Denver Summit FC

In July 2023, an investment group called For Denver FC, led by former soccer player Jordan Angeli, sports executive Tom Dunmore, and insurance executive Ben Hubbard, announced their plans to bid for a franchise in the NWSL or USL Super League.^[2] They were joined by IMA Financial Group CEO Robert L. Cohen and venture capitalist Nicole Glaros.^[3] Other members of the ownership group included Mellody Hobson and Jason Wright of Ariel Investments.^[4] For Denver FC had been founded in 2022 as a grassroots group and organized outreach events, including watch parties for the United States women's national team during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.^[5] In November 2024, the NWSL announced that Denver was one of three finalists, alongside Cincinnati and Cleveland, to become the league's 16th team which would begin play in 2026.^[6]

Denver was officially awarded the expansion bid by NWSL on January 30, 2025, and will join as the league's 16th team in the 2026 season.^[7] The ownership group, led by finance executive Rob Cohen, was reported by media outlets to have paid a league-record expansion fee of $110 million.^[8][9]

They are the first professional women's sports team in Colorado since the Colorado Xplosion of the American Basketball League folded in 1998.^[5]

On February 19, 2025, the ownership announced that the fans of the then-unnamed team would vote on the team's name with the following six names under consideration: Denver Peak FC, Colorado 14ers FC, Colorado Summit FC, Denver Elevate FC, Denver FC, and Denver Gold FC.^[10] On July 22, the team's ownership announced Denver Summit FC as the team's name.^[11]

On May 6, 2025, alpine skier and Vail native Mikaela Shiffrin joined the team's ownership group.^[12] On June 3, 2025, Pro Football Hall of Fame and former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning also joined the ownership group.^[13]

Secondary Logos

On July 22, 2025, the team ownership unveiled the team's name, crest, and secondary logos. The crest features a red sky and yellow sun, emblematic of Colorado's sunsets and red rock formations, and green mountains angled at 26º to commemorate the year 2026, the inaugural year for the team.^[14][15][16] Secondary logos include one featuring "5280" (Denver's elevation above sea level) and the letter "D."^[17] The crest and secondary logos were designed by Matthew Wolff who had created logos for numerous other NWSL teams.^[17]

The team plans to build its own 14,500-seat soccer-specific stadium at Santa Fe Yards in Denver's Baker neighborhood, which would be completed in 2028.^[18][19]

In March 2025, the team announced plans to build a temporary stadium at Potomac Street and Fremont Avenue in Centennial that would be used for their first two seasons.^[20] It would have 12,000 seats for use by the NWSL team before it is downsized into a 4,000-seat venue for school sports.^[21] The stadium would be on the grounds of the permanent training facilities in Centennial, which are planned to include eight soccer fields on 43 acres (17 ha), with $25 million in financing primarily provided by the Cherry Creek School District.^[22][21] The training center would be adjacent to the team headquarters and training facilities of the Denver Broncos. The home of the Colorado Rapids, Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, was ruled out of serious consideration early in the process.^[5]

In November 2025, the team announced they were considering alternative locations for the stadium outside of the city of Denver amid delays in the approval of the stadium's public funding.^[23]

Following the resolution of funding and zoning hurdles in December 2025, Denver Summit FC shifted focus to operational logistics for the inaugural 2026 season. The club announced it would execute a "three-stadium journey" while its permanent facilities remain under development.^[24]