Allison BarnetteThe Denver City Council has approved a $70 million plan to support the construction of Santa Fe Yards, a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) stadium in the city’s Baker neighborhood. Of the funding, $50 million is designated for land acquisition, while $20 million will support surrounding infrastructure projects.
The funding will come from the city’s Capital Improvement Fund, which is primarily financed through property taxes. Several council members voiced concerns about potential budget shortfalls and the possibility of additional tax subsidies in the future if private funding falls through. Denver is currently facing a hiring freeze due to lower-than-expected sales tax revenue, and the council has roughly six months to finalize the fiscal year 2026 budget.
The stadium itself is expected to cost up to $200 million, a price the team’s ownership group has agreed to cover. The owners previously paid a $110 million expansion fee to secure the franchise. The permanent 14,000-seat stadium is expected to open in 2028. To meet league requirements for the 2026 season, the team will build a temporary $25 million stadium and training facility in Centennial, in partnership with the local school district, which will take ownership of the facility after the new stadium is complete.
Including both stadiums and associated infrastructure such as parks, lighting, water systems and transit access, the project is expected to create numerous opportunities for contractors and private investors, though bidding has not yet opened.
The NWSL currently hosts 14 teams. The proposed Baker stadium would be only the second purpose-built women’s soccer stadium in the United States, following Kansas City’s CPKC Stadium.
The Denver team has not yet announced its name but is choosing from six fan-submitted finalists: Denver Gold FC, Denver Elevate FC, Colorado Summit FC, Denver FC, Colorado 14ers FC and Denver Peak FC.
The league itself is undergoing significant growth. Since its founding with eight teams in 2013, the NWSL is expected to reach 16 teams by 2026. A new four-year, $240 million media rights deal with CBS, ESPN, Amazon Prime Video and Scripps is expected to boost visibility. Attendance is also climbing—San Diego Wave set a league record with 32,000 fans at Snapdragon Stadium, and Kansas City’s stadium regularly sells out.
The city of Boston is also expected to announce a stadium project for its new expansion team.
Final approval for Denver’s stadium, including rezoning and full budget appropriation, is expected by November 2025.
Rendering Courtesy Denver NWSL
