Did you know that Columbus already had a professional women’s soccer team before the announcement the city had landed a National Women’s Soccer League franchise?
Columbus Eagles FC plays in the Women’s Premier Soccer League, the longest-running active women’s soccer league in the United States. With more than 150 teams, it is also the largest women’s soccer league in the world. The Eagles were founded in 2013 and play in the Great River Division of the Great Lakes Conference.
In addition to a WPSL soccer season, the Eagles play arena soccer with the Major Arena Soccer League Women (MASLW). Those matches run from November to March.
On April 21, Columbus was awarded an NWSL franchise. The club’s ownership group led by Haslam Sports Group paid a $205 million expansion fee, and the team’s games are set to begin in 2028.
Learn about Columbus’s original professional women’s soccer team below.
Columbus Eagles FC background
The Eagles are a pro-amateur team founded in 2013 by Mark Wise, an entrepreneur and academy director of the Upper Arlington Soccer Academy.
The Eagles’ rosters consist of college and post-graduate players. There are four other teams in the Eagles’ WPSL division: Corktown WFC (Detroit), FC Dayton, Greater Toledo Futbol Club, and Michigan Rangers FC.
In the MAWSL in 2025, the Eagles played in the Great Lakes South Division.
Who is the coach of Columbus Eagles FC?
The Eagles are coached by Tony Daniels, who is the head coach of Ohio Dominican University women’s soccer. Previously, Daniels was an assistant coach for the University of Rio Grande men’s soccer, an NAIA program, for 25 years. He became the head coach of Rio Grande women’s soccer after.
When do Columbus Eagles FC play?
The Eagles begin their WPSL spring season on May 5 and will play eight regular-season games, with their finale on June 27. Their indoor soccer season in 2025 went from Nov. 28 to March 7.
Where do Columbus Eagles FC play?
The Eagles will play their 2026 summer season at Fortress Obetz, a multi-purpose sports complex in Obetz, Ohio. In their 2025 indoor season, the Eagles played home games at Resolute Athletic Complex in Columbus.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus already has a pro women’s soccer team, learn about Eagles FC
Reporting by Dan Aulbach, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
