Denver Summit FC: New NWSL team name, chosen by fans

Denver Summit FC: The New Name of the NWSL Team with a Mountain Seal

The sixteenth NWSL team finally has a name. It’s the Denver Summit FC, a choice that turned out to be the favorite for both the management and the fans, who participated in the voting of six different options.

“I think the general opinion, and really the guiding principle of this club that continues with the name, is that this has been a name created by the fans,” commented Jen Millet, team president.

Jen Millet, team president.

The Denver team will debut in the 2026 season. The club’s visual identity focuses on the mountains, a distinctive element of the state of Colorado. The shield features green mountains, tilted at a 26-degree angle to commemorate the team’s starting year, with white snow-capped peaks under a red sky and an orange sun. The name “Summit” was chosen over other options such as Denver Peak FC, Colorado 14ers FC, Denver Elevate FC, Denver FC, and Denver Gold FC. Although the original vote included “Colorado Summit FC”, the board opted for “Denver” to honor the plan to build a 14,500-seat stadium in the city, which is scheduled to open in 2028. This will be the second stadium built specifically for the NWSL.

“The inclusion of ‘Denver’ for us, being the second NWSL team with a stadium designed for a specific purpose, we really wanted to honor Denver as part of that and make sure people knew that that’s happening in Denver,” explained Millet.

Jen Millet, team president.

The choice of name by the fans contrasts with the process followed by the other NWSL expansion team in 2026, Boston Legacy FC, which initially presented itself as BOS Nation FC, a name decided by a small group. The Denver team also kept the main green color it had used in its temporary branding, based on fan feedback. The team’s green and white refer to the classic Colorado license plate.

The reddish-brown sky on Denver’s shield “is a nod to the iconic red rock formations found throughout the state”, including the famous Red Rocks just outside of Denver. Millet, who worked with the Golden State Warriors before his time in the NWSL, expressed his enthusiasm to know the opinion of the fans.

“Ultimately, for me, the triumph will be that the fans who were really part of bringing this club to life are excited and truly happy to wear it on their cap, on their jersey,” Millet said. “That’s what will mean the most.”

Jen Millet, team president.