Riverhounds SC establish USL W League team in Pittsburgh

A new women’s soccer team is coming to Pittsburgh.

Prior to Saturday’s game with Detroit City FC, Pittsburgh Riverhounds President Jeff Garner announced a USL W expansion team will begin play in the city in 2025.

“As we experience the remarkable growth of women’s soccer globally, it’s imperative that we not only acknowledge, but actively champion the immense talent and passion that exists within our own communities,” Garner said. “By establishing a pathway for girls in our region to pursue the highest levels of soccer, particularly those emerging from our esteemed Riverhounds Development Academy, we are not just creating opportunities, we are fulfilling dreams.”

The team will play their home games at Highmark Stadium and will be operated by the Riverhounds ownership group.

For now the team is being called Pittsburgh USL W, but more details on the official name and crest will be forthcoming.

“As our Academy has grown and flourished on the girls’ side, the need to create a First Team pathway for the young women in our city has become increasingly evident,” Riverhounds sporting director Dan Visser said. “We couldn’t be more excited to bring a W League team to Pittsburgh.”

The USL W is a pre-professional women’s league and is set to begin its third season of play next weekend. Rosters are mainly comprised of college-aged players and recent college graduates.

All players in the league have amateur status.

The regular season runs from May through August.

There are 81 teams playing in USLW this season. The teams are split into 10 divisions and four conferences based on geography.

The regular season is all-divisional play and the teams that qualify move on to the conference playoffs. The four conference champions compete for the USLW title.