Current and former female athletes who are NWSL investors

As womens sports have gained more attention, more influential individuals are starting to invest in the National Womens Soccer League (NWSL). The NWSL has a large share of celebrity owners who have helped amplify the league, but many other fellow athletes have followed suit. Notable names include Kansas City Cheifs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Houston Rockets Forward Kevin Durant, and retired NWSL star Alex Morgan. 

Many fellow female athletes, outside of soccer, have also rallied to support the NWSL. From Alpine skiers to WNBA stars, influential and accomplished women are investing in professional women’s soccer. 

Angel City FC (ACFC) 

As the NWSL team located in Los Angeles, there are plenty of stars who own part of ACFC. Some of these stars include Candace Parker, Billie Jean King, and Serena Williams, who all dominated their respective sports. Parker is considered one of the best WNBA players of all time as she’s a 2-time WNBA MVP, 3-time WNBA Champion, and a 2-time Olympic gold medalist. King is a Southern California native and womens tennis legend. She’s won 39 Grand Slam titles and founded the Women’s Tennis Association. Williams is known as one of the best tennis players of all time, with 23 Grand Slam titles, 4 Olympic gold medals, and held world no.1 ranking for 319 weeks. 

Bay FC

Many current and former Bay Area athletes are investors in Bay FC, notably Sabrina Ionescu. Ionescu is a professional basketball player who grew up in the Bay Area and had a historic collegiate career at the University of Oregon. Currently, Ionescu is a multi-time All-Star guard for the WNBA’s New York Liberty. In 2024, she helped lead them to the franchise’s first WNBA Championship. 

Boston Legacy FC 

Despite being one of the NWSL’s newest teams, Boston has a star-studded group of owners. In July 2025, Aliyah Boston announced that she invested in the Legacy. Boston is a WNBA multi-time All-Star forward for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever and a former No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft. Another part-owner of the Legacy is a Massachusetts native and multi-time Olympic gold medalist, Aly Raisman. Raisman is a retired gymnast who is known for being the first American woman to win Olympic gold in the floor exercise. JuJu Watkins is also a part of Boston’s ownership group. Watkins is a star guard for the USC Trojans and became the first college athlete to invest in a professional womens sports team.  

“As the first college athlete to directly invest in a women’s professional sports team, she’s showing that today’s student-athletes aren’t just building their own brands,” said Jennifer Epstein, Boston Legacy owner. “They’re shaping the future of the game.

Denver Summit FC 

As the other 2026 NWSL expansion team, Denver also has an accomplished Olympian in their ownership group. Mikaela Shiffrin was born in Colorado and is the most decorated 

American alpine skier in World Championships history. She is also a 4-time Olympic medalist, most recently winning gold in the women’s slalom at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Gotham FC 

One of Gotham FC’s minority investors is another retired WNBA star. Sue Bird was born in New York and joined Gotham’s ownership group in 2022. Bird played collegiate basketball at UConn, where she was a 2-time NCAA National Champion and 2002 National Player of the Year. She spent her entire WNBA career playing for the Seattle Storm, where she was a 13-time All-Star and 4-time WNBA Champion. In 2025, she was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and Womens Basketball Hall of Fame. 

North Carolina Courage 

The North Carolina Courage also have a tennis star in their ownership group. Naomi Osaka became a minority owner of the Courage in 2021. She is a professional tennis player who broke out in 2018 when she beat Serena Williams to become the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam singles title. On top of her 2018 victory, she has six other singles titles, including three more Grand Slam titles. 

Utah Royals

Denver is not the only team that has an accomplished skier as an investor. Lindsey Vonn officially announced her investment in the Utah Royals in February 2024. Vonn is considered one of the greatest alpine skiers in history. She is an Olympic gold and bronze medalist, has 84 World Cup victories, and 20 World Cup crystal globes. 

Featured image via Bay FC 

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