Portland Hearts of Pine has announced a series of three town halls to take fan input on a potential USL W team in Portland. The three town halls are set for March 7, March 12, and March 22 and fall under three pillars: Fans & Supporters, Business & Community, and Youth & Grassroots, respectively.
“The best clubs are reflections of their community, and for the soccer club of Maine to realize its full potential, it’s critical to include our community in this process,” said Gabe Hoffman-Johnson, Hearts of Pine’s founder and chief community officer. “The foundational identity of Hearts was built by Mainers, and a women’s team has been a part of that vision from day one. Now that we’re here, we’re bringing that same level of care and intentionality to the development of the women’s team.”
Should the women's team come to fruition, they would likely play in the Northeast Division of the USL W's Eastern Conference. The division, new for 2026, features the likes of familiar USL franchises Vermont Green, AC Connecticut, and Hartford Athletic, as well as the New England Mutiny and Hudson Valley Crusaders.
USL W, described as a "pre-professional women's league," has seen strong growth in the three years since its inception in May 2022. The inaugural season featured 44 teams and has now grown to 96 squads from across the nation in only 4 years.
“These town halls are our way of showing up, listening, and learning from the community, just as we did with the men’s team,” said Hannah Sirois, Hearts of Pine’s vice president of fan experience. “As a Mainer and a mother, I’m so excited to see how the city of Portland and the entire state of Maine rally in support of a team that truly reflects and showcases the strength of women in Maine. Let’s build something we’re proud to call our own, and let’s do it together.”
The excitement for soccer is palpable in Portland, and considering the attendance numbers and fan engagement for the Hearts, combined with the rapidly increasing popularity of women's soccer as a whole, a USL W team would fit right in to a soccer scene that is blossoming.
