[Attached video: Professional soccer stadium proposed for downtown CLE]

CLEVELAND (WJW) — A new women’s soccer league is preparing to launch and Cleveland will be one of the founding clubs, fulfilling a goal Cleveland Soccer Group has been working toward for years.

WPSL Pro, the newest professional league in the U.S. soccer pyramid, will officially launch as a Division II women’s professional league in 2026. The league describes itself as filling a critical player development gap in the U.S. women’s soccer system.

“Backed by a coalition of founding markets and investors including a landmark commitment from Cleveland Soccer Group, this announcement represents the culmination of years of vision, planning, and momentum to shape the future of women’s professional soccer,” WPSL PRO’s website states.

Cleveland Soccer Group, founded in 2022 with a focus on bringing professional soccer to Cleveland, will not only field a team as a founding club, but invest in the league itself.

Other early markets in the new league include Atlanta, Dallas, North Carolina, Oklahoma City, Sioux Falls, and the San Francisco.

Cleveland was a final contender to join the National Women’s Soccer League in 2024 as the league’s 16 expansion team, but ultimately lost the bid to Denver.

“We had a remarkable campaign for women’s soccer last year and proved Cleveland is a powerful market for a pro team,” said Gina Prodan Kelly, CMO of Cleveland Soccer Group. “WPSL Pro gives us the opportunity to do it right—for our fans, for Cleveland, and for the future of the game.”

Additionally, plans are in the works to open a $50 million, 10,000 seat soccer stadium in downtown Cleveland in 2026. It would serve as the home for both its WPSL Pro team and a new MLS Next Pro men’s team and be able to host additional events.

The stadium could generate more than $2.4 billion in economic activity during its yearlong construction and its first 30 years of operations, according to a study commissioned by the soccer group.

“This stadium is more than a venue—it’s a statement,” said Michael Murphy, Co-Founder and CEO of CSG. “We’re investing in the infrastructure, the talent, and the long-term future of women’s sports.”

The project still needs final approval.