2028.

Where is the 2027 Women's World Cup being held?

The 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup will be held in Brazil, marking the first time the tournament is hosted in South America. It runs from June 24 to July 25, 2027, across 8 host cities and features 32 teams.

Who has won the most Ballon d'Or Féminin awards?

Aitana Bonmatí of FC Barcelona is the first player to win the Ballon d'Or Féminin three consecutive times, cementing her as the award's most decorated winner since it launched in 2018.

When did the NWSL start?

The National Women's Soccer League launched in 2013, becoming the third attempt at a sustained top-flight women's professional league in the United States after two earlier leagues folded.