November 4, 2026
P R E S S R E L E A S E
OKLAHOMA CITY (November 4, 2026) — The Women’s Premier Soccer League welcomes Phoenix Rising FC to the league for the 2027 season. Traditionally one of the WPSL’s most competitive and robust markets, today’s announcement reinforces the high standard of play in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
“Competing in the WPSL will strengthen Phoenix Rising FC’s player pathway by providing a high-level competitive environment that connects our youth program, collegiate alumnae, and those with aspirations to play professional soccer,” Chris Brown, Phoenix Rising FC youth soccer executive director, said.
Brown continued: “It will also deepen engagement across the Rising community, giving our younger female players visible role models and a clear pathway to continue representing the club beyond their youth careers.”
Charged with leading Rising in its inaugural season is Head Coach Paul Taylor, who brings extensive experience in player development and a deep understanding of the Phoenix Rising FC program.
Taylor holds USSF and UEFA A coaching licenses, along with an UEFA Youth license. Joining Taylor’s coaching staff is Kelly Cagle (USSF B) and Dusan Djordjev, who holds an advanced national goalkeeping diploma. Together, the staff has helped pace hundreds of players in collegiate and professional programs.
Phoenix Rising FC is part of the youth club arm of USL Championship side, founded in 2016. Phoenix Rising FC Youth Soccer operates as the largest soccer club in Arizona with four geographic regions, and fields over 3,000 boys and girls across 200 teams playing in local, regional, and national leagues including ECNL and MLS Next Academy. The club also operates a 5,000-plus player strong recreational program.
The addition of Phoenix Rising FC provides an elite-level roadmap for its female players, helping the club further its vision of being the leading youth soccer organization in Arizona and one of the most respected development clubs in the country, “creating an environment where every player can dream and develop.”
“By competing in the WPSL, Phoenix Rising can provide meaningful opportunities for our players and alumnae while inspiring the next generation of girls to see a future for themselves within the Rising organization,” Taylor said.
The 29th WPSL season runs from mid-May through mid-July. The league’s official national alignment will be announced at the WPSL Annual General Meeting at the beginning of the new year. The full 2027 WPSL schedule will be announced in March.
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For information about Phoenix Rising FC, visit prfcyouthsoccer.com/elite-pathways/wpsl/, and follow on Instagram and Facebook.
For more information about the WPSL, visit WPSLsoccer.com.
About the Women’s Premier Soccer League
With more than 180 teams competing across two divisions in 2026, the Women’s Premier Soccer League stands as the largest women’s soccer league in the world and is the longest continuously running women’s soccer league in North America, crowning Kansas City Current II as its 28th league champion in July. Launched with eight teams in Northern California in 1998, the WPSL’s two divisions now span 150 cities in 38 states, from the Pacific Northwest to South Florida, New England to Southern California. Some of the games most iconic players honed their talents in the WPSL including Brandi Chastain, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Rose Lavelle, and Catarina Macario. In 2026, more than 125 WPSL alumnae played professionally in leagues across the globe, dominated rosters in the 2025 NCAA Division I College Cup, and MAC Hermann Trophy balloting. The WPSL is one of the leading pillars in women’s soccer in the United States and remains committed to its mission of advancing the game through long-term impact and its affiliations with the United States Soccer Federation and Tier 1 League sanctioned by the United States Adult Soccer Association.
