The Portland Hearts of Pine will launch a pre-professional women’s soccer team in May 2027, the team announced on Thursday.
That comes after the Portland-based soccer club secured rights to a franchise in the United Soccer League W League, a pre-professional women’s soccer league meant to bridge the gap between youth, college and professional teams.
The league’s season runs from May through July and is designed around the college calendar, allowing players to compete at a high level over the summer while maintaining NCAA eligibility.
“Having a women’s team has been part of the plan since day one,” Hearts of Pine founder Gabe Hoffman-Johnson said in a news release. “The community has been asking for this, and we are excited to make it official. Maine is ready for this moment.”
The Hearts of Pine men’s professional team, which competes in the USL League 1, has been wildly popular since its inaugural 2025 season, posting a regular season record of 11 wins, 7 losses and 12 draws, while rolling out equally popular Maine-themed kits.
Season tickets for the new women’s team will go on sale at noon, Thursday, June 11, at tickets.uslwmaine.com.
