November 2, 2026
P R E S S R E L E A S E
OKLAHOMA CITY (November 2, 2026) — Expansion for the Women’s Premier Soccer League’s upcoming season continues with the announcement of Richmond United as the latest club to join the roster of teams competing in the world’s largest women’s soccer league. Today’s announcement marks the return of WPSL play in the talent-rich Richmond market after a one-year hiatus.
“The addition of a WPSL team reinforced Richmond United’s investment in the long-term growth of women’s soccer in our community,” Noah Fefferson, Richmond United’s WPSL director, said. “We believe this initiative will increase visibility, strengthen local interest, and inspire more girls to participate in the sport.”
Like its name suggests, Richmond United is the amalgamation of three influential soccer clubs in the Richmond area: Richmond Strikers, Richmond Kickers Youth, and the original Richmond United ECNL programs which were drawn together under the mission of elevating players and community, enrich families, and deliver unappalled experiences in and around the game of soccer. Collectively, these three organizations shaped the Central Virginia soccer landscape for the past quarter of a century.
“Our participation in the WPSL will strengthen our Richmond United player pathway, giving aspiring players a tangible goal to work toward and demonstrating that opportunities for growth within the game do not end after graduation,” Leigh Cowlishaw, Richmond United director of soccer, said.
“It will also allow us to attract and develop local talent, create opportunities for collegiate players to continue competing during the summer, and provide positive role models for the next generation of female soccer players,” Cowlishaw said.
Riley Wichmann will lead Richmond United in its inaugural WPSL season as head coach. Wichmann holds a USSF B coaching license, MS in Performance Football Coaching from St. Mary’s University – Twickenham in England, and experience in the professional game as the Richmond Kickers data analyst and assistant coach. Wichmann brings a player-centered approach with a strong emphasis on tactical understanding, technical development, and competitive team environments.
“Joining the WPSL allows us to create high-level training and playing environments for our high school, collegiate, and alumnae players,” Wichman said. “We take great pride in supporting our players in their development, and we look forward to engaging with our strong soccer community and hope to serve as an inspiration for our current club players to pursue playing at the next level.”
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.
###
For more information about Richmond United visit richmondunited.com, and follow on Instagram.
For more information on the WPSL, visit wpslsoccer.com.
