US insurer Nationwide is joining Haslam Sports Group and the Edwards family to bring a new National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) franchise to Columbus, Ohio, tying the move to the Fortune 100 mutual's 100th anniversary in its home city.
The NWSL has confirmed Columbus as its 18th club, scheduled to begin play in 2028. ESPN reported, citing an NWSL spokesperson, that the ownership group will pay a record $205 million expansion fee, with total initial investment expected to reach around $300 million once training facilities and stadium upgrades are included.
A further $50 million in public money has been committed, split between the city of Columbus and Franklin County.
Expansion fees in the league have risen sharply, from $2 million in 2021 to the sum reported for Columbus, ESPN noted. Atlanta paid $165 million for the previous franchise.
The new team will be tied to Columbus for at least 25 years, Columbus Navigator reported, and its name and branding are still being worked out.
"Nationwide was born in Columbus, and we've grown up together over the last 100 years," chief executive Kirt Walker said, describing the move as part of the insurer's centennial plans.
The club will share ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in the Arena District with Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew. Plans include a women-specific training facility and stadium upgrades such as new locker rooms built to NWSL specifications.
Walker said visibility for female athletes at the highest level, backed by comparable facilities and investment, carried significance for younger players in the region, and that standing alongside Haslam Sports Group and the Edwards family was intended to help bring that model to Columbus.
Nationwide has served as the exclusive insurance partner of the NWSL since 2021, a partnership it renewed on a multiyear basis in 2023. That earlier extension also named Nationwide a non-exclusive partner in the investment and retirement planning category, directly linking the sponsorship to specific product lines.
The tie-up previously produced the Lauren Holiday Impact Award, introduced in 2024, which recognizes an active player demonstrating service, leadership and character in their community.
It also led to Experience Nationwide, a paid program offering NWSL players professional development and business exposure ahead of post-playing careers. The insurer now partners with most clubs across the league.
The commercial logic is well established. Statista data show insurers spent $1.12 billion on 462 sports sponsorship deals globally in 2022, with soccer the biggest beneficiary.
A GlobalData study put annual insurance-sector sponsorship of soccer at roughly $400 million worldwide, ahead of American football at $197.5 million.
Nationwide's mutual structure supports longer-term community investment beyond its core operations. The NWSL club adds to an existing sports portfolio that spans the NFL, MLS, PGA Tour and NHL.
