Women’s professional soccer returns to Boston

BOSTON – Women’s professional soccer returns to Boston.

Mayor Michelle Wu, along with Jessica Berman, commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and Boston Unity Soccer Partners, will make the official announcement at City Hall on Tuesday at 2 p.m. (You can watch it live on CBS News Boston in the video above)

Boston will be the league’s 15th team. It doesn’t have a name yet, but the expansion franchise will start in 2026.

“I am excited to expand the NWSL’s footprint and continue its transformative growth as we return to Boston, one of the world’s most iconic sports cities,” Berman said in a statement. “We are very proud to welcome Boston Unity Soccer Partners to our ownership group. They bring with them an impressive roster of business leaders who are committed to continuing Boston’s legacy of sports excellence and delivering a successful team to a highly passionate fan base.”

Boston Unity Soccer Partners describes itself as an “all-female core ownership group.” It is led by Jennifer Epstein, founder of Juno Equity and minority owner of the Boston Celtics. Stephanie Connaughton, Ami Danoff and Anna Palmer will be the managing partners.

“Boston is the greatest sports city in the world, and we are thrilled to bring the NWSL back to this passionate fan base,” Epstein said in a statement Tuesday. “Our goal is to build a championship-quality franchise that the city can be proud of, both on the field and in the community. We will be relentless and bold in our quest to add another chapter to the unparalleled the city’s sporting legacy.”

The owners have a proposal for renovation White Stadium in Franklin Park. That will be the home field and the upgrades will cost about $30 million, according to the Boston Globe.

The Boston Breakers were the last women’s soccer team in the city. They played here from 2001 to 2018, but the landscape and popularity of women’s football has increased in the past five years.

Now this will be the third professional women’s sports team in Boston.

The new Professional women’s hockey league will begin playing in January in the city and the Boston Renegades are the five-time defending champions of the Women’s Football Alliance.