This is the final part of our interview with WPSL PRO Project Director Benno Nagel. The first three parts can be found here, here and here.
Where does WPSL PRO fit as a place for player development? Nagel is ebullient.There's just so much territory that has not been occupied by these different leagues. The up and coming prospect is an easy story to conceptualize but think about the NWSL second chance player, or Luca Toni (who progressed from the lower league Serie C in Italy to a World Cup win in only 7 years)Where would that player come from in America? If he was a woman in America, that would never happen. He would've become an accountant or a school teacher or whatever he would've gone on to do in his career professionally other than soccer. I don't know if it's gonna be 2027, but imagine in 2031 when the Women's World Cup is here in North America and there's an athlete that maybe makes the Women's World Cup team that started her professional journey in 2027 or 2028 with the WPSL PRO? There could be an athlete that could for whatever reason, not get signed by an NWSL club, not get signed by a Super League club, maybe wind up with the WPSL PRO Club on a good multi-year contract to start and they just crush it. Next thing they get transferred to an NWSL club or they get transferred to some higher level program and they continue to succeed and then they make it into the national team and play in the World Cup. And you could trace that player's moment of their breakthrough back to the WPSL PRO. That would be like insane, in a good way. That's what we feel the opportunity is, who would be the women's Luca Toni in American soccer right now? You wouldn't have 'em, they would be out of soccer. Or think about an NWSL athlete that had a horrific injury, or maybe stepped away from the game to start their family or had some other reason that they needed to take a one or two year hiatus and now they're looking to come back into play professionally. The WPSL PRO could be a spot for them to do that.WPSL PRO Interview Part 4: Enabling development
Related
WPSL PROfile : The three rosters of Austin's inexorable Rise
Welcome to a new series that looks at the markets where WPSL PRO is emerging. First up, we look at Austin Rise, which was founded in 2023 as an amateur club in the existing WPSL and plans to go pro in 2027.
Flying the flag in a windy and flat land: The strategy behind Dakota Fusion FC
What's it like running the day-to-day operations for a year round club with sides in academy tournaments, NPSL and WPSL? Beth Garten lifts the curtain for us
"Do it right instead of rushed" - WPSL PRO to launch in 2028
Remember last year when we spoke to the WPSL PRO project director? If not, you can catch up on that conversation here. While priorities haven't changed, the timeline has, with March 2028 now marking the point when the world's largest amateur women's soccer league
WPSL PRO Interview Part 3: Empowering athletes, engaging fans
This is part 3 of our interview with WPSL PRO Project Director Benno Nagel. Read part 1 here and part 2 here With no designs on Division 1 and amateurs at Division 4 level, Nagel explained to us how the new league is looking to empower athletes to advance. I
Latest
Aurora clinches 5th Heartland title with win over River Light
FIVE TIME HEARTLAND CHAMPIONS
Aurora plays host to River Light in final home match of 2026
Saturday afternoon in Eagan, Aurora hosts the team from Aurora, IL with Minnesota having the chance to make history.
Photo Gallery: Minnesota Super Cup - Minneapolis City vs Minnesota Blizzard.
Northland Soccer Journal's PJ Ryan was in Minneapolis to capture all the action in an eventful MN Super Cup clash between Minneapolis City and Minnesota Blizzard
Photo Gallery: Aurora vs Sioux Falls City
Come see our photos from Aurora's 2-0 win over Sioux Falls City FC on Wednesday night!