By: Anya Weerapana

The year 2018, like most other years in Boston’s sports history, was filled with awards: the Red Sox conquered the World Series, the Celtics made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, and the Patriots grabbed their sixth Super Bowl win since the turn of the century. While these teams and their victories contributed to high sports morale in Boston, their triumphant seasons created a façade of success for the city. 

The demise of the Boston Breakers, the city’s team in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), reflected a more somber reality for women’s sports in the area. A lack of revenue and confusion over ownership forced the team to break down over just a few months — a team that had once employed stars like Kristine Lilly, Kelley O’Hara, and Rose Lavelle. 

But after a messy end to a storied franchise, Boston is being given a second chance: a new team will be arriving in the city in 2026, this time with higher aspirations in a growing league. Still, questions remain: will this new, yet-to-be-named team trailblaze for other Boston women’s sports teams, or will history repeat itself?

Elizabeth Fitzpatrick ’25, a loyal Winsor Soccer fan, fervently dismissed the possibility of failure. “I don’t think the Boston franchise will fail — and it shouldn’t,” she said. “Women’s soccer has garnered more support and popularity in the last five years, and locally, there has been a lot of growth in the game, too.” The numbers back up Fitzpatrick’s claim: since the Breakers shut down in 2018, league attendance numbers have increased by 70%. The TV broadcast values have also soared, as a new deal valued at $40 million is currently in the works with ESPN. 

Already increased investment has been put into various areas of the team’s future. Whereas the Breakers played at various college stadiums with low attendance throughout their 11-year existence, the investment group backing the franchise, Boston Unity Soccer Partners, has proposed a $10.5 million renovation of White Stadium in Jamaica Plain. The stadium is close to the Orange Line and other modes of public transportation, making the location lucrative for a new sports team in the area. 

What would an NWSL team in Boston mean to the members of the community who have just started playing soccer, who have played soccer for years, or who have never touched a ball in their lives? “It’s an opportunity for everyone, but especially for young girls, to learn about the sport by watching the professionals do it,” said Tessa White ’27, a member of the Winsor Varsity Soccer team. With a few trophies, too, this team can surely flip the script on the Breakers’ past and move toward a bright future in Boston sports.