The Stars are investing in the future, with the Chicago NWSL team announcing on Tuesday that it's planning to build a club-owned training and performance center on a 10-acre site in suburban Bannockburn, Illinois.
"This facility will set the standard in women's professional soccer by providing the infrastructure our players need to develop to their highest level of performance," said executive chairperson Laura Ricketts in a club statement. "This new facility isn't just an investment in the Stars, it's an investment in the future of women's soccer."
Set to break ground in this spring, the Chicago Stars' private training ground will include two full pitches, a goalkeeper pitch, and a 45,000 square foot performance center as the founding NWSL club doubles down on its new identity after finishing the 2025 season in last place.
Along with a brand overhaul, the Stars announced last year that the club will relocate from Bridgeview's SeatGeek Stadium to Northwestern University's Martin Stadium in 2026.
"Providing our players with a private facility will be pivotal in their development and performance," said incoming head coach Martin Sjögren. "The environment will eliminate distractions to maximize the energy and focus our athletes are able to dedicate to their craft. This includes a focus on the whole person — optimizing both mental and physical health to drive results and help us continue to draw top level talent to Chicago."
The Washington Spirit are all in on forward Trinity Rodman, with club GM Nathan Minion telling reporters that the 2025 NWSL runners-up are working "pretty much daily" to re-sign the free agent despite salary cap concerns.
"I think everyone's trying to work together to get a deal in place," said Minion, acknowledging that the NWSL and the Spirit are actively working with each other to retain the 23-year-old star. "[We're] trying to figure this out and trying to get a resolution that can hopefully keep Trinity here with us for a long time."
"The reality is our current salary cap structure — it was built for a different era of women's soccer," said the DC club's recently hired president of soccer operations Haley Carter. "We're going to need mechanisms that allow NWSL clubs to compete for not only players from overseas, but our own players."
The NWSL vetoed the multi-million dollar offer from the Washington Spirit to keep Rodman last week, with the NWSLPA subsequently filing a grievance claiming the league violated the USWNT attacker's free agency rights by blocking the deal.
"These are nuanced conversations, and I would love to just toss the salary cap out the window and pay the players," said Carter. "But we also have to appreciate that, pragmatically, it isn't always payroll that's going to keep our athletes here. It's investment in other things as well."
"We are going to have to start getting creative, I believe, because it's bigger than just one team," continued Carter. "It's bigger than just one player. It's about the league's ability to keep its best players in this league as we continue to grow."
Despite missing the 2025/26 NCAA basketball season due to injury, USC superstar JuJu Watkins is staying busy, with the junior guard buying into 2026 NWSL expansion side Boston Legacy FC's investment group this week.
Besides padding her portfolio, the move also sees Watkins make history as the first-ever NCAA athlete to actively invest in a professional women's sports franchise.
"Boston Legacy FC is creating a space for women to achieve, lead, and inspire others at the highest level," Watkins said in a Thursday club press release. "I'm proud to be part of the movement pushing women's sports forward."
The 20-year-old reigning Naismith Player of the Year now joins a Boston Legacy investment core that includes the likes of Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston and Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams as well as three-time Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Aly Raisman and actor Elizabeth Banks.
"JuJu's investment marks a groundbreaking moment for women's sports and the power of NIL," said Legacy owner Jennifer Epstein. "She's showing that today's student-athletes aren't just building their own brands — they're shaping the future of the game."
How to become a part of Boston Legacy FC history
Fans looking to take part in NWSL history can snag seats to the first-ever Boston Legacy match at 12:30 PM ET on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
Tickets to the expansion club's debut are currently on sale at BostonLegacyFC.com.
The NWSL just added another high-profile minority owner, with Chicago Bears star Caleb Williams buying into the ownership group of 2026 expansion team Boston Legacy FC on Thursday.
Via his strategic investment firm 888 Midas, the NFL quarterback joins fellow big-name athletes Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston and Olympic gold medal-winning US gymnast Aly Raisman as Boston Legacy investors.
"Women's sports is a movement, and I admire and respect the work that the team and the NWSL continues to do to grow the sport and empower future generations of athletes," the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner said in the club's Thursday announcement. "Boston Legacy FC is building something special, and we're proud to be a part of what's next."
Boston Legacy controlling owner Jennifer Epstein also noted that the investment from Williams "highlights the powerful momentum of women's professional soccer."
"It symbolizes a new era of cross-league support and recognition," said Epstein. "With best-in-class athletes, a rapidly growing fan base, and undeniable energy around the NWSL, we are proud to welcome Caleb as a partner as we prepare for the 2026 inaugural season."
Athlete investment in women's sports continues to grow, with many teams now following the micro-ownership model made famous by Angel City FC in 2022.
Angel City welcomed four new owners on Monday, as NBA star Chris Paul headlines four high-profile investors buying into the 2022 NWSL expansion side under the leadership of controlling owner Willow Bay.
A 12-time NBA All-Star, Paul is joined by fellow NWSL investors philanthropist Solina Chau, organizational development consultant Ina Coleman, and entrepreneur Paul Bernon.
"Chris, Solina, Ina, and Paul exemplify the values and vision that define ACFC," said Bay in a club statement. "Their outstanding leadership across business, sport, advocacy, and social impact makes them ideal partners as we continue building a world-class club that is forward-thinking, inclusive, and ambitious."
"It's an incredible honor to join Angel City FC as an investor and owner," Paul said on Monday. "Being able to join ACFC is not only an amazing opportunity, it's a chance to support women's sports and help drive positive change."
Valued at upwards of $250 million, Angel City has long been a draw for celebrity co-owners. The investor roster includes tennis legend Billie Jean King, singer Christina Aguilera, and actors Natalie Portman, Jennifer Garner, and America Ferrera.
Despite the big-name backers, ACFC currently sits 11th in the 2025 NWSL standings with just four matches left on the year. The team is in danger of missing the playoffs for the second straight season.
NWSL teams continue to attract big-name investors, with a few new ownership shake-ups making headlines in recent weeks.
Former USWNT World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Lauren Holiday and her husband, two-time NBA champ Jrue Holiday, bought into the North Carolina Courage this week, becoming NWSL investors via the couple's Holiday Family Trust.
Retiring from pro soccer in 2015, Holiday will be an active owner with the Courage, serving as an advisor, ambassador, and consultant on the operations side.
"I'm an investor in North Carolina, but I think I have invaluable insight being as I was part of the league when it was in its inaugural season," the two-time NWSL champion and 2013 league MVP told ESPN.
NWSL draws more investors as league grows
As club valuations skyrocket, money has flowed into the NWSL through high-profile investments — and even outright sales.
Earlier this month, former Utah Jazz owners the Miller family purchased the Utah Royals, as well as MLS club Real Salt Lake, from short-term owner David Blitzer in a deal weighing in at a reported $600 million.
Last September, Angel City sold for a record $250 million, while the expansion fee for Denver's incoming NWSL team reportedly tops $110 million.
With further expansion looming and NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman recently saying she sees the league growing to as many as 32 teams, expect transactions to keep building as more investors look to buy into the game.