Welcome back to another jam packed summer of soccer with Equal Time! There are more teams, more ways to watch, and more players using our local summer league squads to launch a pro career. Our region is seeing a growth in the game that mirrors the growth that we are seeing nationally. The NWSL is now consistently expanding and bringing reserve teams into the summer league ranks. The USL Super League is set to launch this fall, providing much needed roster spots for the proven talent in this country. WPSL Pro has been announced with intent for 2025, with Sioux Falls City being one of their committed clubs. MN Aurora FC has been consistent about their public intent to explore NWSL or other Professional opportunities. In other words, being a women's soccer fan has never been better! This summer we have 24 (!) teams to track playing in the WPSL, USL W League, and UPSL. We've got 21 teams in MN, along with our neighbors in Sioux Falls City (SD), Dakota Fusion (ND), and Superior City FC (WIS), so we are here to break down the teams to follow, each of the Leagues, how to watch, and some in depth previews with a few clubs! As always, Equal Time will look to highlight as many teams as possible through in person content, stream highlights, player/coach interviews and social media. Follow us on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to stay connected with ALL of our summer league coverage. If you want to read our season wrap from last year to prepare, click HERE. With the 24 teams in our coverage area, there are plenty of different priorities for the varied clubs. They range from merely providing games to players on college break, helping them become a professional, or developing teenage players with a high level competition ahead of college. Then there are those who also focus on media and community development of their team. Most of the teams do bits and pieces of each, but we are here to help you find the teams that are most aspirational, successful, but most importantly, easy to follow and engage with. Whether they play on TV, provide professional quality streams, sell tickets and promote their schedule, or post regularly to social media, here are a few of the easiest teams to follow this summer. The Future Pros (on TV!)
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Sioux Falls City FC
Sioux Falls City is a fast rising club that aims to be the first Women's Professional team in ANY sport in 2025 with WPSL Pro. The "Citizens" have seen continued growth on and off the field with a tight 3rd place finish last year to traditional powers Salvo and MN Thunder. The player recruitment has seen a step up in pedigree after a year of Sporting Director Joe Demay's pink sweatshirt recruitment tour of 23/24, so expect another title chase this summer. You can stream all WPSL games on Hudl, but Sioux Falls City is also broadcast on Dakota News Now on local TV and Streaming).
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MN Aurora FC
MN Aurora enters year 3 with a totally new coaching staff, having lost Head Coach Nicole Lukic to US Soccer. Head Coach Collette Montgomery was hired to be Lukic's assistant and this spring was rehired as Sporting Director and Head Coach. After losing more than a handful of players to the pro ranks, a core group returns along with a plethora of newcomers. As Aurora has publicly mentioned interest in NWSL and the pro game, expectations will only grow for the community owned "Million Dollar Team" (as Rochester United once called them). You can watch Aurora locally on FOX 9+ or on the FOX 9 YouTube channel/website. All USL W League games will also be streamed for free on SportsEngine.
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Small Town Teams with Socials & Streams
Mankato United SC
Since they have entered WPSL, Mankato United has continuously stood out as a high performing soccer club in a smaller city. They maintain a local connective thread from youth soccer to high schools and the college/WPSL level in a way that fully maximizes the talent in the area. Mankato had a tough season last year, giving a lot of youth a chance and hopefully building foundations for another competitive year in '24. We appreciate all of the social media content with players and the consistent and professional streams you can expect from this club. They are also the easiest away trip for any Metro fans(and us), with a dedicated soccer field in Mankato (Bethany Lutheran College). Stream all their games on Hudl!
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Easy to follow Twin Cities Clubs
Salvo SC
Salvo was barely edged out by rivals MN Thunder last year for the WPSL Northern Conference title, but as the Thunder elected not to enter the playoffs, Salvo said "hold my Gatorade" and ran all the way to the WPSL Finals. They consistently have a stacked roster of local talent, some of whom have already played a bit of pro. Look for them to contend for the WPSL Northern Conference again this year. Off the field, Salvo stands out as a great insta follow for player content, especially on the road. They regularly do their own post game interviews on their Twitter and other social accounts, which makes it easy to get some attachment to a game from afar. All of Salvo SC and WPSL game are streamed on Hudl.
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All 10 WPSL teams return this year in a league that has been very stable in our region, finding slow and steady growth, with few teams dropping compared to many lower divisions of either gender. Last Year saw traditional powers MN Thunder and Salvo SC top the Conference with Sioux Falls City oh so close to breaking through in a tiebreaker’d 3rd place finish. With ambitions to move pro in 2025, look for Sioux Falls City to continue their on and off the field growth into an even bigger contender. Mankato United will look to rebound after an uncharacteristically poor season in terms of results. After giving a lot of youth some experience last year and a core of MN State Mankato’s successful squad returning, we should see a step on on last year’s 9th place finish. The middle of the Northern Conference is a tough road to climb out of, but it also presents a lot of tough trap games for even the top performing teams each year.
Last Years Standings
Sioux Falls City Season Kickoff/Roster Reveal
New "Addition" Sioux City Sol
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The Sol this spring announced that they will join the WPSL in 2025, with a provisional season of exhibitions this summer against teams in the region. They will be a new footprint for the women's game, based in the tristate area of Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. They will play at Mankato on May 19, at Sioux Falls on May 23, then host Sioux Falls City on June 16. Their games will also be available on Hudl this summer.
