Construction begins on National Women's Soccer League training facility

Before the adults posed with shovels, 11 children helped break ground on the future home for girls' and women's soccer in Columbus on Oct. 27.The "starting 11" symbolized the future coaches, players, leaders and dreamers that will one day train at the forthcoming OhioHealth Training Grounds. The facility, expected to open in January 2028, will serve as the training home for Columbus' yet-to-be-named NWSL franchise. The project is backed by $25 million each from the city and Franklin County. Haslam Sports Group Managing Partner Whitney Haslam Johnson said the facility will set a new global standard for women's sports facilities.'World-class home for women's soccer,' Mayor Andrew Ginther saysMayor Andrew Ginther said Columbus is one step closer to his and his partner Shannon Ginther's goal of making the city the nation's capital for girls and women's sports. “This investment is not only about building a world-class home for women’s soccer, but also about creating jobs, strengthening our neighborhoods and bringing new opportunities to our entire city," Ginther said. "Together, we are building a Columbus where growth benefits every resident, and where the next generation of girls can see that their dreams have no limits.” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman and Larry Berg, the next commissioner of Major League Soccer, attended the ceremony in Columbus. “The investment we're seeing in Columbus reflects exactly where the NWSL is headed and the standard we're setting for the future of women's professional sports," Berman said. "World-class players deserve world-class facilities, and the OhioHealth Training Grounds represents a meaningful commitment to giving our athletes the resources and environment they need to thrive. With the leadership of Haslam Sports Group and its partners, and a city with such a rich soccer tradition, Columbus is building something special that will benefit our players, fans and the broader community for years to come.”When does Columbus' new NWSL team start playing?Columbus' NWSL team is set to begin play in spring 2028. Lucy Rushton, general manager for the unnamed women's team, said they can begin signing players on Jan. 1, 2027.As construction begins at the city's former McCoy Park site, Ginther said work on Greenleaf Park will begin next week. After Ginther promised the use of McCoy Park to the wealthy investors in an NWSL team, and facing backlash for the decision, Ginther promised Southwest Side residents a replacement for the park. The plan developed with Southwest Side leaders involves developing a new nine-acre Greenleaf Park, adding an adaptive softball field at Lou Berliner Sports Park across Interstate 71 from McCoy Park, and developing public amenities on about five acres north of McCoy Park.Government and politics reporter Jordan Laird can be reached at jlaird@dispatch.com. Follow her on X, Instagram and Bluesky at @LairdWrites.This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Construction begins on National Women's Soccer League training facility