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.
Mattel is riding the women's rugby wave, with the toymaker celebrating October 11th's International Day of the Girl by transforming "a coalition of four powerful role models and professional rugby players from across the globe" into Team Barbie.
Earning the Barbie doll treatment are Team USA Olympic bronze medalist Ilona Maher, England's newly crowned Rugby World Cup champion Ellie Kildunne, 2021 Olympic silver medalist for France, Nassira Konde, and New Zealand legend Portia Woodman-Wickliffe — a two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Cup champion.
Notably, the four new dolls will feature "an all-new body sculpt" to celebrate the strength of each player "with a straighter, more athletic torso, visibly defined arms, shoulders, and legs, plus sculpted core and back muscles."
"If sharing my story can inspire other young girls to believe in themselves the way I have, then I'll have truly made an impact," said Maher in Monday's press release. "Being part of Team Barbie is about showing girls that confidence isn't something to shy away from, but something to own."
"We believe that girls can be, and do, anything," added Mattel's SVP of Barbie Krista Berger. "By showcasing the stories of incredible role models whose confidence has fueled groundbreaking success, we're showing girls that the future of sports – or wherever their passion takes them – is theirs to claim, with Team Barbie cheering them on."
Women's rugby is having a moment, with Mattel getting in on the action following England's successful 2025 Rugby World Cup run, which drew record crowds and spiked global interest this summer.
How to purchase the Team Barbie collection of rugby stars
Mattel's Team Barbie collection of rugby stars will hit the shelves in 2026.
The Women's Basketball Final Four is getting an upgrade, with the NCAA announcing Tuesday that the 2028 edition of the annual competition will move from Indianapolis's Gainbridge Fieldhouse to Lucas Oil Stadium due to surging ticket interest.
"Moving the 2028 Women's Final Four to Lucas Oil Stadium will allow for more access for our fans, and it represents the continued growth of the sport," said Division I women's basketball committee chair Amanda Braun. "With the interest we have seen, holding the Women's Final Four in a larger venue in Indianapolis is a natural next step."
Home to the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, the football stadium will open up approximately 13,000 additional seats for college basketball fans, bringing the total capacity for the 2028 Final Four to 31,000 — nearly double the original WNBA arena's 18,000 seats.
The committee also voted on Monday to continue the tournament's current preliminary-round format through the 2031 Championship, with seeded teams hosting the first two rounds at home followed by super-regional rounds in predetermined host cities — all leading up to the Final Four finale.
"The Women's Final Four continues to sell out, and the public demand for tickets has steadily increased," the NCAA said in a statement.
With sellout crowds across every NCAA Final Four dating back to 2017 — save the COVID-19 restricted 2021 edition — the 2028 move won't just allow more fans to attend, it will also give the governing body a more accurate measure of the true demand for the growing sport at the collegiate level.
A report released by analytics company Nielsen Sports and beverage corporation PepsiCo this week indicates that women's soccer is on track to amass upward of 800 million fans by 2030 — eventually making it the fifth largest sport in the world.
Nielsen estimates that women's soccer currently has the world's 10th biggest fanbase, but the study's prediction of a 38% increase in reach over the next five years would have the sport eventually rivaling top spectator draws like pro tennis and Formula One.
Already a powerhouse in the US, the rise of the European women's game has been particularly significant.
For example, the UK-hosted 2022 Euro saw fan interest in the women's game double in England, with that growth beginning well before the Lionesses' historic title win.
The report also notes that women's soccer still lags behind in terms of corporate sponsorship, highlighting increased opportunities for brands as the fanbase expands.
"We see women's football as more than just a sport," said PepsiCo EVP and chief marketing and growth officer Jane Wakely. "It's a cultural force with the power to connect, inspire and grow our brands."
"From media rights to sponsorship and fan engagement, this is no longer a case of future promise but present value," said Nielsen Sports head of international Samantha Lamberti.
Ultimately, the current trajectory of women's soccer is seeing the sport carve out a more powerful place in the global market — so long as investors also see the vision.
"We have long believed in the potential of women's football," added Lamberti. "Today, we're no longer just tracking progress, we're witnessing a breakthrough."
The NWSL has submitted a formal application to US Soccer to launch a Division II league in 2026, with CBS Sports first reporting the league's move to strengthen player development in a shifting domestic landscape early last Friday.
Similar to the academy system overseas, the lower league would serve as both a testing ground and feeder system for the top-flight NWSL, keeping talent in-house while also providing professional resources and competition.
Eight NWSL clubs — North Carolina, Kansas City, Louisville, Gotham, Orlando, Bay FC, Seattle, and Washington — will participate in the second-tier league's inaugural year. The NWSL intends for all clubs to join within Division II's first four years.
Rapid growth reflects increased demand for women's soccer
Pro sports in the US have long relied on the NCAA to prepare future prospects, but with more young players forgoing NCAA soccer to sign pro contracts directly — not to mention the abolishment of the NWSL draft last season — new leagues are emerging to meet the development demand across North America.
Division I operations like the USL Super League and Canada's Northern Super League offer fully professional opportunities, while the amateur-focused WPSL will launch its own second-tier league, WPSL Pro, in 2026.
That said, the NWSL's Division II league would be the only secondary system sharing ownership, infrastructure, and staffing with top NWSL sides.
According to The Athletic, the NWSL has yet to agree upon full details for the new venture, with the submission primarily intended to meet a sanctioning deadline.
Should the application prove successful, club soccer in the US will see a rapid expansion, growing from a single pro league in 2023 to two Division I and two Division II leagues by 2026.