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Mankato United Preseason Show
WPSL Northern Conference Teams and How to Watch Them
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MN Thunder - Providence Academy, Plymouth Salvo SC - Northwestern College, Roseville Sioux Falls City - Bob Young Field, Sioux Falls St Croix SC - Stillwater High School Maplebrook Fury - Fernbrook Field, Joy AC - St Louis Park/Hopkins High Schools Manitou FC - White Bear Lake High School Rochester United FC - RCTC Stadium, Rochester Mankato United SC - Bethany Lutheran, Mankato Dakota Fusion FC - Jim Gotta Stadium, Moorhead |
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STREAMS ON: Every WPSL game is streamed free on Hudl, Sioux Falls City is also on local Dakota News Now TV/Stream
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We will just say it, Aurora still hasn’t lost in the regular season. After a dominant ‘23 Regular Season where MN Aurora went 12-0 and a +56 Goal Difference, the betting odds would be strong for them in the Heartland Division. Rochester FC on the other hand should be in for a much different season than last year. The Loons only won 1 out of 12 last year, but if you watched the club, that was a misleading stat. They gave MN Aurora their toughest regular season game at home, and were competitive for stretches, just not for the full 90. Rochester FC have recruited some more talent this year in terms of player profile, and we’d expect them to improve on the last place finish in ‘23. The MN clubs are joined again by Chicago City and Dutch Lions, 2nd year team Bavarian United, 2nd year team RKC Third Coast and newcomers River Light FC. The W League continues to expand quickly and the challenge of a Heartland Division team winning a W League title will only get tougher.
We will just say it, Aurora still hasn’t lost in the regular season. After a dominant ‘23 Regular Season where MN Aurora went 12-0 and a +56 Goal Difference, the betting odds would be strong for them in the Heartland Division. Rochester FC on the other hand should be in for a much different season than last year. The Loons only won 1 out of 12 last year, but if you watched the club, that was a misleading stat. They gave MN Aurora their toughest regular season game at home, and were competitive for stretches, just not for the full 90. Rochester FC have recruited some more talent this year in terms of player profile, and we’d expect them to improve on the last place finish in ‘23. The MN clubs are joined again by Chicago City and Dutch Lions, 2nd year team Bavarian United, 2nd year team RKC Third Coast and newcomers River Light FC. The W League continues to expand quickly and the challenge of a Heartland Division team winning a W League title will only get tougher.
Last Year's Standings
MN Aurora New Coaches Preseason Show
New to the Heartland Division: River Lights FC
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With the withdrawal of Green Bay Glory to the WPSL in '24, we see the Division stay at 7 with the addition of River Lights FC from suburban Chicago. They play in Aurora, Illinois and have Lots of D1 talent from the Chicagoland area who play all around the country, including the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, SEC and a lot from “Mid Majors” around Chicago. The name “River” is derived from the Fox Valley River that runs through the heart of Kane County. “Light” is representative of Aurora, the City of Lights as well as the vibrant community we aim to represent across Fox Valley.
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USL W League Heartland Division Teams & How to Watch Them
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MN Aurora FC - TCO Stadium, Eagan Chicago City - Loyola University Chicago Dutch Lions - Aurora University Bavarian United SC - Bavarians Complex, Glendale RKC Third Coast - Pritchard Park, Racine, WI Rochester FC - RCTC Stadium, Rochester River Light FC - Aurora University |
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STREAMS ON: All USL W League games will stream free on SportsEngine, MN Aurora is also on FOx 9+ TV and on Fox9 YouTube/Stream
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The UPSL Midwest-West is the big source of expansion in the women's game this summer, adding 6(!) teams to the 6 that played in the inaugural year in ‘23. The UPSL has the reputation of being the largest (and fastest growing) Semi Pro league on the Men’s side. Only in the last couple years have we seen that turn to the women's side of the game. Primarily a coastal conference, Minnesota is home to the sole women’s division in UPSL that doesn’t touch an ocean or a coast, and it’s growing fast. Last year it was just Superior City and Vlora who had streams and public facing content, so we’ll look to highlight those squads as much as we can, along with as many of the new clubs as we can. The addition of Aurora 2 and other established Twin Cities youth clubs should help kick start the new division, so we are hopeful for a step up in coverage possibilities in ‘24. Early impressions are good with more teams using YouTube to stream their games this year.
Last Year's Standings
Superior City FC Preseason Kickoff Show
2024 Preseason Coaches Poll
MN TwinStars FC Season Kickoff Show
UPSL Midwest West Teams and How to Watch Them
Tonka Fusion Elite - Minnetonka High School
Northern Tide FC - Todd Field
Superior City FC - NBC Spartan Athletic Complex
St Croix SC - Stillwater High School
Vlora FC - Burnsville High School
Granite City FC - St Cloud Tech High School
NOSC Blast - Spring Lake Park High School
MN TwinStars - Maple Grove High School
Blackhawks FC - St Paul Humboldt High School
Skills FC - Burnsville High School
MN Aurora 2 - Sea Foam Stadium, St Paul
Tonka Fusion Elite 2 - TBD/Rotating
Northern Tide FC - Todd Field
Superior City FC - NBC Spartan Athletic Complex
St Croix SC - Stillwater High School
Vlora FC - Burnsville High School
Granite City FC - St Cloud Tech High School
NOSC Blast - Spring Lake Park High School
MN TwinStars - Maple Grove High School
Blackhawks FC - St Paul Humboldt High School
Skills FC - Burnsville High School
MN Aurora 2 - Sea Foam Stadium, St Paul
Tonka Fusion Elite 2 - TBD/Rotating
STREAMS ON: All of the Midwest West games that will be streamed will be on team YouTube channels
Get your team covered on Equal Time Soccer
We do our best to cover as many teams as possible in the growing soccer landscape, but we certainly have blindspots. If you are interested in a streamed show to highlight players, coaches and/or front office members of your team, reach out on social and we'll work to find a way to highlight your club! The more we can find rosters, stats and good streams, the easier it is for us to showcase your team as well. If you have a creative idea for content with Equal Time, we are all ears.
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