The Capital City’s professional soccer team, the Hartford Athletic, plans to add a sister team for the 2026 season.
The new women’s team will compete in the USL’s W League, a pre-professional women’s league focused on player development and exposure.
The Hartford Athletic’s men’s team will continue to play in the USL Championship League, a professional men’s league recognized as the second tier of U.S. professional soccer.
Both teams will play their home games at the 5,000-seat Trinity Health Stadium.
“Adding a USL W League team is a transformative step in Hartford Athletic’s vision to provide development pathways for all players throughout Connecticut,” said Bruce Mandell, chairman of Hartford Athletic. “Since our founding, we’ve seen the incredible passion and talent among female players throughout our state.”
Hartford Athletic was founded in 2018 by the Hartford Sports Group, led by Mandell and two other local businessmen, Joe Calafiore and Scott Schooley.
The USL’s W League has a 10-game season that spans May and June, plus playoffs.
