The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has given the green light to its newest expansion teams, Atlanta City FC and Columbus NWSL, allowing them to begin assembling their squads ahead of their official entry into the league in 2028. Announced on Friday, both clubs will have access to substantial financial resources to aid in roster construction, setting a new standard for expansion sides.
Each franchise has been allocated $1.43 million in allocation money along with a $1.9 million transfer-fee threshold, nearly tripling the amounts available to existing NWSL teams. This significant financial backing reflects the league’s accelerating growth and its commitment to ensuring competitive balance for new entrants.
New Roster-Building Rules Give Expansion Clubs Room to Grow
Under the updated league framework, both expansion teams will operate with a 2027 salary cap set at $628,320. While players signed during this early roster-building window can be loaned out to other teams, the expansion clubs will retain up to 25% of the salary cap charge associated with those loans. However, neither Atlanta City FC nor Columbus will have access to the NWSL’s newly introduced High Impact Player designation until January 2028, which limits their ability to sign marquee players before their debut season.
The investments fueling these new franchises showcase the rapid financial escalation within the US women’s professional soccer landscape. In November 2025, Arthur Blank secured Atlanta’s franchise rights with a record-breaking $165 million purchase. Shortly thereafter, Haslam Sports Group acquired the Columbus franchise for an even higher sum of $205 million. According to Sportico, these figures have pushed the average NWSL franchise valuation to around $184 million.
Despite these substantial financial commitments, the challenge of constructing competitive and balanced rosters remains. The generous allocation money and expanded transfer budgets aim to provide these expansion clubs with the flexibility to develop their squads thoughtfully, but assembling a cohesive team will require strategic planning beyond mere financial muscle.