BOSTON – The newest National Women’s Soccer League franchise officially has a name. Starting in 2026, the NWSL will welcome BOS Nation Football Club.
The name and team logo were first announced Tuesday on CBS Mornings Plus.
BOS Nation
BOS Nation Football Club
Controlling owner Jennifer Epstein said one of the main reasons BOS Nation was selected is that when rearranged, it spells “Bostonian.”
“That was very intentional because this team name is fan centric, fan first. Our new identity is made up of the diverse communities that live in our strong city and have a love or are soon to have a love of the world’s beautiful game,” Epstein said.
Actor and producer Elizabeth Banks is among the team’s investors.
“I am a proud Massachusetts native, a huge sports fan. I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to get involved with this female-fronted team in Massachusetts, a great new sports franchise in Boston,” Banks told CBS Mornings Plus. “I feel like this is the moment right now. Women’s sports are peaking. We are seeing so many people get involved and I didn’t want to pass up on that opportunity.”
The team celebrated its new branding with a campaign saying there are “too many balls” in Boston.
“Boston loves its balls. But maybe there are too many balls in this town. So let’s add a new chapter to our city’s legacy. With new idols, new dreams, and a new league to cheer for,” the narrator says in the video, which included cameos from Tom Brady, Jaylen Brown, David Ortiz and David Pastrnak.
NWSL expansion
The NWSL announced in September that it would be bringing an expansion team to Boston as the league’s 15th team.
BOS Nation will begin playing in 2026.
Boston Unity Soccer Partners, which describes itself as an “all-female core ownership group,” is leading the new franchise. The ownership group is led by Juno Equity Founder and Epstein, a Boston Celtics minority owner.
Needham’s Aly Raisman, an Olympic gold medal winning gymnast, is also an investor in the team.
White Stadium renovations
As part of the team’s plans to join the NWSL, Boston Unity Partners announced a proposal to refurbish White Stadium in Franklin park with upgrades set to cost around $30 million.
The plan was met by a lawsuit from neighbors, claiming the renovations would privatize what they said should be a publicly-used resource.