The Denver Summit FC moniker is official, and now the focus for Denver’s National Women’s Soccer League team now turns toward building its roster.
The process will work differently this year than it has for past NWSL expansion teams, though. The league sunsetted its expansion draft format, instead equipping its two expansion teams – Denver Summit FC and Boston Legacy FC – with new roster building options.
The NWSL’s new free agency period began on July 1. Denver’s club, just like the other 15 in the league, are allowed to sign players with expiring contracts to new deals. The Summit was allotted just over $1 million to spend on player acquisition between now and the end of 2027, with half of the funds being provided by the league.
The Summit can spend up to $605,000 in transfer fees this season and will have another $968,000 for transfers to spend by the end of next year’s secondary transfer window.
Also new this year are intra-league loans, in which a player can play on loan for another club in league-approved transactions.
“The roster-building mechanisms announced [in June] allow Boston Legacy FC and Denver NWSL to build competitive squads ahead of their inaugural seasons,” read an NWSL bulletin from last month.
Expansion teams used to be built through an expansion draft, in which new teams would select unprotected players from other rosters to build their initial club.
Denver Summit FC team president Jen Millet said Tuesday that the club’s general manager, Curt Johnson, was actively pursuing player acquisitions as the team unveiled its brand – and she hinted at a potential return for Colorado players.
“[Curt is] really excited to build a roster. And so that's a primary focus for us on the sporting side,” Millet said, “and we on the business side are super excited to work through a plan of how to welcome these players either to Colorado or back to Colorado.”
- Watch Millet's news conference in its entirety in the video player below:
NWSL players typically go to their club’s hometown in late January for preseason play before the regular season begins in March. A portion of the roster is expected to be built by then – possibly even in the next few weeks, Millet said – but the Summit isn’t subject to the league minimum roster size in its inaugural year and can continue adding players throughout 2026 and 2027.
Also on the to-do list is naming a head coach.
ESPN reported last week that the franchise was close to finalizing the hire of Nick Cushing as its first head coach. Cushing is the former head coach of Manchester City Women and New York City FC, a Major League Soccer team.
Millet also teased the club’s first kit – soccer vernacular for jersey or uniform – during Tuesday’s media session.
“We were able to work with the league, work with Nike, to do a custom design on our first kit – which is really hard on an expansion club that is standing up rapidly,” she said. “So it will be a custom design kit that we’ll unveil in 2026.”
She said the team is “exploring” options for a mascot, saying the club had “some really fun, creative concepts” – but that it’s not at the top of the list of priorities as the club heads toward its inaugural season.
The club is hosting a brand launch block party Saturday, July 26 at 2 p.m. where fans can celebrate with festivities and new Summit merchandise.