Denver Summit FC

History

An investment group called For Denver FC, which started as a grassroots organization in 2022, announced in July 2023 that it would pursue a franchise in either the NWSL or the USL Super League. The group was led by former soccer player Jordan Angeli, sports executive Tom Dunmore, and insurance executive Ben Hubbard, and also included IMA Financial Group CEO Robert L. Cohen, venture capitalist Nicole Glaros, and Mellody Hobson and Jason Wright of Ariel Investments.

For Denver FC organized watch parties for the U.S. women's national team during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. In November 2024, the NWSL named Denver a finalist alongside Cincinnati and Cleveland for the league's 16th team, set to debut in 2026. Denver was officially awarded the expansion bid on January 30, 2025, with the ownership group—now led by Rob Cohen—paying a league-record $110 million fee. This made the team the first professional women's sports team in Colorado since the Colorado Xplosion folded in 1998.

Fans voted on six potential names in February 2025, and Denver Summit FC was announced on July 22. Alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin joined the ownership group on May 6, 2025, followed by former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning on June 3. Denver Summit played its first match on March 14, 2026, losing 2–1 away to Bay FC. The home opener at Empower Field at Mile High on March 28, 2026, against Washington Spirit drew a league-record crowd of 63,004.

Club identity

On July 22, 2025, the team unveiled its 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. Secondary logos include one featuring '5280' (Denver's elevation above sea level) and the letter 'D'. The crest and secondary logos were designed by Matthew Wolff, who had created logos for numerous other NWSL teams.

Stadium

Denver Summit FC is planning a permanent 14,500-seat soccer-specific stadium in Denver’s Baker neighborhood at Santa Fe Yards, though its opening has been delayed from 2028, with a July 2026 announcement suggesting it may now arrive closer to the 2029 season. Before that, the club will use a temporary 12,000-seat stadium at Potomac Street and Fremont Avenue in Centennial for its first two seasons, after which the venue will be downsized to 4,000 seats for school sports.

This temporary stadium sits on the site of the team’s permanent training facilities, which include eight soccer fields on 43 acres, financed largely by $25 million from the Cherry Creek School District. The training center will be next to the Denver Broncos’ headquarters. The Colorado Rapids’ Dick’s Sporting Goods Park was ruled out early. In November 2025, the team looked at alternative stadium sites outside Denver due to delays in public funding approval.

After resolving funding and zoning issues in December 2025, the club announced a “three-stadium journey” for its inaugural 2026 season while permanent facilities are still under construction.