Women's professional sports have landed in Colorado. And the fans aren’t messing around.

Sports aren’t new to Denver, but the NWSL is. With the addition of the Denver Summit, the NWSL has added it’s 16th franchise. And the mile-high city rolled out the welcome mat. 

At the Denver Summit’s first inaugural home opener, the crowd set a new NWSL attendance record with a total of 63,004 fans. The previous record was set by the Bay FC in 2025 with a total of 40,091. 

What happened in Denver is about more than Denver sports culture. It shows how much support for women’s sports is growing. 

The Summit is Colorado’s first major women's sports team since 1998, when the American Basketball League’s Colorado Xplosion was in action.  

Coloradans were ready for that energy to return. And they gave the energy right back to the players. 

The energy that comes from playing on a soccer field in front of 60,000+ people matters. The stadium is louder, the players are more excited, and the fans are dedicated. And the Summit players felt that energy, too.

“The growth of this league has been drastic. The support of Colorado and [the way they've] gotten behind us is wild. Our fans showed up and showed that women's sports is on the map," said Summit goalkeeper Abby Smith. 

Summit FC’s Janine Sonis described playing in Summit’s home inaugural match as unforgettable, saying, “I will never forget walking out of that tunnel today and hearing the crowd screaming for us.”

Growth in the NWSL 

The NWSL is rapidly growing. And so is their impact. 

Think of all of the little girls that went to their very first NWSL game in Denver on Saturday. Now they have role models. They can dream to be just like Abby Smith and Trinity Rodman. Supporting women’s  sports elevates the athletes involved—from the youngest fan to the oldest veteran on the field. This is how we grow the game. This is how we redefine women’s sports. 

For athletes, this support is career-shifting. It makes the harsh moments where nobody knew their name worth it. It shuts down doubts about why they play their sport for a living. 

It’s more than a crowd. It’s giving hard-working, talented women athletes the VISibility they deserve. The outpouring of support for the Summit on day one set the tone. "I really wanted us to put a performance in and show that we have the foundation for a great team here,” Summit Head Coach Nick Cushings says.

The support for women’s sports isn’t just in Denver. It’s everywhere—and the support isn't coming a moment too soon. Women’s professional sports are growing. And the fans are ready. Are you?