#153 - The evolving women’s soccer pyramid

The women’s soccer pyramid could be expanding in 2026, and we discuss it on Episode 153! The NWSL has submitted a bid to create a second division league called NWSL Division 2 that would serve as a reserve league beginning in 2026. It would begin with 8 teams, with every NWSL team eventually having a reserve team in the league. There is also WPSL Pro, who also announced their intention to launch in 2026 with 15 teams. We quickly go through the new proposed leagues. We then get into the evolving women’s soccer pyramid in the United States and some of the things that these leagues will need to overcome. We also discuss soccer markets that are increasingly crowded as leagues rush to ride the coat tails of the 2026 World Cup. The eye should be on sustainability, and the legacy of 2026 doesn’t have to mean that a league rushes to launch in 2026. As more information comes out about these leagues, we can continue to debate the pros and cons, but it’s a discussion worth having to make sure that women’s soccer remains successful and is not set up in a hurried manner that increases the potential for failure. Don’t forget to follow us on Bluesky and YouTube! Rates, reviews, and subscriptions really help our reach wherever you get your podcasts as well as on YouTube. Head to our Linktree, which will give you access to all our affiliate links and our Stimulus store! And finally, tag us on Twitter or email USA Soccercast at Gmail dot com with any topic suggestions or questions for the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices