Columbus gets the NWSL's 18th team to start play in 2028‎

Columbus was awarded a National Women's Soccer League franchise on Tuesday that will begin play in 2028 and bring the league to 18 teams. An ownership group led by the Haslam Sports Group paid an expansion fee of $205 million, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. The Columbus NWSL team will join the league in 2028 along with an expansion team in Atlanta, which was awarded the league's 17th franchise in November for a reported expansion fee of $165 million.