Minnesota Aurora FC won’t expand into NWSL in 2026
Minnesota Aurora: Meet the new head coach
She's from the UK but has lived in Minnesota for the past 20 years. With a lengthy background in the game, Collette Montgomery now has the opportunity to lead the Minnesota Aurora, which has quickly become one of the most exciting teams in the startup USL W League. she takes over the reigns from coach Nicole Lukic. You can watch every Aurora home game live on FOX 9+ starting May 30.
EAGAN, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Aurora FC – a women-led, community-owned, pre-professional soccer club based in Eagan – has dropped their bid to opt into the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) as an expansion team in 2026.
What we know
In a letter sent to its community owners, the Minnesota Aurora Board said they had withdrawn their bid to be the league’s 16th team.
"While we had a strong investment group, circumstances out of our control kept us from pursuing the bid at this time," the board said in a statement, noting the process was "extremely complex" and that their remains interest by investors in supporting the team eventually joining a pro league.
The board went on to say that it has built an "independent club that has broken every expectation," including the launch of Aurora development camps and Aurora 2 this summer.
Future goals
"We are committed to building a healthy and sustainable organization that will grow so we can continue to explore all opportunities available to us in the future," the board said in the statement.
There still remains the potential the Aurora could expand into the growing NWSL in the future.
Last season, FOX 9 streamed all Minnesota Aurora home games at TCO Stadium in Eagan as part of a partnership with the team.