Changing the Game for Women’s Sports

CPKC Stadium, courtesy of cpkcstadium.com

 
Changing the Game for Women’s Sports

by Sweiskloss
February 5, 2026
This Sunday, the Seatle Seahawks and New England Patriots will face each other in Super Bowl LX at Levi Stadium. Built in 2014 in Santa Clara, CA, the stadium is home to the San Franciso 49ers, has a seating capacity of 68,500, has 9,000 club seats and 174 suites. The stadium is undoubtably a mega facility, hosting other entertainment giants such as premier soccer teams like Manchester United and global stars like Taylor Swift. And now, there is a new stadium on the horizon, one specifically for women’s sports.

With the rise in popularity of women’s professional sports in recent years, there has been an increase in the development of stadiums and training facilities, devoted exclusively to women’s teams. “The core markers of top leagues such as the WNBA [basketball] and NWSL [soccer], including attendance and viewership, are increasingly matching or surpassing their men’s sports counterparts” (frontofficesports.com). “Across 24 postseason games, the 2025 WNBA season averaged 1.2 million viewers, …marking the most viewed full season ever on ESPN networks”, according to espnpressroom.com. Nielsen Sports anticipates that women’s soccer is set to become one of the world’s top five sports by 2030 (espn.com). And according to Deloitte, “women’s sports organizations brought in $1.88 billion in 2024”, marking the first time female sports crossed the billion-dollar threshold (marketingbrew.com).
Some cities have completed new venues while others are under construction or in the planning stages. While many of these are practice facilities and team headquarters, they are seen as paramount to operating a successful franchise, as well as to recruit and train top player talent. These complexes are a steppingstone toward “ultimately seeing a critical mass of purpose-built women’s sports stadiums and arenas” (frontofficesports.com).

CPKC Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Last year, the Kansas City Current officially opened their new CPKC Stadium, the first stadium purpose-built for a women’s professional sports team in the world, according to their website. Costing approximately $140 million and situated on the Missouri River with a view of the downtown skyline, the soccer stadium promises an unparalleled experience for players and fans alike. There’s not a bad seat in the house as none of the 11,500 seats are further than 100 feet from the pitch. The players’ short walk from locker room to the field is lined with inspiring words from Title IX, while artwork by local female artists is displayed throughout the stadium. Its opening season sold out. Committed to sustainability, the stadium is the first LEED gold certified stadium in Missouri. They also built an elite training facility nearby exclusively for the Current.

Denver Summit FC Stadium, Denver, Colorado
Slated to open in 2028, the 14,500-seat soccer stadium will be the first facility solely dedicated to women’s soccer in Colorado and the second in the US. It will be a part of a larger 41-acre entertainment and sports development in the Santa Fe Yards urban revitalization project. One end of the pitch will be open so that spectators can enjoy the natural beauty of the surrounding Colorado landscape. Fittingly, Gratacon, an MWBE-certified Woman-Owned Small Business general contractor, will be one of the project partners.

Las Vegas Aces Headquarters and Practice Facility, Henderson, Nevada
In 2023 the Las Vegas Aces dribbled the ball down the first headquarters and training facility built solely for a WNBA team. Locker rooms are equipped with TV displays, built-in computers, and sound systems. The building includes two basketball courts, weight and training rooms, physical therapy rooms and film rooms. Architecture firm Gensler worked closely with the team “to create spaces for players with children, introducing a lactation room and nursery to cater to the unique needs of female athletes” (gensler.com). Looking toward the future, they also designed a leadership academy to support the ongoing professional development of players after their on-court career ends.

BECU Storm Center for Basketball Performance, Seattle, Washington
The Seattle Storm made a statement with their new state-of-the-art 50,000 square foot basketball training facility that incorporated biophilic design. Showing off their competitive ethos, upon entry into the facility, the team’s four WNBA championship trophies are on display. Also showing off are the stadium stairs made of reclaimed panels from the team’s championship court floor situated under two-story windows that create a well-lit and warm environment. A floor-to-ceiling mural of the iconic Seattle skyline dominates one court wall while another boasts silhouettes of Washington’s mountain ranges. Natural elements have been incorporated in terms of plants and materials, “such as wood and carpeting that mimic the pattern of grass” while in the aquatic spaces, a mural using pixelated pool tiles recreates the misty climate of the Pacific Northwest landscape (zgf.com).

Los Angeles Sparks Practice Facility, El Segundo, California
The three-time WNBA Champions LA Sparks are building a $150 million training and practice facility in El Segundo that is scheduled to open in 2027. Committed to “innovation, performance and the holistic well-being of the players”, plans include an outdoor spa pool, nap rooms, hydrotherapy suites, two basketball courts, a circular locker room, and flexible spaces for yoga and meditation. The facility features sweeping curves and an abundance of natural light from expansive windows and retractable doors (sparks.wnba.com). The design also maximizes the views of the surrounding ocean and mountains.
The Phoenix Mercury also enjoys a new training facility exclusively for their female players with a court named after famed WNBA legend Diana Tausasi. The Indiana Fever and New York Liberty have plans to open structures for their elite female athletes in 2027, while the Chicago Wings’ plans have faced delays. In NWSL news, LA’s Angel City plans to open a new performance center as do Boston’s Legacy FC and San Franciso’s Bay FC.

The proliferation of facilities specifically dedicated to female athletes is spilling over into college sports as well. This August, USC opened Rawlinson Stadium for their women’s soccer and lacrosse teams, while University of Oregan hosts their women’s soccer and lacrosse teams exclusively at Papé Field. Other universities are upgrading spaces used for their female athletes to be on par with their male counterparts, elevating women’s programs, and supporting their student-athletes.
 
Laura McMahon