CLEVELAND — Cleveland, alongside Cincinnati and Denver, are finalists to become the National Women's Soccer League's 16th team, according to Gina Prodan Kelly, head of marketing for Cleveland Pro Soccer.
A decision is expected in the coming weeks, and after a yearlong expansion bidding process, the process is in the final stages, according to an ESPN report.
Local organizers have been working on landing a women's pro soccer team since 2022.
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According to ESPN, the chosen team will begin to play alongside a Boston expansion team in 2026.
"As we think about the geographic footprint of our country, we know that a 14-team league is not where we will end up," Berman told ESPN. "All the men's leagues are 30-plus teams for a reason, and in order to build the kind of national exposure, visibility and media deals that we think this league deserves and our fans deserve, we know that we need to be in more markets."
ESPN reports that the expansion fee could approach $100 million for the team selected.
Cleveland and Denver hope to play in temporary venues and build stadiums upon launching in 2026 if their bid is accepted, multiple sources told ESPN.
In September, Cleveland Scene reported that 14 acres of land just south of Progressive Field and I-71 are where a team would play.
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