How much do NWSL clubs invest? A club-by-club breakdown

The NWSL has come a far way from how the league started out in 2013. Among those changes is the amount of investment that clubs and club owners have poured into their teams. Which clubs are leading the way in giving women’s football the investment and respect it deserves?

Kansas City Current

The reigning NWSL Shield winners are leading the pack in terms of investment in the league. They built the first ever purpose-built training complex exclusively for a women’s professional sports team in the US, and then a few years later opened the first ever stadium that was purpose-built for women’s football. 

Since CPKC Stadium opened its gates in 2024, the club has continued to invest in players, spending big money to bring in global superstars like Temwa Chawinga, Bia Zaneratto, Lorena, and Ally Sentnor.

Kansas City’s investment has more than paid off. In addition to winning the 2025 NWSL Shield by a mile, the club also regularly sells out its home games and has a loyal fan base that supports its strong squad.

Washington Spirit

The Washington Spirit are owned by the biggest investor into women’s football, Michele Kang. Today, the club is consistently at the top of the league in attendance, averaging over 15,000 fans each home match. Those fans have the treat of seeing the highest-paid women’s footballer in the world, Trinity Rodman, as well as several other high-ticket players like Claudia Martínez, Leicy Santos, Sofia Cantore, and Rosemonde Kouassi.

The Washington Spirit use their resources to scout top players worldwide before other clubs have a chance to notice them. Most recently, they signed Algerian international midfielder Mélissa Bethi and Cameroonian international midfielder Monique Ngock, who both then proceeded to have stellar tournaments at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. The Spirit’s ability to both sign known global superstars and recognize more hidden talent show that the club is serious about building a strong footballing product, and Kang is not shy about investing in her team.

Gotham FC

The reigning NWSL Champions have also proven that they are not afraid to spend money on the team. This season, the club announced plans to construct a dedicated training facility, set to open in summer 2027. Gotham FC also announced plans to move to Etihad Park in Queens, New York City starting in the 2028 NWSL season which will lead to more fans and more exposure for the club. It has been impossible to escape Gotham’s advertisements in New York City, marking an era of increased marketing for the club.

On the field, the club has splashed out on players like Sam Kerr, Denise O’Sullivan, and Guro Reiten this season alone, while also investing into young players like Jordynn Dudley. Gotham FC’s investments on and off the pitch land them among the top clubs in the league.

Angel City FC

Angel City is the most valuable women’s football club in the world, bringing together high-profile investors from across industries and landing lucrative sponsorship deals. The club also experiences financial success through selling high numbers of tickets and merchandise. Off the pitch, the club has built the strongest brand of any women’s football club in the world.

On the pitch, Angel City has made some recent investments, for example, bringing in Sveindís Jónsdóttir and Ally Sentnor, the latter of whom they spent $850,000 on, but the product on the field remains subpar. The club currently sits in 10th in league standings, a position one wouldn’t expect from such a successful team off the pitch. Angel City has done an exceptional job building a brand and pushing the standard for what women’s football clubs can do, but they have some room for improvement in terms of investing on the pitch, including finding a coach and players that will make this team more successful.

Denver Summit

One of the newest teams in the NWSL is starting their stint out strong. They just moved into a purpose-built training facility in June, but perhaps more significantly, they are working on building a purpose-built women’s football stadium set to open in early 2029.

On the player side, the Summit spent $1 million just days into their inaugural season to acquire winger Yazmeen Ryan and midfielder Delanie Sheehan out of the Houston Dash in March of this year. They’ve signed some of the most proven names in the NWSL (and worldwide, with the recent arrival of USWNT captain Lindsey Heaps) and have made a statement about their willingness to spend both on and off the pitch.

Portland Thorns

The Portland Thorns recently moved into an elite training center that they built alongside new WNBA franchise Portland Fire. The Thorns are perhaps the most historically successful team in the league, and that comes from a rich history and tradition of investing in players. This tradition continues today, albeit to a lesser extent compared to other clubs, and the new training facility is a sign that things are returning to their earlier glory days of investment in women’s football. 

Utah Royals

The Utah Royals have sent shockwaves throughout the league this season, making their way up to first place at one point after never making the NWSL playoffs before. This reversal of the club’s fate proves that success follows the right investments. Their most notable transaction this season was the signing of Kiana Palacios for a reported fee of $800,000, but they have also done a good job of making the club a desirable place for players all around the world to come play.

