On Tuesday, The Town FC revealed the formation of its first club side in the Women’s Premier Soccer League, while concurrently, SF Elite FC also decided to join the WPSL.
SF Elite FC will start this year, while The Town FC will begin in 2024.
The WPSL is currently considered the second division of women’s soccer in America, consisting of over 120 teams nationwide. The amateur league, the largest women’s league in the world, is a proving ground for young talent. Over thirty WPSL players were selected this past year in the NWSL pro draft, and over forty percent of the players in the league have at one point been part of a WPSL team. According to the WPSL, 92% of the league’s players also play collegiately.
“We are thrilled to be joining the WPSL and are excited to provide our players with the opportunity to compete at a high level,” said Gina Woodward, Head of Women’s Soccer at The Town FC. She noted the WPSL’s track record of helping young players become professionals as the primary factor in joining the league.
“Our acceptance into the WPSL is a win for the city of San Francisco and the women’s game growing in our backyard,” said San Francisco Elite president and executive director Joe Dugan.
The Town FC and SF Elite FC will most likely join the PAC North Conference – Northern Division, one of the most competitive conferences in the league.
Town FC will start search for player squad this year
Although The Town FC will not officially join the league in 2023, the club announced by this summer they will develop the technical side of the team with weekly open training sessions and exhibition games to develop a player pool for their 2024 campaign.
“Joining the WPSL is the first step in our plan to develop a world-class soccer platform for the women of our region,” said Eric Toda, of The Town FC Council. “Our project is built on the drive to innovate and to disrupt the traditional status quo of soccer in this country. The WPSL has some really exciting initiatives in motion, and we’re humbled to now be a partner with them in furthering the levels of play for young girls and women throughout Oakland and the East Bay.”
A full pathway for women’s soccer in San Francisco
Since SF Elite was formed in 2014, the academy has claimed a U.S. Club Soccer Western Regional Championship in 2019 and ranked as one of the top girls’ academy clubs in NorCal Premier Soccer. It also became a member club of the Girls Academy League in 2020.
“For SF Elite to be able to feature a complete pathway from the youth level to the pre-professional ranks, it underlines our commitment to providing an opportunity for all,” added Dugan.
The club will play its WPSL games at Negoesco field at the University of San Francisco.
“Launching WPSL programming is an integral step in our mission-driven purpose of providing athletes with the ability to further their development throughout their playing careers,” Dugan noted.
Women’s soccer continues to grow in the SF Bay Area
It is an exciting time for women’s soccer in the San Francisco Bay Area. Last week, reports stated that the Bay Area would soon have a professional NWSL team, most likely located in San Jose starting in 2024. Also, eight Nor Cal women’s teams are slated to begin to play in the amateur USL Women’s League this summer. Teams include Oakland Sol, the SF Glens, the Olympic Club, and California Storm.
Besides their women’s team, The Town FC is also looking at possibly bringing a men’s pro team to the Bay Area, most likely in the third-division MLS Next Pro league, and hopes to possibly one day bring an NWSL team to the Oakland Coliseum complex.
