DENVER -- NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said the record-setting crowd of 63,004 for Denver Summit FC’s opening match at Empower Field at Mile High has prompted the league to reconsider its long-standing practice of holding its championship match at a neutral site.
“It’s been a topic of conversation over these last few weeks because it can’t not make us rethink what’s possible,” Berman said. “We’re going to continue to explore the best place to host a championship and put other options on the table that might not have otherwise been on our radar because we couldn’t imagine that this could become a reality for the NWSL.”
There are several reasons the league has chosen to stage its title game at a neutral site since 2015.
First, only a handful of clubs are primary tenants in their own venues, making it difficult to guarantee stadium availability if a team earns the right to host the final. The league’s championship match also takes place in late November, during the NFL season, which would make it difficult to secure a larger venue such as Empower Field.
In addition, the neutral-site final has also allowed the league and its sponsors to create a broader tentpole event around the match, including fan programming, hospitality and industry gatherings. The 2025 championship weekend featured the first NWSL Awards show presented by AT&T, a Women in Sports Summit, multiple partner-hosted parties and a fan fest with brand activations.
Many North American leagues use their All-Star Game as the centerpiece of their annual industry calendar. The NWSL has not yet launched an All-Star Game, leaving championship weekend as its closest equivalent. The league is, however, holding its annual Challenge Cup match as a midseason fixture at a neutral site for the first time this season.
League executives have expressed a desire to launch an All-Star Game as a midseason tentpole, but the international soccer calendar has made it difficult to nail down a date window.
“One of the challenges that’s unique to football is the calendar,” NWSL VP/Sporting Sarah Gregorius said at the league’s 2026 Partner Summit in Denver on Friday. “So, it’s not for lack of intent, it’s about finding the most opportune moment for players to come together and play in an all-star game. We’ve had many discussions at the league office about it.”
