Feb. 24, 2026
Jordan Angeli: Denver Summit FC Co-Founder on NWSL Expansion
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Jordan Angeli: Denver Summit FC Co-Founder on NWSL Expansion
Jordan Angeli co-founded For Denver FC and helped bring the NWSL to Colorado. In this episode, she tells the full story of how Denver Summit FC went from a Twitter DM in 2023 to 45,000 tickets sold for the inaugural home opener—before playing a single game.
We cover the entire journey: organizing watch parties for a team that didn't exist, convincing Rob Cohen to become majority owner, bringing Peyton Manning and Mikaela Shiffrin into the ownership group, and what it meant when Lindsey (Horan) Heaps chose to come home to play for Denver Summit FC.
Jordan is a Colorado native, former NWSL player (Boston Breakers, Washington Spirit, Western New York Flash), and co-host of the Soccerwise podcast. She's now part-owner and ambassador for Denver Summit FC.
This is the story of how a grassroots movement became a professional sports franchise in one of the fastest NWSL expansion timelines ever.
In this episode, Kate Hanson interviews Jordan Adjeli, one of the founders of the Denver Summit FC, discussing the journey of bringing a women's professional soccer team to Colorado. They explore the grassroots movement that led to the team's establishment, the importance of community support, the challenges and ambitions of the coaching staff, and the expectations for the team's inaugural season. Jordan emphasizes the significance of having local talent on the roster and the excitement surrounding the team's debut at Empower Field.
Takeaways
- Jordan Adjeli reflects on the rapid development of Denver Summit FC.
- The strong demand for women's professional sports in Colorado is evident.
- Colorado's soccer culture has always been competitive and elite.
- The grassroots movement was crucial in establishing the team.
- Community engagement through watch parties helped build a fan base.
- The ownership group includes notable figures like Peyton Manning and Michaela Schifrin.
- The team's name was chosen through fan voting, emphasizing community involvement.
- Coaching ambitions are high with Nick Cushing at the helm.
- Expectations for the first season include making the playoffs.
- The team aims to inspire young athletes and foster community support.
Chapters
00:00 The Birth of Denver Summit FC
02:43 Colorado Soccer Culture and Altitude Advantage
05:39 Grassroots Movement for Women's Soccer
08:44 Building a Community and Fan Base
11:47 The Role of Ownership and Leadership
14:44 The Significance of Team Name and Branding
17:27 Player Signings and Team Dynamics
20:32 Coaching Ambitions and Team Strategy
23:27 Expectations for Year One
25:34 Key Matchups and Competitors
28:21 The Importance of Community Support
keywords
Denver Summit FC, NWSL, women's soccer, grassroots movement, community support, soccer culture, coaching, team dynamics, fan engagement, Colorado sports
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