Pathway to pro soccer for women widens with creation of USL Super League, 2 Arizona teams

In just over a year, women's professional soccer will grow exponentially. The debut of the USL Super League is set for August 2024, bringing 10 to 12 teams into U.S. Soccer's highest level of the women's game, the first division.

That's in addition to the 12 teams in the NWSL, currently the top women's soccer league in the U.S. and considered among the best leagues for women in the world, if not the most competitive and talent-laden.

The NWSL is thriving in its 13th season of existence. Previous attempts to capitalize on the U.S. women's national team's play in FIFA Women's World Cup runs had the best intentions but failed to last as long. The Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) came along two years after the U.S. women won the World Cup in 1999 but folded in 2003, and Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) lasted from 2007 to 2012.

Then came the NWSL, a league that has changed its culture and evolved over its existence, having weathered a year-long investigation into sexual harassment that when completed, confirmed the allegations of abuse, sexual misconduct and widespread organizational shortcomings found within more than half of the league’s teams.

The USL Super League can learn from all three leagues, and it will do at least one thing different from the NWSL by playing a traditional international soccer calendar schedule (August to May). Of greater importance, however, is that the new league creates unprecedented opportunity for girls and young women to be able to play in what will be two first-division leagues in the the U.S.

"Right now, there's 12 professional teams in this country. And that's on the women's side. There's over 100 on the men's side. So there's definitely a gap in opportunity," said USL Super League President Amanda Vandervort. "When you look at the number of women playing soccer, I mean, even the fact is 40,000 women are playing college soccer right now, and there's just not enough opportunities for them at the pro level. A Super League is going to deliver more jobs, more opportunities for more women in more cities across this country. And really, that's what we're all about."

Vandervort grew up in Tucson and played in high school and college before going into coaching. A self-described "soccer junkie," she worked for WPS and Major League Soccer in digital and social media and fan engagement. She published a report, "Raising Our Game," which detailed global industry standards and took a player-centric approach to improving the game.

"The combination of being a fan-centric marketer, I'm a player-centric executive, I think merging those two at this particular time is a really special opportunity for me with the USL Super League," Vandervort said, "and I couldn't be more proud to be in this role. But I also recognize that it's a great responsibility."

USL Super League in Arizona

Vandervort was in Phoenix recently promoting the new league and watching USL Championship men's team Phoenix Rising FC play. The USL Super League announced franchises in Phoenix and Tucson, with ownerships of both Rising FC and FC Tucson of the men's USL League Two involved in the women's teams.

The timing of the announcement of the new league coincides with the success of the NWSL and the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, which starts on July 20. Eight Super League team locations had been announced as of May of this year.

Where there are no professional women's teams in Arizona, by next summer there will be two. Jess McDonald, a Phoenix native who plays for NWSL club Racing Louisville FC and was a World Cup winner with the national team in 2019, said it's about time given what she sees as the high level of coaching and talent in the state.

"It's been a long time coming. We have great soccer programs in Arizona, always have and always will. We have some of the best talent from Arizona who play at the professional level and so it's it's about time," McDonald said. "We've been tapping our toes on the ground waiting for them to have programs that are available at the pro level. So yeah, this is a beautiful start for the state of Arizona and I'm super stoked about it."

McDonald, Julie Ertz, Sydney Leroux (Angel City FC, NWSL) and Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit, NWSL) are some of the most accomplished soccer players with Arizona roots. They all had beginnings in club level soccer as youths in the greater Phoenix area and all have played for the U.S. women's national team. Ertz is on this year's World Cup team.

They were all standout college players looking for an opportunity to play professionally, and McDonald and Hatch have played outside of North America over their careers.

Ertz got back into soccer shape after becoming a mom last year, training with Phoenix Rising FC.

"You want people to have the opportunity to play their sport to continue to grow to get as far as that they can. So I think anytime anyone has the opportunity to play what they love it is huge," Ertz said. "I think obviously soccer is huge in Arizona, and obviously it's been a part of my whole development and even after having Madden (her son) I've been able to train with Phoenix Rising to be able to get me prepped. So me seeing firsthand the beauty of having an opportunity or just a place to be able to compete and get better in your own home state is extremely important."

Men's pro soccer struggled to find a foothold in Arizona for years until Rising FC brought stability, even with the team moving its stadium site three times in the current decade. The hope for Vandervort and the USL is sustained stability, and with the WNBA enjoying increased exposure and fan support, for women's soccer to remain strong.

International players are taking notice as well. The NWSL features not only top American players but many from other countries.

Gabi Rennie, who played for Arizona State this past season, is in her native New Zealand for the World Cup, where she will represent her homeland as part of the national team. She acknowledged that breaking into the NWSL won't be easy coming out of college, but that the USL Super League opens up another avenue to playing professionally when her college eligibility is up.

The new league will allow more college players to stay in the U.S. to continue their careers, and for those much younger, provide another pathway to the sport as either a player or a team employee or staff member.

"For every little girl that is in southern Arizona to be able to say there are jobs or opportunities, on the field and off the field, is something that I didn't have as a kid," Vandervort said. "And I'm humbled and honored to be able with this amazing group here and Phoenix Rising, to be able to bring that to all those little girls now in the future. So they can look up and say, well, that is possible."

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Women's World Cup, NWSL can boost new soccer league with Arizona teams