JACKSONVILLE – Robert Palmer is leading an effort to bring the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) to Northeast Florida. Palmer formed the entity Jax Downtown Pro Women’s Soccer, LLC with a goal of bringing an NWSL expansion club to Jacksonville.
Following the recent announcement of the Jacksonville Armada FC's entry into MLS Next Pro, Mr. Palmer has successfully fulfilled his commitment to return the club to the professional ranks. His extensive tenure as the sole owner of the Jacksonville Armada FC since 2017 provides a solid foundation of experience and dedication, positioning him to lead this historic NWSL bid. For this venture, Palmer is actively exploring including other like-minded individuals to form a new ownership group to pursue Jacksonville’s bid for an NWSL expansion team.
In tandem with this ambitious pursuit, Palmer is personally financing a multimillion-dollar stadium project situated in the heart of downtown Jacksonville. The second phase of this project is poised to provide an ideal home for the prospective NWSL expansion team, underscoring Palmer's dedication to cultivating a premier soccer environment in the region.
Mr. Palmer expressed his commitment, stating, “Having engaged in discussions with the NWSL, it affirmed what I already knew – the women’s game is experiencing a global surge, and the NWSL stands as the undisputed pinnacle of women’s soccer in the United States. I envision Jacksonville playing a pivotal role in the elevation and expansion of the beautiful game.”
The NWSL's global impact is evident, with sixty-one of its stars representing their countries in the recent 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Of the 23-member USWNT squad, an impressive 22 players compete domestically in the National Women's Soccer League, solidifying its status as the premier women's professional soccer league in the United States.