Denver Summit FC too Debut at Mile High Stadium, Setting Stage for NWSL Expansion
DENVER – Denver Summit FC will play its inaugural home match at Empower Field at Mile High, the home of the Denver Broncos, on August 23, 2025, the team announced Monday. The game is expected to draw a large crowd, signaling the arrival of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) expansion team to the Denver market. Bay FC recently set a new NWSL attendance record with a sellout crowd of 40,091 at Oracle Park.
The decision to launch at Mile High reflects the team’s ambition and the anticipated level of community support, according to Summit FC president Jen Millet. “We were looking for a venue that could accommodate the size of community support we’ve received,and have championship DNA inside its walls. Clearly we have that here at Mile High,” she said at Monday’s announcement event.
Team owner Cohen echoed that sentiment, stating, “When I think about Empower Field at Mile High, it’s a symbol where dreams come true, and this is something that this match will represent. If this game goes the way we think it is, I think it will send a very loud message to the rest of the league that Denver Summit FC is here to stay.”
Following its debut at Mile High, Denver Summit FC will move to a temporary 12,000-seat stadium adjacent to its training center in Centennial for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. The team is planning to transition to a proposed 14,500-seat stadium by 2028, located south of downtown Denver at Santa Fe Yards, bounded by Interstate 25 and Santa Fe Drive.
The new stadium is projected to cost between $150 million and $200 million,funded by the ownership group,but will benefit from meaningful public investment. The city of Denver has committed $70 million towards the project, including the purchase of the land and surrounding infrastructure improvements, alongside significant property tax breaks. the city council approved the funding in May, and the project is currently awaiting zoning approval, beginning with a review by the South Platte River Committee on November 12.