Bay FC

Bay FC are building a purpose-built training facility on Treasure Island in San Francisco and they are averaging nearly 12,000 fans a match this season after setting a NWSL record attendance with 40,091 fans at one single game last year. They’ve brought in the former England U-23 coach and talented young players like USWNT star Claire Hutton and Alex Pfeiffer, as well as veterans like Italy WNT striker Cristiana Girelli. 

After a few years of floundering, Bay FC seem to be intentionally building something and they aren’t shy about spending enough money to find success.

North Carolina Courage

The North Carolina Courage have a rich history of investing in players and won three Shields, two Championships, and two Challenge Cups because of it. Despite narrowly missing the playoffs last year, the Courage have generally maintained their position in the top half of the league in terms of footballing product.

Infrastructure-wise, the Courage have a lot of room for improvement. They play in a stadium away from the city that has a capacity of just 10,000 fans; it looks more like a venue for college games than professional ones. The club would be taking women’s football a lot more seriously if it put resources into finding a bigger stadium and marketing the team in the local region.

San Diego Wave

The San Diego Wave are some of the most aggressive spenders in the transfer market worldwide. This season alone, they spent a total of $1.1 million on just two players, Ludmila and Cat Macario, and even more on some others. 

While the Wave’s eagerness to spend is certainly a boon, the club is marred by controversies, particularly around the treatment of players and employees. Investment is not just monetary, clubs also have to make sure their environment is a good place to work and play.

Boston Legacy

The Boston Legacy have been above average in their spending on players, but below average in their ambition and infrastructure. Things will likely change once their permanent stadium is complete. But as their stadium project gets pushed further and further to the wayside by the city, Boston’s importance as a sports team is getting called into question.

Orlando Pride

After winning the double in 2024, the Orlando Pride have had a long fall from grace. The general manager who brought them that success two years ago, Haley Carter, has since left the club for the greener pastures of the Washington Spirit. Orlando still has dismal attendance numbers. Club employees don’t seem to have much interest in creating a successful on-field product, and the team is now on track to miss the playoffs for the first time since Barbra Banda joined ahead of the 2024 season.

Orlando has invested a non-insignificant amount in the transfer market, but with their seemingly endless downward spiral they seem to be lacking direction and intention with the investments that they have made.

Seattle Reign

The Seattle Reign are in a bit of a flux right now, only recently having their sale finalized and being able to spend again. Aside from the big sum of cash they spent to acquire and pay striker Mia Fishel out of Chelsea, the club hasn’t done much with this newfound stability. Seattle also struggles with attendance, averaging under 7,000 fans a match in the same city where their male counterparts average nearly 31,000. 

What the Reign have going for them is their on field product is not as bad as the lack of investment suggests. They currently sit in a playoff spot in league standings and look like they might finish the regular season there as well.

Houston Dash

The Houston Dash currently sit in ninth in league standings, one point shy of a 2026 playoff berth. A lot of that can be credited to a recent rebuild, but much of it is also luck. Since they joined the NWSL in 2014 as the league’s first ever expansion team, the Dash have consistently failed to give the players the investment that they deserve. They’ve managed to sign top rookies out of college with the promise of playing time that other clubs weren’t able to offer, but haven’t made any big signings of established players. 

Chicago Stars

The Chicago Stars made global headlines last season after now-ex General Manager Richard Feuz admitted to the media that he prioritized spending less on players, even relying on the values assigned to them by transfer aggregator site Soccerdonna. Although he has since been fired by the club, the Stars haven’t shown any sign that they’re planning on investing more into this team, especially as they struggle with not even having a permanent home stadium. The one silver lining is the re-hiring of former head coach Lorne Donaldson who led the club to their only playoff appearance in the past four seasons.

Racing Louisville

Racing Louisville FC’s owner recently made comments to the media regarding the club’s current financial state. More specifically, he said, “We’re still out there seeking an investor, or investors, who can help us stabilize, for lack of a better word, our current situation.” 

A team’s owner sending out a cry for help is perhaps the worst it can get for a club on the investment side, and it shows in the club’s on-field product. Although the club has experienced a recent resurgence, it spent six weeks at the very bottom of league standings.