da imperador bet： NWSL clubs are owned by some big names, with James Harden, Naomi Osaka, Eli Manning and Sue Bird among the others to invest in U.S. women's soccer
da pinup bet： From sporting icons such as Serena Williams, Patrick Mahomes and Kevin Durant, to award-winning actresses such as Natalie Portman, Eva Longoria and Jennifer Garner – the NWSL, the top division of women's soccer in the United States, has seen a flurry of star names invest in its teams in recent years.
There seems to be an ever-growing list of celebrities putting their money into the league as it, as well as the sport as a whole, continues to take big steps forward.
GOAL explains who owns every NWSL club below, highlighting more of those big names along the way.
GettyAngel City
Angel City is undoubtedly the club with the most star-studded ownership group, one led by actress Natalie Portman, entrepreneur Julie Uhrman and venture capitalists Kara Nortman and Alexis Ohanian.
Founded in 2021, big names such as tennis legend Serena Williams, actresses Jennifer Garner and Eva Longoria, plus a whole host of U.S. women's national team icons – including Julie Foudy, Mia Hamm, Shannon Boxx, Lauren Holiday and Abby Wambach – were involved from the get-go.
Plenty more have become part of the growing group of owners since, too. They include another tennis icon in Billie Jean King, WNBA star Candace Parker, TV host James Corden and Super Bowl LVI champion Matthew Stafford.
Primary owners: Natalie Portman, Kara Nortman, Julie Uhrmann and Alexis Ohanian
Celebrity investors: Uzo Aduba, Jennifer Garner, Eva Longoria, Jessica Chastain, Serena Williams, Billie Jean King, Julie Foudy, Mia Hamm, Rachel Van Hollebeke, Shannon Boxx, Amanda Cromwell, Lorrie Fair, Ronnie Fair, Joy Fawcett, Angela Hucles, Shannon MacMillan, Tisha Venturini, Saskia Webber, Lauren Holiday, Abby Wambach, America Ferrera, James Corden, Candace Parker, P. K. Subban, Matthew Stafford
AdvertisementGettyChicago Red Stars
Ownership in the NWSL isn't all rosy and glamorous, though. Sadly, there have been a lot of controversies in the league in recent years, one of which saw the Chicago Red Stars' former coach, Rory Dames, banned from coaching in the division ever again.
Investigations found Dames had been emotionally and verbally abusive toward players and that reports by players, specifically U.S. women’s national team star Christen Press, were mishandled and largely ignored by U.S. Soccer, the NWSL and Arnim Whisler, the majority owner of the Red Stars.
Whisler has since been removed as chairman of the board and is in the process of selling the club.
Primary owner: Arnim Whisler
GettyHouston Dash
Houston Dash is owned by the same ownership group as the Houston Dynamo, which is led by Ted Segal. He fully controls ownership after buying out his remaining minority partners in the summer of 2022.
The group also includes some star names in the sporting world, with boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya and NBA star James Harden also on board.
Primary owner: Ted Segal
Celebrity investors: James Harden, Oscar de la Hoya
GettyKansas City Current
Back in 2017, two-time NWSL champions FC Kansas City ceased operations and saw its player-related assets transferred to NWSL expansion team Utah Royals. Three years later, when the Royals had to cease operations after controversy surrounding the team's owner, financial executives Angie and Chris Long took the opportunity to bring the NWSL back to Kansas City with the Royals' assets.
The Kansas City Current's ownership group is led by the pair, but it has also had a star name attached to it since day one as Brittany Mahomes, wife of NFL quarterback Patrick, also bought a stake in the team in late 2020.
The Kansas City Chiefs' star, a two-time Super Bowl winner, joined the ownership group in January 2023.
Primary owner: Angie and Chris Long
Celebrity investors: Patrick Mahomes