Ballard is gaining a semi-pro women’s soccer team

The homegrown and wildly successful men’s Ballard FC soccer team is about to gain a women’s counterpart, gearing up to launch in May 2025.

The team will be part of the United Soccer League’s (USL) Women’s League. USL W League is a pre-professional women’s soccer league, and Seattle’s team will be the sixth in the league’s northwest division.

In a statement about the new team, Ballard FC president Sam Zisette says it will fall under the same ownership group as Ballard FC, which includes 25 new women investors: National Women’s Soccer League players Lauren Barnes, Jess Fishlock, Olivia Van Der Jagt, and Sam Hiatt are among the first
professional players to invest in a USL W team, Zisette said.

“Our goal is to create better opportunities for young women to develop their skills on and off the
field,” Lauren Barnes, captain of the Seattle Reign FC said. “The path to professional soccer
didn’t exist on the same scale while I was growing up, and I’m thrilled to be part of changing that
for future players.”

Other investors include owner of Ballard’s Rough & Tumble Pub Jen Barnes and a group of Seattle Storm backers led by Ginny Gilder.

“Expanding opportunities for women athletes was a natural next step in our investment in the
women’s sports industry sector,” Barnes said. “It is an honor to be making history together with this incredible ownership group.”

Zisette will lead both the men’s and women’s teams with Tiffany Mallick serving as vice president and overseer of the women’s team. Mallick is a former soccer player and trainer for collegiate and pre-professional teams.

“We are committed to creating an environment where women athletes can thrive, and we’re thrilled to work with partners who share our dedication to improving equity through sports,” Mallick said.

Tickets for the inaugural season will be released this fall—we’ll update with more information.

Photo courtesy Sam Zisette